Too much time in AC is not all that cool!

Lack of sweat or thirst often means less consumption of water, which could lead to several health ailments

The sun is beating down hard and air-conditioners are working overtime across homes, offices, commercial establishments and even in cars. After all, it is all about escaping the oppressive heat even though one has to deal with huge energy bills at the end of the month. While the comfort that an AC provides is undeniable, there is an associated risk — people are consuming less water as they neither sweat nor feel their mouths drying up.

Doctors caution that consumption of less water could lead to dehydration, urinary tract infections and kidney stones. If stones form in the kidneys and the ailment goes undetected, it gets aggravated when people do not drink as much water as they should. In fact, nephrologists say that comparatively more number of people are detected with kidney stones during the summers.

Head of General Medicine department at KIMS Hospitals, K. Shivaraju points out that low urine output and/or urine being dark yellow in colour are signs that a person is consuming less water. “One has to drink at least two to four litres of water in a day. Since several people are spending most part of the day in air-conditioned premises, they are not drinking enough water. Dehydration is one of the risk factors for kidney stones. Televisions were a must in all homes until a few years ago, now it is AC, which means more number of people might not consume required amount of water. One has to make it a point to drink water at regular intervals,” he suggests.

Concentrated urine (yellowish colour) is one of the signs of dehydration. The chances of urinary tract infections also go up due to insufficient water consumption. “Diabetics have to be cautious as the chances of urinary tract infection is more in them. And the risk is also high among elderly persons who have prostrate issues,” Dr Shivaraju warns.

Higher concentration of calcium, uric acid in urine due to poor water intake and dehydration may lead to formation of stones in kidneys, cautions Manisha Sahay, head of nephrology department at Osmania General Hospital, adding that “adequate water intake flushes out uric acid, calcium, and bacteria”.

She advises that one must consume at least three litres of water a day. “You can mark your name on one-litre water bottles at home to keep track of how much water you are consuming,” she adds.