14 DAY TRIAL // According to the conclusions of a new scientific study, it would appear that coffee does not lead to dehydration, if consumed in moderate amounts daily. Previously, researchers believed that drinking coffee contributed significantly to eliminating water from the body.
The new research was led by experts with the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Birmingham, in the United Kingdom. A paper accompanying the findings was published in the January 9 issue of the peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE, EurekAlert reports.
In fact, what the team found was that moderate coffee intake actually contributed to meeting the daily fluid requirements of average individuals just like water, tea or soda did. The previously held belief was informed by the fact that caffeine can sometimes act as a mild diuretic.
“We found that consumption of a moderate intake of coffee, four cups per day, in regular coffee drinking males, caused no significant differences across a wide range of hydration indicators compared to the consumption of equal amounts of water,” says PhD student Sophie Killer.