During a heat peak, the body loses much more water than usual in a few hours, sometimes without us realizing it. In adults, water makes up about 60% of body weight, and it often drops to between 46 and 52% after age 60. The elderly, babies and fragile patients feel less thirst, which puts them at greater risk. Be careful, moderate dehydration can cause health complications, the most common of which is “heat stroke”. To quickly find out where you stand, there is a very simple express test.
This test, called
skinfold testinvolves watching how your skin reacts when you pinch it. When you feel thirsty, your body is already suffering from dehydration. The idea is therefore to identify the lack of water before you become ill. Combined with observing urine color and a few questions about your drinking habits, this test gives a good overview of your hydration status during a heat peak.
How to do the skin fold test to find out if you are dehydrated
The principle is the same as that used in emergencies. Gently pinch the skin between your thumb and index finger, on the back of the hand or forearm, about an inch. Release and watch: if the skin immediately returns to its place, hydration seems correct. If it keeps the mark and takes a second or more to return, water shortage is looming. The skin contains around 30% water, and the body will draw on it in times of shortage, making it stiffer.
“If the skin instantly returns to its shape, you are well hydrated. On the other hand, if it remains wrinkled or takes one to two seconds to relax, this may signal the beginning of dehydration, and you should drink more. If the return delay is greater than two seconds, dehydration is more significant” specifies Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician.
In elderly or very thin people, this test remains misleading, because the skin is already less elastic. If in doubt, especially if other signs are added (sudden fatigue, dizziness, difficulty expressing oneself), one should not be satisfied with the skin fold and quickly seek medical advice.
Urine, thirst, fatigue: other signals of dehydration
Second key indicator, your toilet. Pale yellow and almost odorless urine indicates sufficient water intake. Conversely, dark or honey-colored urine, which is infrequent, signals possible dehydration. “The clearer the urine, the better the hydration” says Dr. Kierzek, medical director of True Medical. To compare you can use a color scale ranging from pale yellow to dark brown
A intense thirstdry mouth, tight skin, unusual constipation, rare and very odorous urine.
When dehydration progresses, other symptoms appear: decreased attention, apathy, dizziness, vertigo, sometimes fever or diarrhea and vomiting. If these symptoms occur during peak heat, especially in a child or elderly person, it is a medical emergency.
What to do if the test alerts you during a heat spike
If your skin fold returns slowly or your urine is dark, you need to act quickly but calmly. Health Insurance advises undressing, lying down, then cooling off with damp cloths. The institution also recommends drinking small, regular sips of sugar water or savory vegetable brothsin order to compensate at the same time for lost water and salt.
Normally, 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day is enough, but in case of high heat it is better to increase between 2.7 and 3.7 liters per day. Part of it comes from foods rich in water such as fruits, vegetables, yogurt or soup. The main thing is to drink regularly, without waiting for thirst, especially during the next heat peaks.