Rafed English
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Dehydration is a common occurrence during a fast. The body continues to lose water and salts through breathing, sweat and urine; the quantity of water loss will vary depending on the weather, how much you had to drink before your fast, the degree of physical exertion and the ability of the kidney to retain water and salts.

Prevention is always better than cure. However, if you do not adequately re-hydrate before a fast, your risk of dehydration is increased. This risk is higher in the elderly, and in those taking tablets such as diuretics. Depending on the severity of the dehydration, you may experience a general feeling of being unwell, lethargy, muscle cramps, dizziness, disorientation and even collapse or faint.

If you are unable to stand-up due to dizziness, or disorientated, you should urgently re-hydrate with regular moderate quantities of water, ideally with sugar and salt, such as Dioralyte or Lucozade.

If you faint due to dehydration, your legs should be raised above the head by others, and when awake, urgently rehydrated as outlined above.