While dehydration is often associated with being thirsty, that’s not the only warning sign our bodies share with us.

The condition can occur when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, which can impact the body’s ability to perform its normal functions, say experts.

The body loses fluids and water through sweating and urination, according to Cleveland Clinic.

HATE WATER? HERE ARE 5 HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES, ACCORDING TO AN NFL SPORTS DIETITIAN

“In warm and hot weather in particular, your body loses water and fluid faster,” Mike Sevilla, M.D., a family physician with Salem Family Care in Salem, Ohio, told Fox News Digital.

“If these fluids are not replaced, the body becomes dehydrated.”

Although anyone can become dehydrated, it can be especially dangerous for vulnerable groups, such as young children and the elderly.

HERE ARE THE DRINKS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON A FLIGHT TO PREVENT DEHYDRATION — AND WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T 

5 surprising symptoms of dehydration

Doctors shared with Fox News Digital some of the signs of dehydration that go beyond thirst.

1. Sweating

It may come as a surprise that excessive sweating could be an indicator of dehydration. 

Water is lost when you sweat, so if you’re engaging in vigorous activity and don’t replace fluids, you can become dehydrated, according to Mayo Clinic’s website.

Illness is an often overlooked cause of dehydration, often leading to a depletion of fluids. (iStock)

“In heat and humidity, we lose more water in the form of perspiration, which is what triggers the body to tell the brain that it needs water and the actual feeling of thirst,” Lauren Fine, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist with Fine Dermatology in Chicago, told Fox News Digital.

2. Sickness

Illness is an often overlooked cause of dehydration. With excessive vomiting or diarrhea, the body can quickly become depleted of fluids — especially with younger people and older adults, Sevilla said. 

NEED MORE WATER INTAKE? THESE 4 FOODS CAN HELP YOU STAY HYDRATED ON HOT SUMMER DAYS

“Having a fever or an infection can also lead to dehydration, because fever can cause you to sweat and thereby lose fluid,” he cautioned. 

3. Fatigue

One of the initial signs of dehydration is fatigue. 

Fatigue is one of the early signs of dehydration, according to experts. (iStock)

“People usually ignore this symptom, thinking that they are just tired,” Sevilla said — but it can progress to dizziness and lightheadedness.

To combat fatigue, he recommends consuming beverages with electrolytes to boost energy levels.

4. Dark urine

If your urine is amber- or honey-colored, or dark orange, this may indicate that your body isn’t getting enough water, according to Health.com. 

“If you’re dehydrated and are holding onto more of the actual water itself, the urine will become darker and darker,” Michael A Palese, M.D., chair of the Department of Urology at Mount Sinai in New York, told Health.com. 

5. Skin changes

Dehydrated skin can look dull and dry, and can also show premature signs of aging, such as surface wrinkles. 

Changes in the skin can be a symptom of dehydration, experts say. (iStock)

“Skin cells need water to survive,” said Fine.

To keep the skin hydrated, she recommends drinking water while working out, reducing intake of coffee and other caffeinated beverages, and eating more fruits, vegetables and legumes.

When to seek medical attention

The longer dehydration continues without intake of sufficient fluids, the worse the symptoms become, according to Sevilla. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Severe dehydration leads to dizziness, confusion, increased heart rate and low blood pressure, the physician said.

“The more severe the case of dehydration is, the more difficult it is for people to drink enough fluid to help the situation,” he said. 

In cases of severe hydration, an individual may need to visit the hospital or emergency department to receive fluids via IV. (iStock)

In cases of severe hydration, the person may need to visit the hospital or emergency department to receive fluids via IV.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews/health

Both doctors emphasized the importance of being proactive and drinking water or electrolyte-containing fluids before exercising or playing sports.

Screening for the second leading cause of cancer deaths just got a bit easier.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval of a new blood test for colorectal cancer (CRC).

Shield, made by Guardant Health in California, is the first approved blood test that is considered a primary screening option for the disease and meets Medicare coverage requirements, the company stated.

WHAT IS COLORECTAL CANCER? SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, RISKS AND MORE OF THE GLOBAL HEALTH CONCERN

The FDA’s approval, announced Tuesday, follows a large clinical trial that included 20,000 average-risk adults, which found that Shield had an 83% sensitivity for the detection of CRC.

Those findings were published in The New England Journal of Medicine in March.

There is another approved blood test, Epigenomics’ Epi proColon, but it is a second-line screening option, which means it can only be given to patients who have been offered first-line options and have a history of not completing CRC screening, according to Michael Weist, a spokesperson from Guardant Health.

Robert Smith, PhD, senior vice president of Early Cancer Detection Science for the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, confirmed that Shield is the only blood test currently available for colorectal cancer screening. 

TRAGIC CANCER LOSS INSPIRES NEW YORK TECH ENTREPRENEUR TO ADDRESS ‘URGENT MEDICAL NEED’

“It compares favorably with other colorectal cancer screening tests,” such as colonoscopy, CT colonography and stool tests, Smith, who is not affiliated with Guardant, told Fox News Digital.

“The test … likely will be more appealing to people who have never been screened, or not recently screened,” he added.

The FDA’s approval follows a large clinical trial that included 20,000 average-risk adults, which found that Shield had an 83% sensitivity for the detection of colorectal cancer. (Guardant Health)

The key advantage of the blood test is that it can be done during a routine doctor’s appointment without the need for prepping or taking an entire day off from work.

“It offers the potential to detect colorectal cancer in a person who is non-adherent with screening recommendations, asymptomatic and willing to get this test based on preference, convenience or both,” Smith said.

“Compared to colonoscopy, it is simpler and less time-consuming.”

Advertisement

Shield has shown “reasonable sensitivity and specificity compared to other blood/stool tests,” according to Dr. Shuji Ogino, chief of the Molecular Pathological Epidemiology program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, which is a member of Mass General Brigham in Boston.

“Compared to colonoscopy, it is simpler and less time-consuming,” Ogino, who is not associated with Guardant, told Fox News Digital.

Risks and limitations

While the risks of the Shield test have not been studied in a population of regular users, they are likely to be minimal, according to ACS’ Smith. 

“However, the Shield test does not offer the same level of benefit to prevent colorectal cancer by detecting and removing precursor lesions (polyps), which is a significant benefit from regular screening with the currently recommended tests,” Smith cautioned.

The Shield blood test is made by Guardant Health, which is based in Redwood City, California. (Guardant Health)

That downside would be offset by more unscreened people choosing to get screenings, he noted.

“The Shield blood test does have a lower degree of sensitivity than the Cologard stool test for detecting colon cancer,” Stephen Grabelsky, M.D., a hematologist and medical oncologist at the Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, told Fox News Digital.

The test is only intended for people with a standard risk for colon cancer, which excludes patients with a family history of colon cancer or a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, Grabelsy added. (He also was not involved in the test’s development.)

Early detection is key

The compliance rate for colorectal cancer screenings is only about 59% — well below the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable’s goal of 80% for eligible individuals, according to Weist.

The test is expected to be commercially available by this fall. 

“More than one out of three eligible Americans – over 50 million people – do not complete CRC screenings, often due to the perception that other available options, such as colonoscopies or stool-based tests, are invasive, unpleasant or inconvenient,” he said. 

When detected early, colon cancer has a relative survival rate of 91% — compared to just 14% if the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body. 

“Early detection is critical,” Weist said. “The most effective screening test is the test that gets done.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

The Shield test is indicated for colorectal cancer screening in individuals age 45 and older who have an average risk for the disease, he told Fox News Digital. 

The test is expected to be commercially available by this fall. 

The Shield test is indicated for colorectal cancer screening in individuals 45 and older who are at average risk for the disease. (Guardant Health)

Patients interested in the Shield test should discuss the benefits and limitations with a health care provider before making a choice, Smith recommended, and should also determine whether their insurance will cover it. 

“It is important to appreciate that a colorectal cancer screening test that is positive is not complete until the patient has had a colonoscopy,” Smith noted.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews/health

“Any non-colonoscopy screening test for colorectal cancer that is positive must be followed up with a colonoscopy.”

RED FLAGS – Amid the FBI’s assertion that Trump’s would-be assassin was a “loner,” mental health experts share warning signs and tips for how to help. Continue reading…

LINE OF SIGHT – “Pickleball saved my sight,” claims a Florida woman, 79. She shares with Fox News Digital how her love for the sport led to an important diagnosis. Continue reading…

HIGH ACCURACY – A new Alzheimer’s blood test showed 90% accuracy in detecting the dementia at routine health care appointments. Doctors weigh in on the “surprising” results. Continue reading…

Approximately one in five women and one in 10 men develop dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. (iStock)

AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE – The first generic GLP-1 medication is now available – here’s what that means for patients with diabetes. Continue reading…

KNOW YOUR RISK – Excess body fat in two particular areas could put you at a higher risk for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, a new study found. Continue reading…

TESTING THE WATERS – Concerns about heavy rains negatively impacting the water quality of the Seine River led to cancellations of some Olympic events. Experts share the specific risks swimmers could face. Continue reading…

Triathlon athletes compete and swim in the Seine River during a test event for the women’s triathlon for the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Click below to get experts’ take on concerns about the river’s water quality. (Getty Images)

FIRE HAZARD – Exposure to wildfire smoke could increase the risk of dementia, researchers have discovered. Cognitive experts break down the link between fires and brain health. Continue reading…

EXTREME EXPOSURE – Some teens are chasing higher UV indexes to maximize their tans. Here’s why that could be dangerous, according to dermatologists. Continue reading…

FIT TO SERVE? – Some medical experts question whether staying in office could put Joe Biden’s health at further risk. Continue reading…

Experts agreed that the high-pressure nature of the presidency could pose “significant health risks” for President Joe Biden. (Getty Images)

FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

Twitter

LinkedIn

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS

Fox News First

Fox News Opinion

Fox News Lifestyle

Fox News Health

Fox News Autos

Fox News Entertainment (FOX411)

DOWNLOAD OUR APPS

Fox News

Fox Business

Fox Weather

Fox Sports

Tubi

WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE

Fox News Go

STREAM FOX NATION

Fox Nation