People with diabetes tend to have go-to strategies to lower blood sugar quickly and safely when their numbers spike out of a healthy range. But does drinking water lower blood sugar, or are there other solutions that are more effective?
Meet the experts: Sapna Peruvemba, M.S., R.D.N., a plant-based dietitian based in Loma Linda, CA; Jamie Baham, M.S., R.D.N., L.D., a cancer prevention registered dietitian at Ladybug Nutrition; Victoria Finn, M.D., an endocrinologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan.
While it is not a magic fix, drinking water can play a role in preventing blood sugar spikes or bringing your levels down. Here, experts explain how it works, plus how much you should be drinking.
What happens to blood sugar when you’re dehydrated
If you’re dehydrated or simply not drinking enough water, your blood sugar levels may rise. “When you’re dehydrated, the water content in your blood drops, which means the sugar that’s already there becomes more concentrated,” explained Sapna Peruvemba, M.S., R.D.N., a plant-based dietitian based in Loma Linda, CA. “Since about 92% of blood plasma is water, even mild dehydration can cause a noticeable rise in blood glucose.”
Jamie Baham, M.S., R.D.N., L.D., a cancer prevention registered dietitian at Ladybug Nutrition, likened this effect to the difference between water and syrup. The blood of someone who is well-hydrated will be thinner and more watery, while the blood of someone who isn’t drinking enough water will be thicker and contain a higher concentration of sugar. According to the University of Maryland Medical System, even mild dehydration may cause an increase in blood sugar of 50 to 110 mg/dL in people with diabetes. Considering that the difference between normal blood sugar levels and blood sugar levels in diabetes is just 25 mg/dL, this is a notable increase.
Can drinking water lower blood sugar?
“Water is a helpful metabolic support tool, but it is not a treatment for high blood sugar and cannot replace insulin or diabetes medications. While it can modestly assist the body, it won’t quickly reverse a post-meal spike or correct prolonged hyperglycemia on its own,” said Victoria Finn, M.D., an endocrinologist with Medical Offices of Manhattan.
That said, there are a few different ways that water supports healthy blood sugar levels. “Drinking water helps your kidneys filter excess glucose out of the bloodstream through urine. The more hydrated you are, the more effectively your body can clear extra sugar,” Peruvemba explained. “Adequate water intake also influences hormones like vasopressin, which play a role in blood sugar regulation.” All told, research in the Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders found that drinking water before each meal helped lower fasting blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
These effects also help prevent falsely high blood sugar readings, said Dr. Finn. “Dehydration, even mild, can concentrate glucose in the bloodstream, causing blood sugar readings to appear higher than they actually are,” she explained. That’s a problem because false highs can lead to incorrect treatment, which can be dangerous. It’s always a good idea to drink some water and check again if your number seems abnormally high.
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Can water help stop diabetic ketoacidosis?
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a severe complication most common in type 1 diabetes. “DKA arises when the body lacks sufficient insulin to utilize glucose for energy,” explained Dr. Finn. “This forces the body to burn fat, generating ketones that dangerously acidify the blood.” She noted that while staying hydrated can support blood sugar maintenance, drinking water alone can neither prevent nor halt DKA. “DKA is fundamentally caused by an insulin deficiency, not a lack of water,” Dr. Finn said. “Once ketone production begins, it can only be halted by administering insulin and providing urgent medical care.”
How much water to drink to support healthy blood sugar
Regardless of whether you have prediabetes, diabetes, or normal blood sugar levels, you should be drinking the same amount of water. “People with high blood sugar don’t necessarily need more water than the general population,” said Peruvemba. “But because dehydration can raise blood sugar more easily in these individuals, staying on top of their fluid intake just becomes more important.”
The recommended daily water intake is 11.5 cups or 92 ounces for women and 15.5 cups or 124 ounces for men. According to the Mayo Clinic, about 20% of this typically comes from food, so women should be drinking at least 9.2 cups or 74 ounces of water and other fluids every day, while men need to drink 12.4 cups or 99 ounces to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
The bottom line
“Drinking water can be helpful during mild blood glucose elevations, in cases of early post-meal spikes, or when high blood glucose is primarily due to dehydration,” said Dr. Finn. “But it is not a sufficient stand-alone solution.” If you’re having trouble keeping your blood sugar levels steady and healthy, making sure you’re drinking enough water is a good place to start—but you should also be discussing your experience and needs with your healthcare provider to make sure you’re taking any and all necessary steps.
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