EU bans claim that water can prevent dehydration

EU officials concluded that, following a three-year investigation, there was no evidence to prove the previously undisputed fact.

Telegraph article

A meeting of 21 scientists in Parma, Italy, concluded that reduced water content in the body was a symptom of dehydration and not something that drinking water could subsequently control.

There really aren't any words that I can say to this. My main response is that it really says a lot about bureaucratic red tape when something as long-held and self-explanatory as "water prevents dehydration" has to undergo a 3-year study.

Aside from this, you really have to wonder at the science these people employed if there's no evidence that drinking water helps prevent dehydration.

Last night, critics claimed the EU was at odds with both science and common sense. Conservative MEP Roger Helmer said: “This is stupidity writ large.

I couldn't agree more.

“The euro is burning, the EU is falling apart and yet here they are: highly-paid, highly-pensioned officials worrying about the obvious qualities of water and trying to deny us the right to say what is patently true. “If ever there were an episode which demonstrates the folly of the great European project then this is it.”

Again I agree. I call this a distraction. I sure see it that way. You know I have to ask OP is this a hoax? Nobody, not even a scientist, can be this stupid.

Ok if water doesn't prevent dehydration then what does? Coke? Maybe it is alcohol? A bunch of morons...

I expected the link to be a known hoax site but come on.

A group of scientists got paid 3 years wages to come to a wrong conclusion that any 8 year old could get right.

Nice job if you can get it. I wonder if I can get paid several hundred thousand to come to a conclusion that eating doesnt stop you from being hungry.

reply to post by KySc5


I don't think it's a hoax, unfortunately. I certainly hope that I am wrong. Regardless, it probably is a bit of propaganda piece to point out to British people how absurd the EU folks are and sway public sentiment to the UK distancing itself further from that arena.

reply to post by AnIntellectualRedneck




Fail Europa.

reply to post by AnIntellectualRedneck


I also was astonished to see this! i couldn't help but think of the scene from 1984 "how many fingers am i holding up Winston?" We're heading for Idiocracy! next thing you know we'll be watering the fields with gatorade or 7up!

reply to post by stinkingzombie


I've seen that movie before, and that's exactly what I first thought of when I saw this. It won't be long now lol. Won't be long now at all.

Nothing surprises me anymore, unfortunately.

Godzilla /facepalm, indeed.

Here is a counter point article link I have to say I'm a bit on the fence here, while on the face of it the ruling does seem extremely stupid it should be noted that.
a) The specific wording of the claim being refuted was

The regular consumption of significant amounts of water can reduce the risk of development of dehydration and of concomitant decrease of performance.

The people that submitted this claim identified dehydration as a "disease" and the EU rule for a foodstuff claiming to reduce a risk of a disease is

The Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 5 defines reduction of disease risk claims as claims which state that the consumption of a food “significantly reduces a risk factor in the development of a human disease”

I can see where water doesn't fit into that at all, I can drink 100 glasses of water everyday and it will not reduce the chance of me waking up tomorrow with a stomach bug and developing dehydration.

Also Dehydration isn't simply not having enough water it is also lack of electrolytes which drinking plain water will not help restore at all

Originally posted by KySc5

Last night, critics claimed the EU was at odds with both science and common sense. Conservative MEP Roger Helmer said: “This is stupidity writ large.

I couldn't agree more.

“The euro is burning, the EU is falling apart and yet here they are: highly-paid, highly-pensioned officials worrying about the obvious qualities of water and trying to deny us the right to say what is patently true. “If ever there were an episode which demonstrates the folly of the great European project then this is it.”

Again I agree. I call this a distraction. I sure see it that way. You know I have to ask OP is this a hoax? Nobody, not even a scientist, can be this stupid.

They are not stupid they are brilliant ...brilliant crooks!
How much money did these researchers get from the EU to complete this "study"?
They bought mansions with the funds they got for this.

They laughed all the way to the bank.
The stupid people are they ones who thought spending money on studies like this made any sense at all.

I would also say, I don't like the EU one bit, but I'm also damned if I'm going to take anything that is reported in any UK newspaper as the truth

WTF!!
Hydration is the act of adding water to a system (human body in this case). This is so self evident that any statement to the contrary is completely absurd.

Originally posted by CosmicCitizen
WTF!!
Hydration is the act of adding water to a system (human body in this case). This is so self evident that any statement to the contrary is completely absurd.

Well not quite

Physiologically, dehydration, despite the name, does not simply mean loss of water, as water and solutes (mainly sodium) are usually lost in roughly equal quantities to how they exist in blood plasma.

wiki

Thats why when you are dehydrated and go to hospital they dont just give you a glass of water, they attatch you to a saline drip.

First we are told Radiation is good for us and now this...this is worse than The Running Man, we cannot believe anything we are told. Make sure you educate your children and never let them believe this madness.

To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of fluids and eat foods high in water such as fruits and vegetables. Letting thirst be your guide is an adequate daily guideline for most healthy people. Fluids can be obtained not just from water but also from other beverages and foods. But, if you're exercising, don't wait for thirst to keep up with your fluids.

Mayo Clinic - dehydration prevention

I'd be more inclined to believe these guys.

Here's the actual EU paper (which allegedly took 3 years and masses of our taxes to pay for):

www.efsa.europa.eu...

I'm still trying to determine whether my suggesting that eating an orange - in the absence of anything else - to hydrate yourself is legal.

Expecting the EU state police knocking on my door any time now .....

reply to post by AnIntellectualRedneck


My favorite bit:

Prof Brian Ratcliffe, spokesman for the Nutrition Society, said dehydration was usually caused by a clinical condition and that one could remain adequately hydrated without drinking water.

And this guy is published! ...What a fool. What a stupid ruling. But I suspect it just means they're trying to cut into water profits, and maybe redirect a few purchasing dollars their own way. ...Personally, I do not think anyone should have to pay for clean water, fresh air or blue skies. But we do pay. Strange new world.

Let me guess, the study was funded by the EU's wine growers jointly with the EU Brewers?

I'm only partially kidding. This decision is a sound business decision. I'm sure it was done after much testing of ale and wine in addition to many goblets of water being consumed. I'm sure truck load after truck load of ale and wire along with tankers of water from the far reaches of the EU were presented to the massed specialists for them to reach an unbiased conclusion that water was not necessary for curing/preventing dehydration.

(I'm about to launch a totally independent self-study myself in about six minutes. This topic has, I'm sure, dehydrated my complete system and it must be refreshed. I'll attempt to use a Shiner (an alie from central Texass) in an amount of 12 oz. for the first experiment. Repeated attempts will be made until some firm conclusion is reached. I judge that would need to be at least one trip to the lo or outside to the yard every hour. Something of less than that response would require more frequent applications of liquid. This phase of my experiments will exclude water. Maybe later. Wish me luck!