Why Alcohol Makes You Pee

Have you noticed that you need to pee more often when you’re drinking alcohol? It’s not just you — the proof is that line for the bathroom at the bar. Alcohol has a diuretic effect, which means it makes your body lose water. This can lead to dehydration and worsen hangover symptoms like dehydration headaches. 

But why does alcohol make you pee? The answer involves your brain, kidneys, and the effect of alcohol on both. 

What is dehydration?

Dehydration is a condition that develops when your body loses water or water and electrolytes.  Dehydration affects every organ in the body, so the body has ways to make sure it hangs on to the water it needs. The brain and kidney make hormones that tell the kidney when to conserve water. 

Certain medical conditions and medications can interrupt or overwhelm how this works. And this leads to dehydration. Examples of things that can lead to dehydration include:

• Fever

• Diabetes insipidus

• Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes

• Diuretic medications like hydrochlorothiazide and furosemide

• Adrenal insufficiency

• Vomiting and diarrhea

• Excessive sweating from intense exercise

• Burns

How does alcohol make you pee? 

Alcohol makes you pee more. Alcohol blocks the release of the hormone vasopressin, or antidiuretic hormone (ADH). A diuretic is anything that makes you pee more. So antidiuretic hormone literally means a hormone that keeps you from peeing. 

The brain releases ADH when it’s time for the kidneys to hold onto water. When alcohol blocks ADH, the kidneys don’t get this important signal. They just keep sending fluids out through your bladder unchecked. 

This causes you to lose water faster than you’re taking it in. 

Not all types of alcohol make you pee. Studies show that alcoholic beverages that are at least 26 proof (13% alcohol) are strong enough to block ADH. Distilled spirits (like vodka, whisky, and gin) and most wines have at least 13% alcohol. 

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But the data is less clear for weaker alcoholic beverages like beer. Alcoholic beverages that contain less than 5% alcohol probably don’t block ADH. 

Does alcohol dehydrate you?

Alcohol can cause dehydration because the diuretic effect of alcohol can add up quickly. 

Studies show that for each standard drink you take in, you can pee out almost a full cup. For reference, the average adult pees about 8 cups of urine a day. So 2 to 3 drinks in a night can make you pee almost 50% more than you usually would. This can lead to dehydration if you don’t drink enough to replace that loss. 

Drinking alcohol can also cause a hangover. Dehydration doesn’t cause a hangover, but hangovers can lead to dehydration. Hangover symptoms include sweating and vomiting, which increase the risk of developing dehydration. 

What are the symptoms of alcohol dehydration?

 Symptoms of dehydration from alcohol include: 

• Increased thirst

• Muscle weakness

• Dry mouth

• Dizziness

• Lightheadedness

• Slowed reaction time

• Trouble paying attention

Some of these symptoms overlap with the signs of intoxication. So it can be easy to miss that you’re starting to get dehydrated. 

How can you stay hydrated while drinking alcohol? 

Some things you can do to stay hydrated while drinking alcohol include:

• Minimizing how much alcohol you drink 

• Avoiding binge drinking

• Taking in enough fluids each day to stay hydrated

The benefits of only drinking alcohol in moderation go beyond avoiding dehydration. Over time, avoiding alcohol can lower your risk of liver disease and improve your sleep and mood — to name just a few.

In general, older people are more likely to get dehydrated. That’s because as you get older, your kidneys aren’t as good at holding onto water. Older people have a lower thirst drive, meaning they don’t feel thirst as strongly, which normally signals you to drink. And alcohol makes you feel worse as you get older. 

Together, these things increase your risk of dehydration from alcohol. So take extra care to make sure you’re getting enough fluid each day, especially on days when you drink alcohol. 

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Ronald W. Dworkin, MD, PhD

Ronald W. Dworkin, MD, is a board-certified anesthesiologist who has been practicing anesthesiology in a community hospital for 30 years. He has taught in the honors program at George Washington University for over 10 years and works as a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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