EU Ban's bottled water from claiming it prevents dehydration

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

No, my question is: what is wrong with the EU ruling? Like, really, factually wrong. Not like: well but grandma always said this. Or like: well I think that.

Probably, again, the disconect between common sense and science.

For the "common man" dehydration is not "Oooh, I feel a bit thirsty after run" it's "ooh, cripes I've got a headache and I feel faint."

In such a context, the calim makes sense, also, if I drink small amounts of water during physical labour that will prevent dehydration, won't it? Are you suggesting that, whilst working hard with my shirt off in the middle of summer having a canteen of water handy to take sips from is not a good idea?

You're over thinking this Tellos, really.

[Husar]

Probably, again, the disconect between common sense and science.

No, it's not common sense.
If the common man knew this already then they wouldn't need to write it onto the bottles.
That's common sense.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

No, it's not common sense.
If the common man knew this already then they wouldn't need to write it onto the bottles.
That's common sense.

If you read the article, you'll see that this was used as a test case, nobody really cares if it goes on the bottle of water.

As Conradus corectly pointed out, the EU is evil and that is what we need to focus on.

Tongue somewhat in cheek, but consider what this regulation actually does in practice, which is somewhat different from what it does on paper. The same is true for the cucumber question.

[a completely inoffensive name]

jesus guys, I waste my time talking about stupid stuff and saying stupid things but this thread just takes the cake.

[CrossLOPER]

jesus guys, I waste my time talking about stupid stuff and saying stupid things but this thread just takes the cake.

Careful. Posts like this one might be labeled as "unconstructive" and you'll get slapped. Better stick to discussing the re-hydrating qualities of water, or in this case, the lack thereof.

Also, apparently "water" in Europe means "cola" like "pizza" means "vegetable" in the USA.

[Papewaio]

As someone who has worked in the field in both hot dry desert and humid warm rainforest I can state the following:

i) If sweating hard and needing to pee... after about half an hour that need to pee goes away... I would say we have some capacity to reabsord that bladder water.

ii) The body muscles can store more fluids then normal... my morning trick in the jungle was a flat can of coke pre-breakfast. For lunch 4 schooners of cordial... to the point back in the field I had sweat smelling cordial sweet. And a beer in the shower post work... half a beer when dehydrated is hyper effective. However it isn't the fluid its the salts that go along with it that help the absorption.

iii) Dehydration has levels to it... so your body has a range of fluid levels it can work in. I don't believe that at the normal 100% we automatically become a fountain... it depends on how much we are sweating and how well conditioned we are to our surroundings. Better conditioned the better we retain fluids... the general saying for most mine workers in Indonesia was "It is a brave or foolish man who farts in Indonesia"... it wasn't just about Bali Belly it was about how over hydrated they were in response to the conditions and their bodies not adapting (2 weeks in, 2 weeks out)... in exploration spending 5 weeks outside in the field I adapted and could handle more fluids and work longer through the day.

iv) Lack of water kills in the desert ... I was drinking >4 L a day easy whilst hiking there... sure you need minerals too... but end of the day dehydration will always get you gram for gram if you don't have water.



Anyhow overtime I found that I was able to hold more immediate drink fluids without instant peeing... now as an office worker it is a totally different scenario... I think some of the biologists need to measure humans in a range of conditions and humans going through a range of physical fitness in those conditions.

[Kralizec]

If you read the article, you'll see that this was used as a test case, nobody really cares if it goes on the bottle of water.

As Conradus corectly pointed out, the EU is evil and that is what we need to focus on.

Tongue somewhat in cheek, but consider what this regulation actually does in practice, which is somewhat different from what it does on paper. The same is true for the cucumber question.

On paper, it's supposed to verify the claims that food producers want to put on their products to make sure that they're not false or misleading. This is probably a silly example, but it doesn't invalidate the practice. Difficult to explain or to present to the common man? So is anti-trust regulation. Should we get rid of that, too?



The cucumber story is even more misleading. EU regulations about the maximum curve of cucumbers and whatnot were supposed to replace previously existing national regulations. Many of these (EU) regulations have been revoked 3 years ago, probably in part because they were used to make the EU look ridiculous, with no consequenses: supermarkets continue to apply the standards, or even higher ones, and refuse to put crooked cucumbers or deformed paprikas on the shelves.

[Husar]

The cucumber story is even more misleading. EU regulations about the maximum curve of cucumbers and whatnot were supposed to replace previously existing national regulations. Many of these (EU) regulations have been revoked 3 years ago, probably in part because they were used to make the EU look ridiculous, with no consequenses: supermarkets continue to apply the standards, or even higher ones, and refuse to put crooked cucumbers or deformed paprikas on the shelves.

Yes, people make fun of these regulations but when they actually go to a supermarket and see a banana or cucumber that doesn't apply to them, they go "eeew" and won't buy them anyway.
Now of course that makes the regulations a bit superfluous but not as ridiculous as some would want them to be IMO.

[Beskar]

Why not call it "The Thirst Quenching drink" ?

Also, technically, don't you need certain body salts as well for hydration purposes? I am sure I remember reading that just water is bad for you, lets say after you been working out hard as in the sweat you lose salts as well, not simply just water and if you kept on going and only had water, these salts decrease and decrease and keeps gaining lower concentrations.

[Conradus]

This whole debate is just a cheap opportunity at some EU-bashing while they have, as Tellos stated over and over again, a valid point. Get over that EU-hatred pls.

And no single directive from the EU was ever meant for the 'common man' so it's normal that they use the scientific correct terms instead of the 'common sense' claims.

[Fragony]

This whole debate is just a cheap opportunity at some EU-bashing while they have, as Tellos stated over and over again, a valid point.

Valid point on paper only, yeah it can be justified with protocols/rules/blabla and all that jazz, you can but that doesn't mean you have to. It's still pure kafka

[Conradus]

Valid point on paper only, yeah it can be justified with protocols/rules/blabla and all that jazz, you can but that doesn't mean you have to. It's still pure kafka

So basically you're saying: yes the EU is right, but I don't care because they shouldn't be doing it in the first place?

[Fragony]

So basically you're saying: yes the EU is right, but I don't care because they shouldn't be doing it in the first place?

They are right only within the framework their own rules, has nothing to do with actually having a point. It's like not getting a permission to build a shed because it's 1.99.99 meter from your house instead of the required 2

[Greyblades]

...Really? I know we sometimes go into depth on some really irrelevent stuff but this is pretty pointless, even for us.

[Crazed Rabbit]

http://xkcd.com/386/



CR