When the body loses water, the fluid outside cells becomes more concentrated, pulling water out of cells and causing them to shrink.
Strongly supported
Multiple high-quality studies back this claim.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional.
When the body loses water, the fluid outside cells becomes more concentrated, pulling water out of cells and causing them to shrink.
See the technical phrasing
Dehydration induces hyperosmotic extracellular conditions that cause water efflux and physical shrinkage of cells.
When the fluid outside cells becomes too salty, water leaves the cells through their membranes, making the cells shrink. This happens because water moves from areas with less salt to areas with more salt to balance the concentration. The cells lose volume, their internal contents become more crowded, and structural proteins inside the nucleus get pushed away from DNA, causing the DNA to clump together in a dense gel-like state.
What the research says
Supports
4 studies
Study: The transcriptome of acute dehydration in myeloid leukemic cells.
This study provides evidence supporting the claim.
Contradicts
0 studies
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 4 supporting studies