Home › Research › Long-term cohort studies
Suboptimal hydration remodels metabolism, promotes degenerative diseases, and shortens life
Allen MD, Springer DA, Burg MB, Boehm M, Dmitrieva NI.. JCI insight, 2019-09-05
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
With increased life expectancy worldwide, there is an urgent need for improving preventive measures that delay the development of age-related degenerative diseases. Here, we report evidence from mouse and human studies that this goal can be achieved by maintaining optimal hydration throughout life. We demonstrate that restricting the amount of drinking water shortens mouse lifespan with no major warning signs up to 14 months of life, followed by sharp deterioration.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Allen, M. D., Springer, D. A., Burg, M. B., Boehm, M., & Dmitrieva, N. I. (2019). Suboptimal hydration remodels metabolism, promotes degenerative diseases, and shortens life. JCI insight. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.130949
Vancouver
Allen MD, Springer DA, Burg MB, Boehm M, Dmitrieva NI. Suboptimal hydration remodels metabolism, promotes degenerative diseases, and shortens life. JCI insight. 2019. doi:10.1172/jci.insight.130949. PMID: 31484829.
BibTeX
@article{allen2019-31484829,
author = {Allen, M. D. and Springer, D. A. and Burg, M. B. and Boehm, M. and Dmitrieva, N. I.},
title = {{Suboptimal hydration remodels metabolism, promotes degenerative diseases, and shortens life}},
journal = {JCI insight},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1172/jci.insight.130949},
pmid = {31484829},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.130949}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Here, we report evidence from mouse and human studies that this goal can be achieved by maintaining optimal hydration throughout life.
- We demonstrate that restricting the amount of drinking water shortens mouse lifespan with no major warning signs up to 14 months of life, followed by sharp deterioration.
- Mechanistically, water restriction yields stable metabolism remodeling toward metabolic water production with greater food intake and energy expenditure, an elevation of markers of inflammation and coagulation, accelerated decline of neuromuscular coordination, renal glomerular injury, and the development of cardiac fibrosis.
- In humans, analysis of data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study revealed that hydration level, assessed at middle age by serum sodium concentration, is associated with markers of coagulation and inflammation and predicts the development of many age-related degenerative diseases 24 years later.
Why it matters
This study reports evidence from mouse and human studies that maintaining optimal hydration throughout life may delay age-related degenerative diseases. It found that restricting drinking water shortened mouse lifespan and caused metabolic and inflammatory changes.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (JCI insight) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | JCI Insight: journal h-index 173 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 58 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.4 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 32 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Natalia I. Dmitrieva: h-index 30 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: institution h-index 980 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31484829) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Related studies in Long-term cohort studies
Also tagged “mice”
1,150 studies in the library carry the topic tag “mice”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 1,150 tagged studies.