Review of the HydraCoach

This is a brief review of the HydraCoach, an intelligent water bottle that measures how much you drink.

In my last post, I described the HydraCoach, which is marketed primarily to athletes and those concerned about maintain optimal hydration.

As a kidney specialist, my primary interest in the product was evaluating it for use in patients with kidney stones. In these patients, the recommended fluid intake is at least 24 - 30 oz three times daily, producing a urine output of at least 2.5 liters. Many people understandably have difficulty drinking this much water. I've reviewed many 24 hour urine collections which have shown urine outputs of less than 1.5 liters a day. This definitely increases the risk of future stones.

After using the Hydracoach for three days, I'd give it a thumbs up. After programming the digital display with your body weight, the program shows you your target fluid intake as well as the percentage of target achieved in either liters or ounces. Having it on my desk within easy reach definitely encouraged me to drink more. I gained a new appreciation for both how difficult it is for people to consume the goal fluid intake and how a digital readout could encourage people to achieve that goal.

A cardiologist who reads Tech Medicine nicknamed Huck also helpfully pointed out another possible use -- *restricting* fluid intake. In certain conditions (like SIADH), drinking too much water can lead to low blood sodium through dilution. These patients are usually restricted to 1 - 1.5 liters of fluid a day. The HydraCoach can also be programmed to a lower target level of fluid, allowing people on fluid restrictions to know when they've reached their target fluid intake. (Thanks, Huck.)

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HydraCoach: An Intelligent Water Bottle

Drinking enough water is difficult. Exactly how much water people need is debatable (here's a sample calculator), but most people probably aren't drinking enough. Typically, the usual recommendation is 8 ounces of water 8 times a day.

And for people in hot environments and with certain medical conditions, like kidney stones, drinking enough water is critical. To dilute their urine and prevent future stones from forming, people with kidney stones should drink enough water to produce at least 2.5 liters of urine a day -- at least 24-32 ounces three times a day. "You know those people who walk around with water bottles all day?" I tell my patients. "You should become one of those people."

But of course, it's tough to carry around water all the time, it's tough to know how much you've drank, and it's tough to remember to drink that much water.

The HydraCoach is a newly-created "intelligent water bottle" that is designed to calculate daily fluid requirements, monitor how much you drink, and encourage you to drink more water. It's such an obvious idea that I wondered why it hadn't been created before. From the website:

The HydraCoach hydration monitor functions by means of Generated Electronic Pulse technology. A magnetized impeller floating within a sealed cartridge is placed in-line with the path of fluid, and in close proximity to a sensor located within the head unit. When the flow of liquid comes in contact with the impeller, it begins to rotate, causing the equi-spaced magnetic elements embedded within to pass the sensor, generating a small electronic pulse. This pulse is transmitted to the microprocessor where a measurement of fluid volume is calculated. The volume of fluid is directly related to the rate at which the impeller spins and these pulses generated. The amount of fluid passing through the system is shown on the display. The interactive head unit features several buttons that allow the user to toggle between various informative function modes and to input customized settings.

I've not tried the Hydracoach personally, but considering the importance of hydration in preventing kidney stones, the next time someone complains that they can't remember to drink enough water, I'll be recommending this device. (It costs $29.95, and if it can help a person prevent even one kidney stone, I think it's worth it.)

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