Hey, so I’m on my second week of Huel and so far I am LOVING it. It’s making up about 2/3 of my food (two meals, a snack, and post evening workout ‘shake’) and my body seems to be handling it really well – except I am so thirsty! Before Huel I drank around 3L of water a day. With Huel I’m drinking a minimum of 4.5L (including the water that goes into Huel – it’s still at least 3L if you don’t include the Huel water at all) and I am still really thirsty. I don’t think it can be the salt content, because with Huel my salt intake is lower than before, so I don’t know what else it can be! Anyone else finding this?
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Hi @georgie,
Welcome to Huel
This is the first time I’ve heard this.
It’s good to a drink lot of water with Huel, but 4.5l does sounds a lot to me.
May it’s worth speaking to a Doctor? I remember my brother drinking a lot just before he diagnosed with diabetes.
Hey, also loving Huel here 
Have replaced most meals, 70-80% I’d say. But I too have noticed feeling very dehydrated at times. I was never a big drinker before Huel, but never felt dehydrated as such. With Huel I am feeling very thirsty and quite dehydrated. Maybe the bodies way of saying ‘Yay, water, I want more!’, or possibly getting all the necessary vitamins/minerals/nutrients means a greater amount of water is needed? I’ve no idea really, just throwing some suggestions out there. Me and my girlfriend are mostly Huel now, and loving it, by the way, so thanks @Julian and the gang
How was your diet before?
It’s worth bearing in mind that high fibre foods (which huel is) do require more fluid intake:
I’m drinking maybe 8-10 cups of (green) tea a day as well as the huel (which I use for 2/3 of my meals) and that works out fine for me. If I go much less, then I do find myself getting thirsty, which I never used to before huel.
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My diet before Huel, best described as erratic. Phases of eating ‘good’, phases of junk, phases of barely eating anything. Same with water intake too, I guess. I believe your point on ‘more fibre needing more water’ may have hit the nail on the head, however, as I recall feeling the same way during my ‘Bowl or two of cereal (Branflakes) a day’ phases. Guess I need to train myself to drink more now 
Thanks for the replies, guys!
Hmm, this is all interesting. My diet was high in fibre before (I’m a triathlete and I’ve been vegan almost two years, so I’ve ensured my diet has always been healthy and well-balanced), so I’m not sure if it’s that. I have been doing some research though, and apparently higher protein levels can make you thirsty (short-term effect, until your body adjusts) and I think with Huel my protein ratio has gone up, so could be that? Time will tell, I guess.
I’m going to have a Huel-free weekend and see if anything changes. Will report back!
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Okay, so reporting back!
My third week of Huel, and the thirstiness has pretty much gone I’m on the same amount of Huel, but I’m not drinking as much additional water as I was and I’m not feeling thirsty, so I’m taking that as having been a side-effect of adjusting to Huel!
Not only that, but I am performing SO MUCH BETTER! I had a 10k race last week and I ran it like it was the easiest thing ever, with a new PB to match 
Then I still had energy to do a 90min hard swim session later that day, woke up the next morning with more energy then ever for my strength workout, and managed an hour’s conditioning at dance class that night.
Huel is changing my life
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I’m on my first week of my Huel journey (I’m also vegan) and I’ve noticed it makes me really thirsty too! I tend to drink a lot of water so I’m pretty sure I’m hydrated but just after a Huel I get very thirsty. Just an observation.
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I’ve noticed the same thing too, I would wake up the morning after feeling very thirsty. I found that drinking some water before bed helped a lot.
I was extra thirsty for the first two weeks, now back to normal. As you say it must just be getting used to Huel.
Just started HueI. I really feel the thirst too, it’s craaaazy.
I don’t think anyone in this thread cares. They all passed away from thirst 7 years ago
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Most likely it is the high protein and flaxseed content. Both protein and fibre bind lots of water. The osmolality is a “problem” with regard to this, and metobolic processes.
Why is that a problem for you? I drink even more…