Drinking coffee or tea can seem like a great way to get through studying for a final, but it can also lead to dehydration, health experts say.

“The body builds itself through the consumption of water,” said Anita Vogely, an adjunct in the health and physical education department. “When you are missing the body’s foundation, other things are bound to go wrong.”

Most people don’t drink enough water, according to Alan Temes, a lecturer in the physical education department who prefers to be called Talks to Trees. And students might not be aware they are dehydrated, Talks to Trees said.

“If dehydration is chronic, then they may simply be used to that state and no longer have a positive basis of comparison,” he said. “Similarly to sleep deprivation, you adjust to the deprivation, but in the long run both can take a toll on the mind and body.”

Vogely claims drinking the proper amount of water isn’t something students think about on a daily basis.

Since many students are sleep deprived, Talks to Trees said, they end up depending on caffeine to stay awake.

“Caffeine, whether from beverages such as coffee or soda, is a diuretic and can possibly lead to dehydration,” he said.

And according to Vogely, weight gain could result.

“This is because students that do this are simply ingesting excess sugar and caffeine,” she said.

So what should you do?

Drink eight glasses of water a day, Vogely said.

“Just liquid is not enough, it has to be water,” she said.

Too little water in one’s diet can diminish the kidney’s ability to excrete toxins, which places the body under greater stress. And since the body sends water to the most critical areas first — the heart, stomach and lungs — the most immediate effects of dehydration will be in the least critical areas, such as the skin, hair and nail.

Heat prostration is another possible effect of dehydration. “If students don’t drink enough water, while in the sun, the possibility of fainting is increased,” Vogely said.

The body is dependent on water to cool itself.

“It is like an engine running without oil,” she said. “It can run for a while, but it will eventually stop.”

The immune system, Vogely said, can also be impaired by dehydration, making fluid consumption important during illnesses. “Without water, the immune system is less effective because water is a large component of blood,” she said. “Blood serves as a pathway for white blood cells or one’s infection fighters.”

Dehydration can also impair digestion processes, Vogely said. “Ulcers and stomach afflictions occur when food stuffs sit in the stomach,” she said. “Water can help flush these toxins out.”

The body is rebuilding cells at all times, Vogely said.

“Seventy percent of the body is composed of water,” she said. “If you are not rebuilding cells with water, then what are you replenishing them with?”

How do you know you’re dehydrated?

Early symptoms of dehydration, according to Web MD, are a dry mouth and sticky saliva, reduced urine output with dark yellow urine, and acting listless or easily irritated.

“The general rule of thumb still appears to be the color and clarity of your urine,” Talks to Trees said. “This is less than scientific or optimal.”