Can Dehydration Increase Your Risk of Decompression Sickness? Here's What We Know.
Paul Lenharr Jul 12, 2026
Can Dehydration Increase Your Risk of Decompression Sickness? Here's What We Know.
One of the most common questions divers ask is:
"Does being dehydrated increase my chances of getting the bends?"
The short answer is yes—it may.
Most dive medicine experts, including Divers Alert Network (DAN), recognize dehydration as one of several modifiable risk factors associated with decompression sickness (DCS). That doesn't mean dehydration causes DCS by itself, and it certainly doesn't mean staying hydrated eliminates the risk. But it is one factor that's largely within a diver's control.
What Is Decompression Sickness?
When you dive, your body absorbs inert gases—primarily nitrogen when breathing air or nitrox. As you ascend, that gas is eliminated through your lungs. If the reduction in pressure happens too quickly, or your body can't eliminate dissolved gas efficiently, bubbles can form in tissues or the bloodstream.
Dive planning, ascent rate, safety stops, and following your dive computer remain the primary tools for reducing DCS risk.
Where Does Hydration Fit In?
Your blood is responsible for transporting gases throughout your body. Adequate hydration helps maintain normal blood volume and circulation, supporting your body's natural physiological processes.
While researchers continue to study the exact relationship, dehydration has long been recognized as one of several factors that may contribute to increased DCS risk.
Think of hydration like wearing your seatbelt. It doesn't guarantee you won't be injured in an accident—but it's still part of being prepared.
Other Modifiable Risk Factors
Hydration is only one piece of the puzzle. Divers should also consider:
- Conservative dive profiles
- Slow, controlled ascents
- Safety stops
- Adequate surface intervals
- Physical fitness
- Avoiding heavy exertion immediately after diving
- Avoiding alcohol before diving
- Following computer and table limits
No single habit makes diving "safe." Safe diving comes from consistently making good decisions.
Where Electrolytes Come In
Electrolytes don't prevent decompression sickness.
What they do is support normal hydration by helping maintain fluid balance, particularly after sweating, spending long hours in the heat, or completing multiple dives over several days.
For many divers, that's where a product like LMNT fits into an overall hydration strategy—not as a cure or preventative treatment, but as one practical tool among many.
Final Thoughts
Good hydration is easy to overlook because you don't always feel thirsty until you're already behind.
By planning ahead, drinking fluids consistently, and replacing electrolytes when appropriate, you can support your body's normal function while focusing on what matters most: enjoying every dive safely.