Eli5: how does alcohol simultaneously cause you to retain water and act as a diuretic?

Question

Eli5: how does alcohol simultaneously cause you to retain water and act as a diuretic?

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Answer 1

Typing as someone who has and is still drinking. Isn’t it just your body being smart? Flush toxins but keep water in reserve.

Answer 2

In what world does alcohol cause you to retain water?

Answer 3

There are different places in your body you can have water. Alcohol directly decrease blood volume by increasing urine production. But when you recover from dehydration and electrolyte imbalance it’s not uncommon to overfill other locations, like the space between cells in solid tissue (edema) or the abdominal cavity (ascites).