Water is an essential part of a person’s daily routine. The human body loses a lot of water daily, either through urine or sweat. Thus, it is crucial to replenish the water that your body has lost. While some health experts mandate drinking 2 liters or half a gallon of water daily, others think that a person should develop a habit of sipping water throughout their day.
Why Water Consumption Is so Important
Although there is a vast difference in opinion, in the end, it depends on the person to decide how much or how little water they should drink. People with certain medical conditions should strictly adhere to the advice of their doctors. This article talks about the various water-intake rules that one should keep in mind to maintain a healthy body.
Factors determining water intake
The amount of water you need every day is determined by several factors. The most important factor of them all is health. Doctors advise drinking more water if a person is suffering from dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea. Diabetic people are also advised to drink a lot of fluids by doctors to prevent dehydration. In other conditions like heart failure and certain kidney diseases, doctors generally recommend their patients limit their water intake.
Some other very common factors include the temperature of the place one lives in, its humidity levels, and a person’s diet. For example, if it’s summer, the body loses a lot of water due to excessive sweat, which must be replenished by drinking water. Studies claim that people whose diets mainly comprise salty and spicy foods and do not include a lot of greens need to drink plenty of water. In addition, water intake should also depend on how active a person is and if they are an outdoor or indoor person.
The amount of water you need every day is determined by several factors. The most important factor of them all is health. Doctors advise drinking more water if a person is suffering from dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea. Diabetic people are also advised to drink a lot of fluids by doctors to prevent dehydration. In other conditions like heart failure and certain kidney diseases, doctors generally recommend their patients limit their water intake.
Some other very common factors include the temperature of the place one lives in, its humidity levels, and a person’s diet. For example, if it’s summer, the body loses a lot of water due to excessive sweat, which must be replenished by drinking water. Studies claim that people whose diets mainly comprise salty and spicy foods and do not include a lot of greens need to drink plenty of water. In addition, water intake should also depend on how active a person is and if they are an outdoor or indoor person.
Research Says...
How much water should a person drink?
Numerous studies have concluded that a person’s energy level and brain function are severely impaired if they do not drink enough water. A study published by the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research stated that drinking more water decreased body composition scores and body weight.
According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the amount of water a person should drink depends on their gender. They published a report where they stated that while men should drink 3.7 liters of water every day, women should drink 2.7 liters. On the other hand, kids are advised by doctors to restrict themselves to drinking only 6 to 8 cups a day.
Numerous studies have concluded that a person’s energy level and brain function are severely impaired if they do not drink enough water. A study published by the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research stated that drinking more water decreased body composition scores and body weight.
According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the amount of water a person should drink depends on their gender. They published a report where they stated that while men should drink 3.7 liters of water every day, women should drink 2.7 liters. On the other hand, kids are advised by doctors to restrict themselves to drinking only 6 to 8 cups a day.
Do other fluids count?
The daily water intake of an individual includes fluids and food items of all kinds. However, drinks like coffee and tea contain caffeine and tannin, which result in a greater water loss through urine and sweat. Thus, more than hydrating the body, such drinks dehydrate. Likewise, alcoholic drinks, although mainly composed of water, dehydrate the body through urine.
Energy drinks, too, cannot really substitute water because they also have very high sugar levels despite being filled with electrolytes. Hence, a person needs to regulate the intake of the above drinks because they don’t really count as drinking water. On the other hand, fresh fruit juice, smoothies, and numerous vegetables like lettuce and kale are known for 90% water apart from minerals and healthy vitamins.
Although everyone talks about the importance of drinking lots of water, there is also a downside to overdrinking. Drinking excess water can lead to hyponatremia, a condition that results in blood dilution and a fall in sodium level. This leads to swelling in the body cells and can be fatal. However, this condition only affects endurance athletes, and an average, healthy person should be fine if they adhere to the basic directions for drinking water.
The daily water intake of an individual includes fluids and food items of all kinds. However, drinks like coffee and tea contain caffeine and tannin, which result in a greater water loss through urine and sweat. Thus, more than hydrating the body, such drinks dehydrate. Likewise, alcoholic drinks, although mainly composed of water, dehydrate the body through urine.
Energy drinks, too, cannot really substitute water because they also have very high sugar levels despite being filled with electrolytes. Hence, a person needs to regulate the intake of the above drinks because they don’t really count as drinking water. On the other hand, fresh fruit juice, smoothies, and numerous vegetables like lettuce and kale are known for 90% water apart from minerals and healthy vitamins.
Although everyone talks about the importance of drinking lots of water, there is also a downside to overdrinking. Drinking excess water can lead to hyponatremia, a condition that results in blood dilution and a fall in sodium level. This leads to swelling in the body cells and can be fatal. However, this condition only affects endurance athletes, and an average, healthy person should be fine if they adhere to the basic directions for drinking water.