How Much Water Should I Drink Each Day?

The human body is made up of 60 percent water, and we hear often how important water is to the smooth running of our organs, tissues and cells. But there's been a good deal of discussion about how much water we need to drink. Traditionally, the recommendation has been eight glasses of water a day (or roughly 64 oz.), but recently that recommendation has been refuted.

Background

• While more than half of our body composition might be water, we also lose a good deal of water each day through perspiration, urine output and bowel movements. It's important to replace the water that's lost through these natural processes.

  If you don't get enough water, or replace the water that's lost, you can become dehydrated, which leads to all kinds of challenges. These include lethargy, among others. In extreme circumstances, you can become very sick if you are dehydrated.

Traditional Recommendations

• Traditionally, we were told to drink eight glasses of water a day (of about 8 oz. each). This was said to replace the water we lose naturally through various bodily functions and to help nourish the cells and organs with a fresh supply of water.

  Other recommendations suggest that men should drink more water than women (13 cups for men and nine cups for women) and that how much you drink should be related to how much you weigh and how physically active you are.

Factors that Influence Water Needs

• There are a number of factors that influence how much water you need apart from the standard eight-glasses-a-day rule. These include:

  * How much and how hard you exercise
  * Your environment--If you live in a particularly cold or hot area, your water needs will be different.
  * Your health--If you have suffered recent illness, your needs might be greater.
  * Your personal needs--Are you pregnant? Breastfeeding? These can affect your water needs.

Does It All Have to Be Water?

• In short, no. While the majority of your daily fluid should be water, you can count other beverages toward your water intake. These include tea, coffee and sports drinks.

  You can also count high-water-content fruits and vegetables toward your water consumption. These include fruits like grapes and watermelon and vegetables like lettuces and tomatoes.

New Thinking on Water Intake

• A 2002 article in the "American Journal of Physiology" refuted the claim that drinking eight glasses of water is the way to better health. Dr. Heniz Valtin argued that only people with a tendency to contract certain diseases will benefit from the traditional recommendations.

  The new thinking is that people should drink water if they are thirsty, and they should drink enough water so that their urine is clear and not yellow. Drinking too much or too little water can tax the kidneys, so finding the right balance is crucial.

  If you are overweight, pregnant or nursing, or in poor health (or have been sick), your water needs will be greater.