How Much Water Do We Really Need?
How much water do we really need to intake daily? The most common advice has been to drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day. That is 8 cups or approximately 2 liters. New research leans more towards 3 liters or 12 cups per day. This may sound like a lot. But, in actuality, you can meet these requirements by also including other fluids such as tea, coffee, juice and milk, although pure water is best. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables also contains 2-3 cups of water. However, how much you need really depends on how much you loose and that can fluctuate substantially. Your environment, time of year, age, health, lifestyle and consumption of various medications and food all influence your fluid retention and excretion rates.
Most of us understand that hot humid weather, like we are experiencing this summer, can increase our body temperature and excessive sweating can lead to dehydration. But, were you also aware that you can lose significant amounts of water in cold weather by breathing in dry air? You also loose significant water with breathing during sleep, especially if you snore or are a mouth breather.
A diet high in salt or protein requires more water because your kidneys are working harder to be able to excrete the excess. Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics.
You should intake extra water if you drink any alcohol or more than 2 cups of coffee per day. Many medications also have a water-retention or diuretic effect. Being aware of the side effects of those medications is important to minimize the chances of dehydration.
Older people not only use more medication, in general; but they also have a lower thirst sensation and make more trips to the bathroom. All of these factors make them more susceptible to dehydration as they age. Mild illness such as colds, flus, bronchitis and kidney infections are the most common reasons for older adults to become dehydrated.
Vomiting and diarrhea are common causes of dehydration. Infants and children are most susceptible to dehydration because they have a higher skin surface area to body volume and often cannot tell when they are thirsty. At first sign of any illness, caregivers should give extra water. The only way to effectively treat dehydration is to replace lost fluids and lost electrolytes. Simply drinking more water daily is your best solution. Dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea will need replenishments with electrolytes also.
Soup broths or diluted sports drinks may help. Full strength fruit juice and soft drinks can worsen diarrhea and are not recommended. More severe cases of dehydration need immediate medical attention for intravenous rehydration.
Waiting until you are thirsty is not the best way to monitor your body’s hydration requirements. By then you are already partially dehydrated. Urine colour is a better indicator. If you are hydrated, your urine will be clear to lemonade colour. Urine that is the colour of apple juice or darker is a strong indicator of dehydration. Other signs of more severe dehydration include: dizziness, confusion, fatigue and decreased urination. In infants, look for: lack of tears, no wet diapers and sunken eyes and cheeks.
Although dehydration is quite common and easily controlled in many cases, if ignored it can lead to severe health problems. For that reason, the general advice of consuming several glasses (8+) of water daily and regularly makes sense and costs pennies. An easy routine would be to consume one to two cups of water first thing in the morning and then before each meal. Others prefer to sip on water throughout the day. Do whatever helps you reach your daily water targets. Your health depends on it.
James DiGiuseppe is a local chiropractor with a busy family and wellness practice. For more health information or to contact Dr. DiGiuseppe visit: