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Should You Really Drink 8 Glasses Of Water Every Day? Myth Busted!

By Nikita Banerjee +2 more

Drink eight glasses of water every day – You have probably read and heard this often to believe that it is the gospel of truth for keeping your body adequately hydrated. However, drinking eight glasses of water a day is nothing more than a popularly propagated health myth.

Certainly, keeping your body duly hydrated contributes to your overall health and well-being, as every cell in your body needs fluids for proper functioning. Even slight dehydration can interfere with the body’s ability to function well and manifest itself and form symptoms such as light-headedness, irritability, and headaches.

Drink Eight Glasses of Water

It is, perhaps, this fear of dehydration that has led self-proclaimed health experts and overzealous fitness trainers to put a number on the daily water requirement of the human body. Be that as it may, it is not possible to generalize the water requirement of the entire human race. The 8-glasses-a-day is but a generalized figure that may or may not meet, or even exceed your body’s requisite water intake.

The Genesis of the Myth

Health experts and doctors find themselves at a loss as to where the ‘eight glasses of water a day’ theory originated from! A 2002 study titled, ‘Drink eight glasses of water a day at least. Really? Is there scientific evidence for ”8×8”?’ tried to get to the bottom of this myth and traced its roots to a single paragraph in a report dated  1945  by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council in the US that states that adults should consume nearly 2.5 litres of water every day, which roughly equates to eight glasses of water.

However, the same report also noted that a large part of this water requirement is met by water content in the foods we consume and supplemented by beverages such as tea, coffee, milk, and even soft drinks. Somehow, the 2.5 litres figure stood out and gave way to the eight glasses of water a day theory.

Based on some studies I had read, your brain doesn’t function properly when you are dehydrated that might lead to cognitive issues. Elderly persons who are unable to fulfill their daily water intake might face difficulties in engaging in cognitive activities.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, MD

The Health Benefits of Drinking Enough Water

More than how many glasses of water  you must drink, it is important to drink enough water. Here are some of the health benefits you will derive:

  • Drinking enough water  promotes weight loss. It may help you burn more calories, reduce your appetite if consumed before a meal and lower the risk of long-term weight gain.  
  • Dehydration may impair the physical performance, increase fatigue and reduce motivation. Drink enough water  for better physical performance.  
  • Staying hydrated will reduce the occurrence and severity of headaches.
  • Water  consumption helps in constipation relief and prevention.
  • Adequate water  intake may decrease the risk of kidney stones.

You might have noticed that on days when you drink less water, you might experience joint pain. This is because water acts as lubrication of joints. The synovial fluid present at the joint consists of 70-80% of water. Any less water in the body might reduce the production of this joint-lubricating liquid.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

The Facts

If one looks at the World Health Organization’s recommendation for water intake, it becomes clear that the amount of water needed by the body varies according to different physiological and demographic factors such as age, sex, location, climate, activity levels, and more.

For the sake of aggregation, the average total water intake has been pegged at 2.7 litres for women and 3.7 litres for men, ‘total’ is the keyword here.

This means that you do not need to drink 2.7 litres or 3.7 litres of water straight from the faucet –  Our food intake meets about 20 per cent of this value. Beverages such as fruit juices, soft drinks, milk, tea, and coffee also contribute toward a portion of the remaining 80 per cent of the body’s water requirement.

In addition to this, the body’s water requirement may vary depending on certain lifestyle factors:

  • People who exercise or play sports tend to lose more body fluids through sweat, and therefore, need more water to replenish the body cells.
  • People living in hot and humid areas require additional fluid intake to avoid dehydration. The same is true for those residing in high altitude regions.
  • Certain medical conditions, or temporary illnesses such as vomiting, diarrhoea, and fever, also call for increased fluid intake, besides oral rehydration supplements.
  • Expecting or lactating mothers need to consume more fluids than other women.
  • Similarly, your body’s need for water also varies daily depending on your food intake. For example, if you eat watermelons, spinach, or cucumbers, all of which have heavy water content, on a certain day, the amount of water you need to drink on that day automatically goes down.

Your body gives you signs that you need to drink water long before dehydration sets in. The most practical rule of thumb is to keep a bottle of water handy and drink whenever you feel thirsty. Therefore, you may or may not drink eight glasses of water every day!

Also Read: Purple Cauliflower Benefits: A Nutritional Breakdown Backed by Science

Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.

 
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