Am I Drinking Enough Water?

Water is an essential component that makes up approximately 60% to 70% of our bodies. How much water is enough? There's no one-size-fits-all answer, as fluid needs vary among individuals.

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Benefits of drinking water

Water keeps every system in the body functioning properly. The Harvard Medical School Special Health Report 6-Week Plan for Health Eating notes that water has many important jobs, such as:

• carrying nutrients and oxygen to your cells

• flushing bacteria from your bladder

• aiding digestion

• preventing constipation

• normalizing blood pressure

• cushioning joints

• protecting organs and tissues

• regulating body temperature

• maintaining electrolyte (sodium) balance.

How much daily total water do you need?

Water is an essential nutrient at every age, so optimal hydration is a key component for good health. Water accounts for about 60% of an adult’s body weight. We drink fluids when we feel thirst, the major signal alerting us when our body runs low on water. We also customarily drink beverages with meals to help with digestion. But sometimes we drink not based on these factors but on how much we think we should be drinking. One of the most familiar sayings is to aim for “8 glasses a day,” but this may not be appropriate for every person.

The National Academy of Medicine suggests an adequate intake of daily fluids of about 13 cups and 9 cups for healthy men and women, respectively, with 1 cup equaling 8 ounces. [1] Higher amounts may be needed for those who are physically active or exposed to very warm climates. Lower amounts may be needed for those with smaller body sizes. It’s important to note that this amount is not a daily target, but a general guide. In the average person, drinking less will not necessarily compromise one’s health as each person’s exact fluid needs vary, even day-to-day.

Preventing Dehydration: Is Thirst Enough?

A healthy body is designed to send thirst signals when the body becomes depleted of fluids. Thirst is the desire to drink, and is not only driven by physiological cues but behavioral cues. As we age, however, the body’s regulation of fluid intake and thirst decline. Research has shown that both of these factors are impaired in the elderly.

Therefore, people who cannot rely on thirst or other usual measures may wish to use other strategies. For example, aim to fill a 20-ounce water bottle four times daily and sip throughout the day, or drink a large glass of water with each meal and snack.

Fluids to keep you hydrated

You don't have to drink only water to stay hydrated. All drinks with water help you meet your daily water needs. Some people even talk about how milk can help you stay hydrated.

And it's not true that drinks with caffeine or alcohol make you lose water because they make you pee. They do, but over the course of the day, the water in these drinks still adds to the total amount of water you drink.

Water is still the better choice, of course, for many reasons. Remember that sugary drinks can make you gain weight and cause inflammation, both of which can make you more likely to get diseases like diabetes. Too much coffee can make you jumpy and keep you from falling asleep. And women should only have one drink per day, while guys should have one to two drinks per day.

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