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Hydration: How Much Water Do You Really Need Every Day?

Hydration: How Much Water Do You Really Need Every Day?
August 24, 2020Dr. Grant RadermacherWellness

Staying hydrated is essential for good health.

After all, your body is about 60% water, and all your cells and organs depend on water to function properly. So how much do you really need to be drinking?

It’s a simple question but unfortunately, no single amount fits everyone perfectly. Your individual water needs depend on many factors, including age, sex, health conditions, how active you are and the environment you live in.

We’ve all heard the advice that we should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (or 1.9 liters). That’s an easy, reasonable goal to remember, but that’s a little low and we can get more dialed in than that.

Here’s what the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey recommends as adequate daily fluid intake based on age and sex:

SexAgeRecommended Fluid Intake
Child2-31.3 L / 5.5 cups
Female4-81.7 L / 7.2 cups
9-132.1 L / 8.9 cups
14-182.3 L / 9.7 cups
19-50+2.7 L / 11.4 cups
Male4-81.7 L / 7.2 cups
9-132.4 L / 10.1 cups
14-183.3 L / 13.9 cups
19-50+3.7 L / 15.6 cups

Keep in mind these recommendations are for total fluid intake. For most people, only about 80% of daily fluid intake comes from water and other beverages; the other 20% usually comes from food.

Why Does It Matter?

Adequate hydration is required to regulate body temperature, keep joints lubricated, prevent infections, deliver nutrients to cells, and keep organs functioning properly. Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition, cardiovascular function and mood.

In contrast, even mild dehydration – losing as little as 1% of your usual water weight – can result in fatigue, weakness, headaches and even exercise-related asthma. One of the first symptoms of dehydration is thirst. But sometimes people mistake thirst for hunger, which can lead to consuming extra calories instead of water.

Do Caffeine & Alcohol Count?

It’s a common belief that both coffee and beer, despite being fluids, actually end up removing more water from our bodies than they add. This is due to the fact that caffeine and alcohol are both diuretics – substances that stimulate our body to urinate more.

The good news is that studies have shown the water content in coffee or tea is greater than the dehydrating effect of caffeine. Sure, you’ll end up urinating slightly more – but you get more water into your system, so you end up coming out ahead.

Drinking coffee or tea should be considered as a good, hydrating activity.

For alcohol, though, the shift from “hydrating” to “dehydrating” depends on the percentage — and it changes at a surprisingly low percentage. When a drink is 1% alcohol or lower, it’s hydrating – it will have more than enough water to offset the diuretic effect of alcohol.

But once an alcoholic drink reaches 4-5% alcohol by volume – the level of most beers — it’s no longer hydrating. When you consume 200 ml of a typical 5%-strength beer, you end up urinating approximately 320 ml of water — you’re losing water!

This effect grows stronger with higher alcohol content. If you switch to wine, mixed drinks, or shots, you can expect to grow increasingly dehydrated with each extra drink you consume.

Hydration Hacks

Fortunately, you don’t necessarily need to drink glass after glass of water to stay hydrated – your fluid intake can be in other forms that just straight water. Try these 8 hydrating lifehacks.

  1. Eat juicy fruits and crispy veggies: Fruits such as melons, papaya, peaches, oranges, and pears all provide a lot of fluid in addition to their nutrients. The same goes for leafy greens, cucumbers, zucchini, and tomatoes.
  2. Soups and stews: These broth-based foods make for hydrating meals.
  3. Smoothies: Smoothies are a great way to hydrate and replenish nutrients after a workout and also make a good between meal snack.
  4. Eat chia seeds: Chia seeds absorb nine times their weight in water and therefore help you to stay hydrated longer. They also pack in an abundance of nutrients, including iron, calcium, and magnesium.
  5. Try bubbly water: Not a fan of plain water? Invest in a soda stream and make your own low-sugar, carbonated beverages. Those bubbles can do wonders for plain water.
  6. Eat hydrating whole grains: Believe it or not, prepared grains like oatmeal can contribute to your total hydration because they retain water when you cook them.
  7. Try a frozen treat: What do sorbets, ice pops, and frozen yogurts all have in common? They are all generally lower calorie desserts that also provide you with a lot of liquid. Aim for those with whole fruit and lower sugar for a satisfying dessert.

The bottom line

Even mild dehydration can affect you mentally and physically. Make sure that you’re getting enough fluids every day – it’s one of the best things you can do for your overall health.

We want our entire community to be healthier and stronger so they can do more of what they love. Good nutrition and hydration habits, proper exercise and regular chiropractic care to keep your body working optimally are the best ways to reach that goal.

Need a chiropractor in the Brookfield, Waukesha, Wauwatosa, or New Berlin areas? Call us at 262-345-4155 to make an appointment or use our online scheduling app – we’d love to help you get the most out of your body!




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Related

Comments

Amogue Reply
September 12, 2020

I Try to drink min 3L water every day, but unfortunately, i can’t full it at the end of the day.

Rifat Reply
September 17, 2020

Probably one of the most useful and informative blog posts Ive come across in a while!

Huzaifa Hammad Reply
September 17, 2020

thankfully, you don’t always want to drink glass after glass of water to live hydrated – your fluid consumption can be in different kinds that just directly water.

subhranil de Reply
September 24, 2020

this table is amazing and so well informative content thanks.

subrina mim Reply
September 27, 2020

Thanks for crafting this beautiful information. I’m thankful and humbled to you. This is the best blog I have ever read. I’m going to make sure that I will share this with my friends and relatives

Teddbots LLP Reply
October 5, 2020

Thank you for providing us the information about water and its benefits

Aneesh Reply
November 6, 2020

Very good article

jack dawson Reply
December 1, 2020

a very good website and very informative

siya Reply
December 1, 2020

hello there your blog is such an amazing ..this information is really great and very helpful there should be water is only source to hydrate yourself and make your body cleanse thank you so much and keep posting! dry skin care

Alex Carry Reply
December 8, 2020

It’s very well said. Most people who start exercising forget how important some of these things are. Some of them quit and others are lucky enough to read this article! Thanks for sharing!
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Jay Reply
December 31, 2020

Its true water is essential for every living creature. I usually drink 2.5 to 3 liters a day but in winter my habit is very off the track.

I am not able to drink even 2 liters in a day. I need to work on that matter. Abbzorb Whey Protein Isolate Review ,

Asmatullah Reply
January 6, 2021

Yeah really good for our people for water use

IMEI MTK SN Write Tool Reply
January 19, 2021

Fabulous article thanks for sharing and keeps posting and go ahead.

Naznin Khan Eva Reply
January 26, 2021

Hi Dr. Grant Radermacher,

Glad to read this most resourceful , helpful and informative article. Really, it is awesome writing with valuable data. Water is a very essential element for human beings. But we have to take water for our body’s necessity. Many people don’t know the quantity of taking drinking water according to their age. Your article will be most valuable by this side to know this information. Thanks for sharing a valuable article with us. Wish your all the best and hope to get a more resourceful article from you.

Farhad Rahamn Reply
January 28, 2021

Appreciate your post. I’m very much conscious about my health

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