In this week’s podcast, we talk about how much water you need to drink to maintain your health. The topic of the podcast starts at the nine-minute mark.
It’s common to see people carrying huge flasks full of water these days. That’s because there’s a common misconception that you need to drink at least 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water a day to maintain health and stay properly hydrated.
This isn’t true!!
There has never been any study showing a marked improvement in health by drinking water in excess of thirst.
We consume water in multiple ways whether you know it or not. The food we eat contains water. For example, a typical steak is 70% water. The coffee we drink in the morning contains water. So through these various sources, the vast majority of people usually stay properly hydrated throughout the day without needing to take in more water.
The best recommendation would be to drink water with meals and let thirst guide your water intake throughout the day.
To learn more about the history of the 8 X 8 guidelines, why drinking water in excess isn’t healthy, and why urine color isn’t a good marker for hydration status, listen to this week’s podcast.
Links To Studies Mentioned
Do I really need to drink 8 glasses of water a day?
Dietary Reference Intakes: Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate
Drink at least eight glasses of water a day.” Really? Is there scientific evidence for “8 × 8”
Body fluid changes, thirst and drinking in man during free access to water.
