Do you really need 8 glasses of water a day?
- Kaylee Mak-lin
- Oct 5
- 3 min read
Why are fluids important? And why water?
Our bodies are made up of around 60% water, and because of this water thus has many important roles in the body’s daily functioning. Some of these include; aiding digestion, maintaining proper body temperature, bringing necessary nutrients to all of our cells, lubricating joints and organs such as the spinal cord, maintaining an adequate blood pressure, and more.
Although our water intake can come from non-water drinks such as juice, teas, coffee or soda, and even about 20% of water absorption comes from food, ultimately, water is the most effective of them all.
Factors to take into consideration
There are differences between recommended water intake for people of differing sexes, ages, medical history and daily routines.
If you are exercising on a daily routine, or if you sweat during the day, more water should be drunk to make up for the fluid loss - before, after and during workouts.
Due to the difference in body percentages of water in men and women, with the latter having less. According to the Institute of Medicine, for men it is recommended to have 13 cups of water a day. For women it is recommended to have 9, if a woman is pregnant then 10 cups, and if she is breastfeeding then 12 cups.
Age also plays a role in the body percentage of water, where infants have approximately 75-78% at birth, slowly decreasing to 65% by one year, and eventually 60% once reaching adulthood. Kids are recommended to have 6-8 cups of water a day.
Medical conditions and history should also be taken into account for, where conditions such as kidney stones or UTI’s highly recommend increased water intake to flush out bacteria or crystallized stones. On the other hand, conditions with any adrenal gland insufficiencies or congestive heart failure (CHF) require a decrease in water intake to prevent fluid build-up in sensitive organs and to manage sodium levels.
So do you really need 8 glasses?
In short… not necessarily. It depends on every person and what they eat and drink in a day, as well as the other factors mentioned previously. BUT it is extremely recommended by medical health professionals, fitness and wellness professionals, and it is recommended for a reason! The 8 glasses gives the general public an easy number to remember and for a general goal to aim for. Hydration is always important not just by non-water means, and water should always be the go-to. Drinking severely under this general number can lead to many health risk factors, with dehydration being the most common.
Tips to avoid dehydration
How do you even know if you are dehydrated though? Sometimes you might not feel the need to drink water but you can be dehydrated without any major symptoms. Your body is constantly and continually losing water through biochemical processes, urination and sweating, so dehydration is something that should be avoided as best as possible to keep your body functioning in a healthy way. Some symptoms may not be clear right off the bat, some milder symptoms include; dry mouth and tongue, overheating, headache, flushed skin and more. On the more extreme, some symptoms are as follows; constipation, kidney stones, low blood pressure and increased heart rate.
The best and simplest ways to avoid these are to keep water on your person with a water bottle and drink when you can, pass on sugary drinks, alcohol, and caffeinated drinks and choose water over them. Remember to drink when in warmer weather and when doing any physical activity. All in all, stay hydrated when you can!
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