How much water are you supposed to drink daily? Are sports drinks necessary, and why is it so important to stay hydrated anyway?
Water! It’s basically everywhere, and makes up the majority of our body. At this point, I think it’s pretty much common-knowledge that water is important for health. What isn’t as clear, however, is how much water you actually need, where it should come from, and just why it’s so beneficial. So let’s dive-in (pun intended) to the research on water!
Why is hydration so important?
As I mentioned, the majority of our body is composed of water. We need it for every organ and tissue in our body (including our bones). It lubricates our joints, transports nutrients throughout our body, and is essential in order to excrete things our body doesn’t need. Basically, everything in our body relies on water in order to function properly. Without water, we can’t survive.
What happens if you don’t drink enough water?
Our bodies naturally lose water throughout the day. This means that we need to regularly be consuming liquids to replenish these losses. If you don’t drink enough water to replenish what is lost, dehydration can result. Symptoms of dehydration can include dizziness, feeling lightheaded, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, fatigue, weakness, muscle cramps, and even just feeling thirsty. Severe dehydration can result in loss of consciousness and even death if not treated properly.
How much water should you drink every day?
Contrary to what a lot of people on the internet claim, there actually isn’t a set volume of water that’s optimal to drink everyday. Fluid needs are very variable person-to-person, and even day to day depending on what you’re doing. Things that can influence your fluid needs include illness, activity, age, gender, environment, pregnancy, breastfeeding, etc. For some, the standard 8 8oz glasses of water advice may be sufficient. Others may need more or less water. The best thing you can do is pay attention to your body. When you feel thirsty, drink more.
What if I don’t like water?
Good news! You don’t actually need to get all of your fluids from water. Juice, milk, herbal tea, and flavored waters can also count towards your fluid needs for the day. Even caffeinated beverages like soda and coffee count.
But wait, I thought caffeine was dehydrating?
Caffeine is a mild diuretic, meaning it can make you have to pee more. Moderate caffeine consumption, however, isn’t actually dehydrating. This is because caffeinated beverages don’t make you excrete more fluid than they provide. So they might not be as hydrating as water or other non-caffeinated fluids, but they also aren’t inherently dehydrating.
What about sports drinks? Do I need to drink those?
Here’s the thing: sports drinks are grossly overused. Sports drinks contain water (obviously) plus carbohydrates (for energy) and electrolytes. This is important for endurance athletes because long bouts of exercise can deplete electrolytes and energy stores in the body. The average person, however, doesn’t need sports drinks. A good rule of thumb to determine whether or not you’d benefit from a sports drink is how long you’re engaging in vigorous activity. If you’re participating in intense exercise for over an hour, a sports drink may be beneficial. If not, sports drinks are unnecessary and water is your best bet.
How do I know if I’m properly hydrated?
Look at your pee! I know it sounds kinda gross, but I’m actually totally serious. Urine color is a great way to tell if you’re properly hydrated or not. If your urine is really dark in color that means its highly concentrated. This happens when you aren’t properly hydrated, as your body is trying to hold on to as much fluid as it can. Pale yellow, straw colored urine indicates proper hydration. If your urine is totally clear, that’s a sign you actually may be overhydrated.
Can I drink too much water?
Although not incredibly common for a non-endurance athlete, it is possible to drink too many fluids. In general, our body is really good at fluid balance. If you drink more water than you need, chances are you’ll just pee out the excess. Drinking way more water than you need, however, can overwhelm your kidneys ability to excrete the extra. This can lead to a potentially life-threatening condition called hyponatremia Basically, the excess water dilutes your blood levels of sodium and causes your cells to swell. The most common symptoms of overhydration are headache, fatigue, confusion, nausea, weakness, muscle cramps, and seizures. Sound familiar? The unfortunate reality is that many symptoms of hyponatremia (overhydration) are eerily similar to dehydration symptoms. This is why paying attention to your body is so important. Let thirst be your guide. If you feel thirsty, drink more.
TL;DR
Our body needs water for literally everything it does.
You can meet your fluid needs through a combination of food, water, juice, milk, herbal tea, and even caffeinated beverages.
Caffeinated beverages don’t promote dehydration because they don’t cause your body to lose more fluids than they provide.
There is no perfect amount of fluids to consume everyday. Let thirst be your guide.
Most people don’t need sports drinks unless they’re engaging in more than an hour of vigorous physical activity.
Check the color of your urine to tell if you’re properly hydrated. It should be a pale yellow, straw-color.
Overhydration is possible and potentially life-threatening. Let thirst be your guide.