I am often asked "how much water should I be drinking"? Well, truth be told long are the days of the old "8 glasses a day"when it comes to establishing a benchmark of a total amount. True, one does needs to drink a sufficient amount of water on a daily basis, but it may help to understand what water actually does in the body and why it is such an important component of life. Let's take a look at it's function in the body and help determine how much water you should be getting a day.
Water, or H2O as we all like to call it, is made up of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms held together by covalent bonds. It makes up about 70% of Earth and 80% of the population lives near some sort of body of water. Water is present in three states of matter; solid (ice), liquid (duh) and gas (vapor). Water contains no calories and zero nutrients, unless added during the bottling process. Water is also known as the "universal solvent" due to it's polar properties, as it dissolves more substances than any other chemical.
In America, we are lucky to have laws and guidelines in the handling and distribution of water to maximize purification and safety. Although we have the ease of access to tap water, many people around the world do not have such luxury as fresh water is scarce and the dangers of unsterilized water leads to millions of deaths each year. I find it strange that such a marvelous substance is so under appreciated in this country and the amount of waste and pollution we bestow onto it everyday. In the novel Dune, the natives of the desert planet understand how valuable and scare water is, they wear "stillsuits" that re-filter all fluids in the body so they may re-use them to stay hydrated.
Water has many functions in the human body. It regulates body temperature, lubricates joints, filters and aids in the extraction of waste, carries oxygen throughout the body and helps prevent constipation. It's no surprise that water has so many functions as it makes up an argued 60-65% of the human body. We could discuss the benefits and uses of water all day as we hear about it so much, but I'd rather give a little insight on what happens when we do not get enough water, of course I mean dehydration. We lose water constantly through respiration, sweat, urine and bowel movements and saliva so constant re-hydration is necessary.
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| Water tends to be a missing piece of most people's overall healthy puzzle. |
It is true that you can die from an over consumption of water by hypoatremia (see water intoxication), but dehydration is far more common and is often overlooked how quickly it's onset can be. Since our bodies' make up is largely water based, it would make sense that just a small amount of water loss renders us incomplete in the sense of a whole unit. At 3% water loss, which sounds like a small amount, we see a significant decrease in performance varying from daily functions to exercise and sports. At 5-6% fatigue sets in and vomiting and headaches often occur. At 10-15% loss of vision and delirium sets in and usually any further loss leads to death. Dehydration is not just a term for someone on the brink of death, it refers to any stage of significant water loss, regardless of how you feel. Often a person can be experiencing dehydration, but may not be feeling negative side effects, but that doesn't mean they are not at some risk. The bottom line is dehydration at any level is bad.
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| Urine Analysis Chart |
So the big question remains: How much water should we be drinking? For years, I have always told people to watch their urine and notice how thirsty they are to determine if they are getting adequate water. If more than not your urine color is number 1, 2 or perhaps 3 on the chart and you notice you are not constantly experiencing dry mouth and thirst, chances are you are properly hydrated. If you are in the 4 through 6 range, just from the color alone you know you are in the early to moderate stages of dehydration, not a threat to life, but again not at optimal performance and should start drinking more water. If you are higher, immediate hydration is required and you should seek medical attention at once! Finally, the Mayo clinic seems to back my preaching and looks to agree with this principle. I knew I should have published an article five years ago! (Mayo Clinic Water Facts) Listen to your body and pay attention to the signs it gives you to help determine if you need to get more water. Although, if you think you might need more water chances are you do, not too mention more water on a daily basis can't hurt in general(moderately of course).
Say goodbye to the classic eight glasses a day rule and just keep a bottle of water handy, drinking periodically and monitoring the signs to catch dehydration before it begins or if you're properly hydrated. Everybody is different and your daily activities will dictate how much water you need, but we shouldn't neglect such a amazing aspect of life, especially with the abundance and ease of access we have to it. We get water through our beverages and foods, as well as our body's natural production of it (you want a huge post, this process and it's properties would be an adventure to write), but nothing can beat getting it from the pure source, so grab your bottles and stay hydrated.
Thanks for reading!
An abundance of information of water and water related subjects
“Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken" -Duke Leto Atreides "Dune"
*I am not a registered nutritionist or dietitian. The information presented is for education purposes only.
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