Recommended Water Intake per Day

The human body depends on water to keep the cells and body systems functioning smoothly. The most crucial function of water is maintenance of blood volume, body temperature regulation, and transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the body parts. Moreover, water also provides a medium for biochemical reactions taking place at the cellular level and plays a significant role in removal of waste products from the body in the form of urine. Our bodies comprise 55-60% water, which means we need to keep our bodies hydrated, so as to maintain optimum health. However, how much is the right amount? We've all heard the recommended water intake per day as 8 glasses of water. However, does this dogma have any scientific backing or is it just a myth?

What is the Recommended Water Intake per Day?

A critical review conducted by the Kidney Health Australia medical team, reveals that there is no significant evidence that talks about how 8 glasses are the appropriate daily water consumption amount. So if there is no specific data that helps us understand how much is the recommended water intake per day, what should we do? Well, it is good to stick to the dogma of 8 glasses a day. This is not because it has been scientifically proved, but simply because it's a safe guideline. On an average daily water requirement for adults and children is around 7-10 glasses.

However, you need to understand that the recommended daily water intake depends on various factors such as your size, activity level and the environment in which you live. The best way to know how much water is the daily water intake recommended is by satisfying your thirst. Do not consume aerated drinks, coffee, tea, etc. to pacify your thirst. Drink water! However, there are some other situations, wherein one will need to ensure your body gets more amount of water. They are as follows:

Exercise: The more one exercises, the more fluid intake one needs. Drinking a couple of ounces of water every 15 minutes will suffice for short rounds of exercise, however, strenuous and long bouts of intense exercises calls for quick fluid replacement, as lots of water has been lost in the form of perspiration. Besides water, even sodium is lost in the sweat, so it is advisable to take a sports drink containing sodium to balance the sodium lost, thereby reducing the chances of developing the life-threatening case of hyponatremia.

Environment: If you are living in places that has a hot or humid climate, then you are prone to lose a lot of fluid via sweat. Moreover, heated indoor air can also conduce to loss of moisture from the skin during winters. People living at altitudes higher than 8200 feet have increased urination and rapid breathing patterns, which depletes the water reserved in the body. An air traveler is known to lose about 1.5 liters of water during a 3 hour flight. So depending on your surrounding environment, the amount of water intake will vary.

Pregnancy or Breastfeeding: Pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to consume more amounts of drinking water. Breastfeeding women should take in around 10-13 glasses of water a day as they lose a lot of fluid during nursing and the body's demands for fluids are higher.

Illnesses and Health Conditions: Illnesses such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, etc. cause the body to lose large amounts of body fluids. To prevent your body from dehydrating, it is important to drink lots of fluids to keep the body hydrated. Moreover, bladder infection, kidney stones and urinary tract infections also require an increased intake of water. However, certain heart ailments, kidney, adrenal and liver diseases may require you to limit the amount of fluid intake. So the type of illness will determine the amount of water intake you actually require.

To furnish your body with the recommended water intake per day, do not drink water only to quench your thirst, but, enter a habit of drinking water at frequent intervals during the day. Besides consuming water directly, the body is also furnished with 20% fluid content from the food ingested. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of fluids. Drink lots of water and stay healthy!