I have always heard that we should drink 8 x 8 of water or our weight (in pounds) divided by two oz. But there is no scientific report that concludes this amount of water is good for us!
Drinking so much water can cause hyponatremia (it is more often caused by an excess of water rather than a decrease in sodium) and increases the exposure to pollutants (whether it is tap or bottled water) given that the quality of water has become a worldwide issue.
Drinking so much water can cause hyponatremia (it is more often caused by an excess of water rather than a decrease in sodium) and increases the exposure to pollutants (whether it is tap or bottled water) given that the quality of water has become a worldwide issue.
Proved Benefits: Prevention of Cancers of the Urinary Bladder, Colorectal Cancer, Premalignant Adenomatous Polyps and Heart Disease. There is a significant decrease in risk in men who drank only 5 glasses of water per day (1.185 mL).
“In contrast to the need for final proof in support of 8 x 8, there is now strong scientific evidence that not all of the prescribed fluid need be in the form of water.”
Both caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, and soft drinks) and mild alcoholic beverages such as beer (consumed in moderation) should count toward the daily fluid intake.
Claimed Benefit: Losing Weight
There is some evidence, in both women and men, that water drunk along with a meal or water incorporated into food (such as chicken soup) does promote satiety.
Myth Busted: Thirst is Too Late
It is often stated in the press and in professional journals that by the time a person is thirsty that person is already dehydrated.
The scientific treatises on thirst, one finds no such assertion. On the contrary, most experts would define dehydration as beginning when a person has lost 3% or more of body weight, which translates into a rise in plasma osmolality of at least 5%.
Dehydration begins when the plasma osmolality has risen to 302 mosmol/kgH2O while thirst sets in at a plasma osmolality that is still within 280–296 mosmol/kgH2O.
Now that I no longer crave for sodas, fruit juices with sugar added and other beverages, I've noticed that I'm not drinking anything at lunch, at dinner and between these meals.. Unless I've got my bottle of water near me.. As I'm doing more exercise (running, pilates, ...) my body needs more water to prevent dehydration.
After reading a lot about water, its benefits and disadvantages when exceeding a reasonable amout, I've decided that my next challenge is drinking 6x8oz (+-150cl) daily. And in training days more than that everytime I get thirsty.
I'm sure I'm going to feel like this!:
Sources:
Gulli, Cathy; Enough with drinking water, Maclean's, vol. 122, issue 33, p42-42 (2009)
Valtin, Heinz, Gorman, Sheila; Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Really? Is there scientific evidence for 8x8?, Am J Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol., vol. 283 (2002)
