Water: Required Amount and Health Benefits

What Water Entails?

The body is composed of about 40-60% of water. The body loses water steadily all through the day, often through urine and sweat, but also from consistent functioning of the body like breathing. To prevent getting dehydrated, one needs to get plenty of water from drinks, beverages, and food daily.

Health experts and professionals recommend 8-ounce glasses of water, which is equal to about 2 liters or half a gallon, to be consumed daily by an Individual.

However, some experts are of the notion that one needs to constantly take a sip of water all through the day, even when not thirsty. But most times, this depends solely on the individual as well as many factors which are both internal and external, affect how much water one should consume daily.

How Much Water Should One Drink Per Day?

The amount of water one may need depends on several factors and varies differently amongst Individuals. The generally accepted recommendation from The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for adults is:

For women: It is recommended they take 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) a day

For men: It is recommended they take 15.5 cups (3 liters) a day.

This includes fluids that come from water, beverages like tea and juice. They can also be gotten from food too. One can get an average of 20 percent of the water needed by the body from the foods you eat.

How Much Water One Needs Also Depend On:

Location: One will need more water in hot, humid, or dry areas. Also, if you live in the mountains or at a high altitude.

Diet: Taking too much coffee and other caffeinated products might cause one to lose more water through frequent urination. If your diet is high in salt, spice, or sugary foods and also if you eat a lot of hydrating foods (high in water) like fresh or cooked foods or vegetables.

Environment: If you’re one that spends more time outdoors in the sun or hot temperatures or in a heated room, one might get thirstier quicker.

Activities: One would need more water if one is active during the day or walks or stands a lot than someone who just sits around. One will also need more water if one exercises a lot or does any strong-related activity to cover up for the loss of water.

General health: One will need more water intake if one has an infection or a fever or loses water through vomiting or diarrhea. Health conditions like diabetes or certain medications like diuretics can cause one to lose water too.

Pregnancy or Breastfeeding: One will need more fluid intake to stay hydrated if one is pregnant or nursing a baby due to extra work and feeding for two.

Health Benefits of Water

Drinking a lot of water helps one shed little weight:

There are a lot of claims that a high intake of water may reduce body weight by increasing the body’s metabolism and controlling appetite.

A study carried out discovered that drinking more water than normal is associated with a decrease in body weight and body composition scores.

Another studies review found that too much dehydration was linked with obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

An older study made an estimate that drinking 68 ounces, which equals to (2 liters) daily increased the energy spent by about 23 calories daily due to a faster metabolism or a thermogenic response.

Drinking water for about a half-hour before meals helps in the reduction of calories.

Generally, drinking adequate amounts of water, most especially before meals, may help give a boost in the management of appetite as well as maintenance of healthy body weight, particularly when combined with a healthy eating plan.

Drinking Much Water Helps Prevent Health Problems

Drinking adequate water is necessary for the body to function generally. There are several health problems that respond well to high water intake.

They include:

Kidney stones: There is an older study that said high fluid intake reduced the risk of kidney stones.

Skin Hydration: Several studies reveal that high water intake leads to better skin hydration.

Constipation: High water intake can help prevent constipation, which is a very common problem.

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): Studies conducted recently have revealed that an increase in water consumption may help prevent frequent urinary tract and bladder infections.

Drinking a Lot of Water Helps Maintain Water Balance

Water balance maintenance is very important for one’s living, development, and growth. This singular purpose gives the body a sophisticated system for control of how much and when one drinks. When the total content of water for the body goes below a particular level, one becomes thirsty.

While thirst may be a trustworthy indicator of dehydration, one shouldn’t rely on the feeling of thirst for an ideal health or exercise performance.

Symptoms of thirst or little dehydration may include:

• Fatigue
• Headache

One could use the color of his or her urine as a guide, which can be very helpful in knowing if one is drinking adequate water. One should look out for pale, clear urine.

When Should One Consume a High Intake of Water?

During activities such as exercises that increase one’s tendency to sweat:

There is no science that supports the 8×8 rule. It is totally based on an Individual’s discretion, which is of the notion that certain situations may call for an increased water intake, which includes times of sweating.

If one sweats a lot, lost fluid with water should be renewed. Athletes who engage in intense exercises for a long time may as well need to replenish electrolytes like sodium and other minerals alongside the water.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding

During ill-health times and bad health conditions:

One should consume more water when you have a fever, when vomiting, or when having diarrhea.

One should also try to increase the intake of water if one intends to lose weight.

There are other beverages that contain water and contribute to fluid balance, such as meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, etc., and significantly have an effect.

At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide exactly how much water you need, and this depends on many factors like how often you get thirsty and your urine color.

Some people may perform better with more water than normal, whereas for others, it only results in constant visits to the bathroom.

In conclusion, to prevent dehydration and ensuring the body has an adequate amount of fluids it needs, water should be taken as frequently and often as possible.

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