How Much Water Should I Drink a Day?

The importance of Drinking Water.

There’s no one answer. It’s all relative and depends on variables like age, climate, general health, special health issues, etc. The objective should be to maintain an adequate hydration level without getting over hydrated, which can also have serious consequences. Both dehydration and overhydration are conditions to be avoided. Ideally, you want to achieve a golden mean between the two- easier said than done as there is no uniform Dos & Dont’s, no magic numbers.

Dehydration

It can happen for several reasons: excessive heat, excessive activity without taking intermittent breaks, insufficient intake of fluids, excessive sweating, etc. Typical symptoms of dehydration are:

• Headache
• Dry mouth
• Decrease in urination frequency
• Change in colour of urine to dark yellow
• Diarrhoea

The signals are clear enough, and it’s best to tackle them in the bud. More so because the cure is well within the scope of self-treatment. Drinking plenty of fluids is one recommendation. Also recommended is the intake of ORS to replenish the loss of electrolytes; you should desist from rigorous activity until you have recovered fully.

Water Intoxication

This is an extreme form of overhydration and needs to be guarded against as much as dehydration. The ill-effects of overhydration can be considerably more severe. Drinking too much water can, among other things, disrupt brain function, can dilute electrolytes in your body and cause significant imbalances in your system. At the most mundane level, the after-effects of water intoxication are headache, nausea, vomiting. Severe cases may produce more severe symptoms like increased blood pressure, muscle weakness, double vision, difficulty in breathing. Water intoxication has led to seizures, brain damage, coma, and even death in extreme and relatively rare cases.

Weight Loss Regimen

Some weight-loss regimens prescribe the consumption of large quantities of water. There is more common sense than the science behind this prescription, although empirical evidence may make some gains by following this line of treatment. But given what is stated in the preceding paragraph, caution is necessary. The pros and cons must be kept at the back of your mind while following any regimen. Moderation makes sense.

Achieving the Ideal Mean

It won’t be easy. There are no set guidelines, no magic numbers. Some median norms may apply to many, but ultimately there are too many variables for a definitive conclusion. Ultimately you are the best judge of what suits you. Keeping the above parameters in mind, you must decide the quantum of your daily fluid intake. If you feel healthy, chances are you are healthy. Unfortunately, the reverse is equally true. If you are not feeling okay, you probably are not acceptable. That is when you would want to take extra precautions. You count the calories in your diet- it is just as essential to balance your fluid intake. Your body contains water- between 50% to 60%. Maintaining a balance in this proportion is crucial to your general health.

How Much Water Should You Drink a Day? By Dr. David Coun