How much water to drink everyday?

[Falkner]

Hey...
I'm just wondering how much water I should drink everyday. I'm 21, and I don't drink enough. Also, can you please tell me in mL/L? And how much is exactly one glass of water?

[Taoist]

Hey...
I'm just wondering how much water I should drink everyday. I'm 21, and I don't drink enough. Also, can you please tell me in mL/L? And how much is exactly one glass of water?

I think that one glass generally means 8 oz/0.24 L. I also think the general guideline given by many healthcare practitioners is taking your body weight (in pounds) and drinking half that number in ounces. I honestly have no idea how to figure that out in mL/L and kg, but I'll give you an example:

I weigh 150 lbs (68.03 kg), so the amount of water recommended for me is 75 oz (2.21 liters) daily. Personally, I suggest you ask a doctor or someone more qualified to give you these recommendations (and someone who knows your personal needs better).

[riversinger]

Also the amount you drink is likely to depend a great deal not only on your size & weight, but your activity level plus how much heat you're exposed to...There are many factors to take into consideration. Keep in mind that what you eat makes a difference, in that during the summer you may take in a good deal of fluid through the fruits & veggies in your diet, but not so much in the winter months unless you eat a lot of soups, etc.

One more thing to keep in mind is that if you're working up a sweat you need to replace potassium & electrolytes, so just drinking water is not going to do that. Many of the so called "sports drinks" give you what you need to replace, but are often loaded with artificial coloring's & flavorings, along with caffeine and sometime HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup - which spikes the blood sugar). Consider Recharge, vs drinking Gatorade & skip the Energy Drinks like Red Bull, etc. as they can cause a number of problems.

[JaeMarie]

Because there are so many variables, I aim to drink enough fluids so that 1) I don't have the chance to get thirsty, 2) so that my urine is nearly clear when 3) I need to go to the bathroom every 3-4hrs or so.

Because thirst and less frequent/darker urination are the easiest to notice of the first signs, as long as I'm avoiding these I feel pretty good.

[Rozax]

We did a study in my A&P class, answering the question, "Why do you NOT need 8 glasses of water per day?" This was news to me, but I dug up several sources backing up this project question. I'll provide a couple links, but a Google search should be sufficient.

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp (this link didn't count for my project, but it was a start)
http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic ... er-per-day

To stay hydrated, just drink when you're thirsty. If you feel a headache coming on, drink a glass of water before popping a pain pill. Your body will let you know what you need.

[KyRomero5]

One of my instructors is a Acupuncturist/Personal Trainer/ Massage Therapist. Whatever you weigh you divide by 2, whatever the answer is..that's how many oz you drink. So I weigh 135 divide by 2 sooo 67.5 oz a day. That's what I've been going by every since 2007, whether it's correct or not I feel as if it's enough for my body.

[JasonE]

One of my instructors is a Acupuncturist/Personal Trainer/ Massage Therapist. Whatever you weigh you divide by 2, whatever the answer is..that's how many oz you drink. So I weigh 135 divide by 2 sooo 67.5 oz a day. That's what I've been going by every since 2007, whether it's correct or not I feel as if it's enough for my body.

As a rule of thumb, it probably won't harm you. But it's unsubstantiated by credible science. If you don't drink much but eat foods that contain water (fruits and vegetables), you may not need to drink so much. Further, you also get water from drinking other beverages, even unhealthy ones like soft drinks and beer.

[pyronymph]

Further, you also get water from drinking other beverages, even unhealthy ones like soft drinks and beer.

Ok, I'm sorry but I just don't buy this. I don't care how much the scientists who came up with this were paid by the companies that make these products, it can't be true. I know how DE-hydrated I feel after drinking soda or alcohol, so the minuscule amount of water that is in them can not be doing my body any good. But that's the way the world works now, isn't it? He with the most money (and slickest lobbyists) is always right...

Drink enough water to keep you from getting thirsty in the first place. If you reach the point of physical thirst, you're already dehydrated.

[JaeMarie]

Actually, I don't think that "minuscule" would be quite the right word. Depending on the type of alcohol we're talking about, they really are almost entirely water - what else is left after you take the percentage of alcohol (by % /proof) out?

Carbonated drinks have even more water in them. Really, all they are is water with some carbon dioxide dissolved in it with a touch of concentrated flavorings... probably in the 99% water range.

If these don't contain mostly water, what are they?

I think the effects you're talking about are due to the alcohol content or the caffeine. Alcohol and caffeine can be strong diuretics depending on your bodies tolerance. The problem isn't that water isn't being consumed - the problem is the potential side effects of the other ingredients *depending on how your body reacts to them.* I can drink pop and coffee all day, go out for a few drinks, and feel perfectly fine the next day (mind you this is not a habit for me lol) while if my ex has more than two cups of coffee, he's having... let's say - a moment of human urgency?

[pyronymph]

Ok, yes there is technically a lot of water in those products... but what I hear being said is no different from "chocolate cake is the perfect food because it contains most the major food groups plus antioxidants! So it has to be good for you!" Once you mix all that garbage in there, it's no longer water...

[Rozax]

IF you wanna stay healthy then drink 8-10 eight ounce glasses everyday. drink all throughout the day to stay hydrated.. But still some peoples can drink more water like peoples those do some routine exercises ...

I'm sticking with the findings of my research. We're always hearing, "Drink more water! You'll feel better!" A girl in my brother's class, when he was in middle school, took this to heart and ended up with a case of water intoxication. Unless you have a medical condition, just listen to your body. Honestly, many people would feel a lot better if everyone would just pay attention to what their body needs. It only defeats the purpose of arbitrary rules.

[nicmor]

generally you should be able to drink 6-8glasses of water a day and it will increase depending on the level of activity you are invilved in but if you are in the moderate level if activity day to day then the average amount would be enough to supplement your water needs although it wont hurt to drink more since you will be able to excrete the excess through urine if you have perfectly normal kidney function. In the hospital, 1 glass is measure as 240ml which is usually the standard measurement for a glass. this can be your reference if you are planning to measure your daily water intake. it is always best that you keep yourself hydrated espcially on hot days or when you perspire a lot since you will lose more water during those days.

[RelaxandRejuvenate]

Not nearly enough. 2-3 glasses on a non exercise day.

[holley]

http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/hea ... ght?page=7