Staying hydrated is key for our body functioning optimally — both physically and mentally. Not drinking enough water can leave us feeling sluggish and foggy, and staying properly hydrated aids in weight loss and may even lengthen your lifespan.
But exactly how much water do we need to drink to stay hydrated?
Water seems to come with the rule of eight: Drink eight 8-ounce glasses per day for good health, according to popular and much-repeated advice.
But is that really the case? Here’s what to know about how much water you really need:
What are the health benefits of water?
“There’s a pretty long list of reasons why maintaining proper hydration status is important for maintaining someone’s health,” Brenda Davy, a professor in the department of human nutrition, foods and exercise at Virginia Tech, tells TODAY.com.
Davy, who is also a registered dietitian nutritionist, studies how water and beverage intake affects health. Proper hydration has been linked to good cognitive function, optimal energy levels, weight control, and a lower risk urinary tract infections and kidney stones, she says.
Water also helps your body keep a normal temperature, lubricate joints, and get rid of wastes through urine, perspiration and bowel movements, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Adults who aren’t getting enough fluids — as measured by higher sodium levels in the blood — may be more likely to die younger, a National Institutes of Health study published in 2023 found.
“The results suggest that proper hydration may slow down aging and prolong a disease-free life,” said Natalia Dmitrieva, a study author and researcher at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, in a statement.
But the study doesn’t prove that drinking more water will prevent chronic disease, experts told NBC News. The relationship between drinking fluids and age-related chronic diseases remains “highly speculative,” said Dr. Lawrence Appel, director of the Welch Center…
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