How Much Water Should You Drink In One Day?

We lose water from our bodies in many ways. Basically all our natural body functions cause us to lose water. This includes urinating, defecating, breathing, and sweating. It is estimated that the average man loses about 10 cups (80 ounces) of water a day!

The "8 Glasses of Water a Day" rule is easy to remember, which is probably why it has been popularized so much in recent years. However, this well-known average remains forever a 'guesstimate' in that not even medical scientists can agree on how much water we should be drinking a day.

According to the Institute of Medicine, the average male should drink 13 (3 litres) cups of liquid a day, and the average female, 9 (2.2 litres) cups. The term "liquid" is used because all fluids count, even if they contain calories, caffeine or sugar. For this reason, they believe that the question "how much water should i drink per day" should be rephrased into "how much liquid should I drink a day."

Professor Deborah Boardly at the University of Ohio also states that dehydration is one of the most common ailments from which not only athletes but people in general suffer because we do not drink enough.

On the other hand, Dr. Jurgen Schnermann of the National Institutes of Health declares that a mere litre of water a day is enough for the average adult in a temperate climate. What is more, it is thought that these four glasses can be absorbed mainly through the food we eat.

Let's face it. What better business could there be than to turn a cheap product into a booming industry? Water is freely available from our taps, yet we flock to the supermarkets to stock up on bottled water. Businesses have been praying upon consumer sensibilities for years. They claim that we need our eight glasses of water a day, that water will cure all of our ailments, and that tap water is dangerous for consumption.

But is any of this really true? We have already worked out that the eight glasses a day rule is more popular culture than scientific fact. And while water will help relieve dehydration, constipation, and will help purify your organs, the same result can be achieved with treated tap water. In short, bottled water is inessential.

It is true that water is beneficial. However, we should put little faith in the profit-oriented claims that promote water as the miracle cure for all ailments.

It's really up to the individual! You need to trust your body's instincts. If you feel thirsty, drink. If you don't feel thirsty, leave the bottle alone. The only people who should be drinking high levels of water are those who...

1) Have problems with their kidneys
2) Live in extremely hot climates
3) Exercise frequently

If you don't fall into any of these categories, you can continue to drink as you always have. However, if you still feel you'd like to improve your water drinking habits, you can always check out my page about ways to drink more water on Squidoo.