How much water do you need to drink?

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Tuesday, April 9. 2019

How much water do you need to drink?

It's a crazy subject, fraught with myth. Animals do not need to read articles about when to have a drink of water, but seemingly humans do.

Where I live most of the time, females go around with a plastic bottle of water. In the car, in the gym, on the tennis court, at the supermarket, as if living in the Sahara. There are hardly enough public bathrooms for them all.

A few points:

Coffee is not dehydrating. Beer is hydrating. When you work out hard, especially in the heat, a little water is good. There seem to be extremes: people who are insensitive to their thirst, and people who drink too much. If confused about one's needs for liquid, the frequency of peeing, and the concentration of one's pee, are good indicators.

I have had outdoor adventures when my fatigue was entirely due to a touch of dehydration, when I perked up like a wilted plant with a bottle of water.

A healthy body alerts us to dehydration by making us feel thirsty. How much water should you drink a day Whether you’ve had fatigue or even dry skin, you’ve probably been told to drink more water as a cure. But this advice comes from decades-old guidance… and may have no scientific basis.

Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss in Medical, Psychology, and Dr. Bliss at 18:04 | Comments (19) | Trackbacks (0)

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If you ever wanted to write a book about all of the crazy exercise myths, diet myths, health myths, supplement myths and health food myths then sign up for women's exercise classes. The water myth is just one of a couple hundred misleading ideas that are passed around and promoted by the instructors and fellow exercisers.

You can find it in Men's gyms/classes too but not as intense or accepted.

#1 Anon on 2019-04-09 18:54 (Reply)

I do eat less when I drink more (water). And I feel better when I actually drink when thirsty. Growing up in NV, I think I got too used to being somewhat dehydrated. Water is good, but like everything else, not in excess.

#2 Mark on 2019-04-09 22:53 (Reply)

Older people can forget to drink enough fluid, especially when they go into a facility where their familiar sources - a pot of coffee, a bottle of wine - are not in front of them providing visual cues. The assisted living nurses know what's best for Gramps and don't let him get at the 6-packs he half-disguised from Gram those last ten years. They aren't doing him any favors. He doesn't think carrying around a water bottle with a splash of seltzer is at all important. There is a real male/female disconnect there, with all those clever young females advocating their solutions.

That's what cultural insensitivity should really mean, but it doesn't.

#3 Assistant Village Idiot on 2019-04-09 23:39 (Reply)

That article is filled with conflicting advice. Maybe I’ll post o; that later.

My advice is to avoid even mild dehydration. It’s fairly easy to do and you feel good all the time and keep everything internal running smoothly. I drink 32 oz water between 7am and noon, and another 16 oz 5-8pm. Sometimes another one in the afternnon if I’m more active. I find my hydration schedule is more important than my eating schedule.

But: “Coffee is not dehydrating. Beer is hydrating.” Not sure what you’re getting at there but as written those are false statements. Both will dehydrate you unless supplemented with water.

#4 Jeff Brokaw (Link) on 2019-04-10 00:07 (Reply)

Nope. Net gains, just not as good as simple water.

#4.1 Assistant Village Idiot on 2019-04-10 01:17 (Reply)

So I could drink nothing but coffee and beer for a week and not get dehydrated at all, and in fact because of “net gains” I would be fully hydrated - never even mildly dehydrated - at all times?

I could never drink water again? Even during workouts and long bike rides in the heat, and sauna sessions?

My life experience is calling b.s. on this claim. Got research that backs it up?

#4.1.1 Jeff Brokaw (Link) on 2019-04-10 07:20 (Reply)

As most things consumed, including coffee and beer, are mostly constituted of water, and the same applies to almost all foods eaten, so your water requirements aren't nearly as high as you think. I have heard advice from kidney specialists that excessive drinking of water is toxic to kidneys. I eat when I'm hungry, drink when I'm dry. My Creator has provided me with a wonderful mechanism that, when in normal working order, works out all these things accurately for me, with little input from my consciousness. Strangely, it is only in recent times, when food and clean water have become cheaply and widely available, in the developed world, that all this over-thinking has begun.

#4.1.1.1 DeGaulle on 2019-04-10 07:42 (Reply)

He's right. You'd need more coffee or beer in volume to get the same level of benefit than you would need if you stuck to water, but the difference is fairly minor. Neither coffee nor beer will actually cause you to lose ground on hydration. You won't pee more out than you take in, as you might if you took a pure diuretic medication in pill form.

#4.1.1.2 Texan99 on 2019-04-10 08:42 (Reply)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3886980/ for coffee.

Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, but weak ones.

8 ounces of middle of the road coffee is equal to about 6 ounces of water, so you just need to drink a little more to offset the diuretic effect. Note also that the diuretic effect is more pronounced in people who aren't used to caffeine intake.

Beer is the same way, although if you're replacing water with it you probably want to drink Coors or Budweiser.

#4.1.1.3 William O'Blivion on 2019-04-10 12:58 (Reply)

My advice is listen to your body during workouts/exercise. I always carry water on my daily walks and hiking excursions, but more often than not, I return without drinking much of it.
When I'm dehydrated, I feel thirsty and/or my urine is concentrated (I take note and correct the issue if that's the case).
I realize not everyone is the same. Back in the day...as a military grunt often humping a ruck for days in the woods I was taught to conserve my water, so I did, and I survived to walk another day.

#4.2 Michael E. on 2019-04-10 04:10 (Reply)

Another issue is medication s you may be taking.
Many middle aged folks are on meds that tax the kidneys.
I was told to stay well hydrated for that reason.

#5 Ben David on 2019-04-10 04:32 (Reply)

Smart Water or house brand equivalents are much better pick-me-ups than plain water, if you're dehydrated in the middle of a long bike ride. Electrolytes added, they say.

I just noticed the effect.

For around the house, distilled water made into instant coffee is the regular take-a-break fare. The well produces too much iron.

#6 rhhardin (Link) on 2019-04-10 06:14 (Reply)

When did Maggie's Farm become the food and exercise channel. Is the commune getting a little senile?

#7 bob sykes (Link) on 2019-04-10 07:42 (Reply)

In general I like these discussion.

I would like to also add that if you are caring for an aging parent to make sure they get plenty of fluids. Their body doesn't tell them when they are thirsty and their mind doesn't always keep them aware of their needs. The trick is to find what they like, it may be ice water or OJ or tea but keep it available to them and remind them everytime you get yourself something to drink.

#7.1 Anon on 2019-04-10 09:40 (Reply)

You hit on something there. Older people really respond well to social cues, and their response helps them to feel better about themselves. If you get yourself something to drink or nibble on while offering same, it makes the forgotten chore of keeping themselves nourished into a welcome social event, chatting while noshing. After a couple of ER visits because of dehydration, it's become de rigueur with my visits to my mom.

#7.1.1 Aggie on 2019-04-10 10:16 (Reply)

Not to mention that Granny and Grandad will deliberately stop drinking fluids around suppertime so they don't have to get up in the night. Understand the reasoning, but it's bad for their health.

#7.1.2 Frances on 2019-04-10 23:15 (Reply)

No, just as random as always

#7.2 Bird Dog on 2019-04-10 10:21 (Reply)

While working in a hot attic in the summer time I unexpectedly was overcome with dehydration. Could not think straight, dizzy, and horribly dry for two days. I should have had Electrolyte/sports beverages immediately but didn't know then what to do.

#8 JoeRoy on 2019-04-10 14:49 (Reply)

That's why it must be a conscious decision when working or being active in a hot and/or dry environment. If you wait for your body to tell you you will already be in a deficit. Everyone should have a mental checklist. Did I lock the front door, do I have my keys, do I have water... Obviously the checklist should be tailored for what you are going to do.

#8.1 Anon on 2019-04-10 16:08 (Reply)

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Tuesday, April 9. 2019

How much water do you need to drink?