The human body needs water in order to survive and function optimally, and although around 20% of our daily fluid intake requirement can be attained by drinking other liquids and eating water-rich fruit and vegetables, the majority of fluid replacement needs to be plain water.
We all know that we need to drink water regularly throughout the day in order to keep our bodies hydrated and healthy, but just how much water we should be drinking on a daily basis is a bit of a bone of contention. The required daily amount of water that you personally need to drink depends on various factors, including your gender, health and age; what you have eaten, the climate where you live, and any physical activity.
While the factors involved are too many to provide definitive guidance as to how much water an individual should drink on a daily basis, the general guidance is as follows:
The old “Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day” theory that was preached and followed for decades was eventually discounted as having been misinterpreted, but if one looks at it, 64 fluid ounces is the equivalent of around 1,9 litres, which is not that different to some amounts recommended by various institutions today.
According to the US Institute of Medicine, the adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly approximately 13 cups (3 litres) of total beverages per day, and the AI for women is around 9 cups (2.2 litres) of total beverages a day.
The UK Department of Health on the other hand, suggest that you drink 6-8 glasses (1.2 litres) of fluid a day if you live in the UK. Water, lower-fat milks and lower-sugar or sugar-free drinks including tea and coffee all count.
While these amounts may seem to be sufficient, especially in the UK where the weather is not really that hot, one should not go strictly according to this measure. There are many other factors that should be taken into account, including hot or humid conditions and altitude; medication or medical conditions; pregnancy or breast feeding; age and weight, and physical exercise or work.
The best rule is to drink at least 6 glasses of water per day, more if you are physically energetic or it is very hot, and watch the colour of your urine; the darker the urine the more dehydrated you are.
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