Water makes up more than 70% of the weight of a human body. Every single cell and organ in the human body needs water to function at 100%. Like animals and plant-life, without water, we humans would die in just a few days.
The fluids surrounding the joints and saliva is made up of water. Water lubricates and cushions, protects your spinal cord, clears the tissues of waste products, regulates the body’s core temperature through sweating; prevents constipation, and transports nutrients and oxygen to vital organs.
Most of us only drink something when we feel thirsty, but by that stage we are already around 2% dehydrated. If we then drink alcohol, coffee or other caffeinated drinks, we will actually be dehydrating ourselves even more as they are all diuretics (increases the flow of urine, making the body to get rid of more water).
Because we are losing water continually throughout the day via urination, perspiration, exhalation and other means, we need to replace that water in order to keep the body’s fluid levels balanced. This is even more necessary when exercising, in hot climates and when ill.
How Much Water Should the Average Woman Drink?
It is difficult to categorically state exactly how much water a woman should drink, because that depends on various contributing factors such as body weight, climate, activity level, and more. According to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) published by the Institute of Medicine of The National Academies, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of total water that women aged 19 and older should drink is around 11 cups daily.
It is important, however, to remember that this is the RDA for the average woman and not for the exercise buff that spends three hours running, cycling or doing other exercise or physical work twice a week:
- If you are exercising for a short period at a time, such as going to the gym, drink water before you go; drink about 2 glasses of water an hour or two before exercising
- If you are exercising or doing another type of physical activity for a longer than an hour at a time, up the amount of water that you drink
- Drink more water if you are pregnant or breastfeeding and drink water more often if you live in a humid climate
While it is not possible to say exactly how much water the average woman should drink every day, the easy way to check whether you are drinking water often enough is to check the colour of your urine. If your urine is a very pale yellow you are fine, but if it is a dark yellowish brownish colour you are dehydrated and need to drink water quickly.
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