How Much Water Should You Drink Every Day?
Your body requires water to survive. How much water you need to drink every day is the real question. You can last three weeks without food, but just three to four days without water. If you’re guzzling gallons of water constantly in hopes of becoming healthier, you need to take a step back and re-evaluate. Too much water can cause water intoxication creating issues with your kidneys and electrolytes. The amount of water you need depends on many things, such as how active you are, your age, body weight, sex, and climate.
Water plays an important role in your body.
The percentage of water in your body varies by age. Newborn infants are almost 75% water in their first few months. As you age, the percentage of water drops and is at its lowest in the senior years. Fatty tissues contain less fluid than lean muscle tissue, so body composition plays a role. While the average female body between 12 and 18 ranges between 49 and 63% water, when older than 51, the range changes from 39-57%. The brain, muscles, and kidneys are over 70% water, while the lungs are over 83%. It’s a building block for the body and aids in almost all functions.
The larger you are and your sex makes a difference.
It makes sense since larger people require more calories and more nutrients. It’s one minor reason women require more water than men. The main reasons have to do with female hormones. High estrogen and progesterone levels during the menstrual cycle reduce the watery part of the blood—the plasma. Excess progesterone can affect blood water levels. Aldosterone is the hormone that aids in regulating blood pressure and manages levels of potassium and sodium in the blood which impacts blood volume. Progesterone competes with it for aldosterone receptors.
Your body temperature, activity, and climate make a difference.
If the room is hot or you’re working out at peak intensity, you’ll sweat. You have to drink more water than normal to replenish the fluid you lost. Your weight plays an important role, too. One simple way to compute how much water is to take 2/3 of your body weight and use that number as the number of ounces required. A 120-pound woman would require about 80 ounces of water based on those calculations. If you’re extremely active or the weather is warm, drink extra water. People at higher elevations also need more water and if you’re vomiting, have a fever or diarrhea, or are pregnant and lactating additional liquids are necessary.
- Mayo Clinic suggests men drink 15.5 cups of fluid and women drink 11.5 cups. That doesn’t necessarily mean just water. It can come from other beverages and food. Food accounts for 20% of the body’s fluid intake.
- If you’re having problems drinking enough water, schedule water consumption. Drink a glass before each meal and carry a bottle of water to sip frequently. Drink a glass of water an hour before your workout.
- Drinking more water can aid in preventing kidney stones. It can also help people with achy joints. The extra water increases the fluid in the joints to lubricate them.
- Inadequate water or dehydration can cause irregular heart rhythms and breathing problems. Seniors dehydrate faster. Even mild dehydration can cause confusion in seniors that’s similar to dementia.
For more information, contact us today at Thrive Fitness!