Where does this water drinking myth/fact come from ?

roycruse73

I read it all the time drink plenty of water, 8 glasses a day, drink until your wee is clear and your going to the toilet every 30 mins etc etc.

Whilst I have no dispute that keeping yourself hydrated is a good thing, I cant find any science behind this 8 glasses a day number or that drinking large quantities of water will help fat loss etc.

I can find as many articles stating the drinking water thing is a myth as i can that it works to help use fat loss.

Another thing that annoys me is when people say it must be plain water as if my body is going to tell the difference between water straight from the tap and water that I've added a dose of cordial into. What about if I drink the water then 5 minutes later eat an orange - OH NO the water in my stomach is now mixed with orange juice its no longer plain water !!!

angiechimpanzee

I think the fact that thirst can sometimes be confused with hunger explains it. And that after drinking a glass of water, you're less likely to overeat. But I don't believe the water itself has fat-burning qualities. Its just the effect it has can LEAD to fat loss.

FredDoyle

I think the fact that thirst can sometimes be confused with hunger explains it. And that after drinking a glass of water, you're less likely to overeat. But I don't believe the water itself has fat-burning qualities. Its just the effect it has can LEAD to fat loss.

How can one confuse thirst and hunger.
They are the two most primal urges...I mean, you're thirsty, you drink, aaaahhhh...
Not thirsty now....ooo, still hungry though.

TonyStark30

Yup Stops you feeling hungry (well what you used to think was hunger) stops you holding on to water, and also, helps your digestion as not so much is 'travelling through' so to speak!

Sometimes the high sodium days you really need this extra water as you don't have the water from the foods you are eating less off to balance it out.

Mokey41

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/06/08/water-eight-glasses-myth.html

roycruse73

So why does this website promote the 8 glasses thing then if nobody actually thinks its got any science behind it...

wellbert

So why does this website promote the 8 glasses thing then if nobody actually thinks its got any science behind it...

Basically, like, a hundred years ago, someone said "Maybe we should drink 8 glasses a day" and it went from there.

mabelbabel1

I read it all the time drink plenty of water, 8 glasses a day, drink until your wee is clear and your going to the toilet every 30 mins etc etc.

Whilst I have no dispute that keeping yourself hydrated is a good thing, I cant find any science behind this 8 glasses a day number or that drinking large quantities of water will help fat loss etc.

I can find as many articles stating the drinking water thing is a myth as i can that it works to help use fat loss.

Another thing that annoys me is when people say it must be plain water as if my body is going to tell the difference between water straight from the tap and water that I've added a dose of cordial into. What about if I drink the water then 5 minutes later eat an orange - OH NO the water in my stomach is now mixed with orange juice its no longer plain water !!!

There is a programme in the UK called the Food Hospital....they covered this very topic a few weeks ago.

Watch the video it's only 4mins but well worth it!

http://foodhospital.channel4.com/The-Truth-About/pixie-investigates/series-2-episode/wonders-of-water-episode-5/

buudharich

Because it works? I'm down 45 lbs (20.5 kg) since February as a part of a high fiber and lower carb diet and it seems to be working. Mine is pretty well-balanced all the way around and I get my 3L of water.

tyrantduck

Personally, I only drink when I feel thirsty or when I'm really hungry but know I can't eat for X amount of time, just to stave off my hunger.

Lately, the air has been very dry so I'm chugging water like crazy, but yeah, normally I don't drink unless I feel I need to.

Debbe2

You can confuse thirst and hunger because the stomach sensations can be similar. Often you think you feel hungry but it's actually thirst. Try it by drinking a glass of water and see -if the sensation doesn't go away eat. When I drink adequate water I have significantly better days food wise. In other words when I struggle to get the water in I eat more food and it shows in my diary. I for one love lots of water each day.

ahamm002

In my opinion it's good advice mainly because it may stop people from drinking other stuff like soda, diet soda, kook-aid, etc.

ryansgram

I don't drink much water at all and have lost 85 pounds.

TexanThom

It's like everything else, if you don't believe it, don't do it....Your loss. I drink between 10 to 16 CUPS of water everyday. I like it, so I do it.

jealous_loser

I think the fact that thirst can sometimes be confused with hunger explains it. And that after drinking a glass of water, you're less likely to overeat. But I don't believe the water itself has fat-burning qualities. Its just the effect it has can LEAD to fat loss.

How can one confuse thirst and hunger.
They are the two most primal urges...I mean, you're thirsty, you drink, aaaahhhh...
Not thirsty now....ooo, still hungry though.

I confuse thirsty with hungry a lot. I find that sometimes my stomach is grumbling for water, what I would normally have associated with hunger.

kulaid813

I hardly ever drink plain old water unless I'm at the gym working out. I usually add some kind of water enhancer (Mio) when I'm not at the gym. I've lost plenty of weight and drink mostly flavored water, green tea and energy drinks.

HypersonicFitNess

1) If flushes impurities from your body
2) Revs your metabolism
3) Keeps your skin hydrated and flexible

If you only drink when you are thirsty...you are already dehydrated; so that isn't a good time to "start to drink". Approximately 2/3 of your body is made up of water. You sweat and pee, therefore ridding your body of it's water...you will need to replace what is lost. So if you are working out hard or it's a really hot day...you will need to drink more....

FACT: most people do not drink near enough water...yes it is possible to drown by drinking TOO much water...but very few people have this issue because they get enough other foods which have enough sugars and salts in them (electrolytes) that this isn't real common.

Here's a few sites to help you with water:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_does_human_body_use_water

http://www.everydayhealth.com/water-health/water-body-health.aspx

http://www.walkinthelight.ca/what_water_does_in_the_body.htm

http://www.essortment.com/water-body-60632.html

MB_Positif

I am pretty sure that MFP is not pushing the 8 glasses a day. There is no message if you log less or more than 8. Do whatever you want. There is nothing wrong with adding something to water to flavor it. Is it still water, yes. Is a soda still water? Technically, but obviously it's not as good for you as plain water. A while back there was a thread asking if condensed soup counted as water. Technically yes, but people just need to get the big picture here. Hydration is important. Water is one of the best forms of hydration no matter how you get it in your body.

hablondi

I think the fact that thirst can sometimes be confused with hunger explains it. And that after drinking a glass of water, you're less likely to overeat. But I don't believe the water itself has fat-burning qualities. Its just the effect it has can LEAD to fat loss.

How can one confuse thirst and hunger.
They are the two most primal urges...I mean, you're thirsty, you drink, aaaahhhh...
Not thirsty now....ooo, still hungry though.

This is something that happens to me all the time. I went so many years with barely drinking anything at all, that I do not recognize thirst. I feel like something is "off", like I am craving something, but whatever I try to eat doesn't take it away. It has only been recently that I have started to realize that I am thirsty.

kimballbromley

1) If flushes impurities from your body
2) Revs your metabolism
3) Keeps your skin hydrated and flexible

If you only drink when you are thirsty...you are already dehydrated; so that isn't a good time to "start to drink". Approximately 2/3 of your body is made up of water. You sweat and pee, therefore ridding your body of it's water...you will need to replace what is lost. So if you are working out hard or it's a really hot day...you will need to drink more....

FACT: most people do not drink near enough water...yes it is possible to drown by drinking TOO much water...but very few people have this issue because they get enough other foods which have enough sugars and salts in them (electrolytes) that this isn't real common.

Here's a few sites to help you with water:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_does_human_body_use_water

http://www.everydayhealth.com/water-health/water-body-health.aspx

http://www.walkinthelight.ca/what_water_does_in_the_body.htm

http://www.essortment.com/water-body-60632.html

Think of it this way.. Your body is in a constant survival mode. When you aren't drinking enough water your body will hold on to the water it has, thus giving you a bloated feeling ("water weight") HOWEVER, if you are drinking plenty of water\ your body will not go in to "survival mode" and you will lose the bloated/ water weight feeling. It also flushes our toxins in your body, makes you feel thinner, and gives your skin elasticity so when you do lose weight you don't have a skin parachute left over.

wswilliams67

Peeing every 30 minutes is not normal LOL (unless your an out of control diabetic)

Use this to calculate how much water YOU personally should drink: http://www.csgnetwork.com/humanh2owater.html

redheaddee

BUMP

lachesissss

The human body is about 70% water, and your body lose it daily (through sweat, evaporation, etc). To avoid the negative health effects of dehydration, you need it in order to stay hydrated. Where this water comes from does not have to be straight up water, as in those 8 glasses you're stuck on. It can be in food, and in solutions like soda, tea, coffee. But, it is believed to be better for you to drink plain water because you're not incorporating extra chemicals into your body that it doesn't need in order to maintain its hydration balance. That being said if drinking plain water isn't your thing, it isn't your thing. But you do need a liquid that has considerable water content to it in order for you body to be able to use it for hydration. In short, do what's best for you. If you don't like water, no one is holding a gun to your head and making you drink it. The MFP calorie totals and macros are guidelines, they don't have to be followed stringently if it doesn't suit you. However, if you like water drink it. If you're goal is weightloss, control your diet and try to avoid drinking your calories through soda, etc.

Miiimii

For example: http://www.watercure.com/

And you body recognizes if it's plain water or unhealthy energy drinks - it's a different water structure. Water also has the ability to "remember": http://drmukhtarahmad.wordpress.com/2008/09/20/can-water-remember/

In ayurveda medcine there's a lot about the healing and healthy effect of water.

Of course this is a belive it or not thing.

T34418l3angel

Water keeps you hydrated, plain and simple. Why you would say there is no science behind why you need to drink water is beyond me. If not anything else, drinking a sufficient amount of water reduces water retention and that will show a difference in the scale. there are many other reasons to drink water but I'll wait for someone like Sidesteal or Acg to jump in the convo and explain it like a pro

nanainkent

Drinking plenty of water becomes addictive, you will start to crave it and choose it over other drinks.

bcattoes

I think the fact that thirst can sometimes be confused with hunger explains it. And that after drinking a glass of water, you're less likely to overeat. But I don't believe the water itself has fat-burning qualities. Its just the effect it has can LEAD to fat loss.

How can one confuse thirst and hunger.
They are the two most primal urges...I mean, you're thirsty, you drink, aaaahhhh...
Not thirsty now....ooo, still hungry though.

It's not uncommon to mistake thirst for hunger. Our bodies do, after all, get moisture from food as well as liquids. If you are not drinking enough, your body may trigger hunger in it's quest for hydration.

FredDoyle

You can confuse thirst and hunger because the stomach sensations can be similar. Often you think you feel hungry but it's actually thirst. Try it by drinking a glass of water and see -if the sensation doesn't go away eat. When I drink adequate water I have significantly better days food wise. In other words when I struggle to get the water in I eat more food and it shows in my diary. I for one love lots of water each day.

The sensations are nothing like each other for me. I can't understand how anyone who was confusing hunger for thirst as an ancestor would survive to breed. They're really thirsty but decide to go hunting instead of heading to the spring?
I guess if one can't tell the difference, one should drink a glass of water first.

bcattoes

So why does this website promote the 8 glasses thing then if nobody actually thinks its got any science behind it...

Because it's a good general recommendation based on the average amount of moisture an average adult needs to stay hydrated. Like ALL general recommendations it's not going to be exact for everyone. A person that is small or eats a lot of foods high in moisture may need less. A large person or one that eats less foods high in moisture may need more.

4thoseiluv

In my opinion it's good advice mainly because it may stop people from drinking other stuff like soda, diet soda, kook-aid, etc.

Ditto

Deipneus

I read it all the time drink plenty of water, 8 glasses a day, drink until your wee is clear and your going to the toilet every 30 mins etc etc.

Whilst I have no dispute that keeping yourself hydrated is a good thing, I cant find any science behind this 8 glasses a day number or that drinking large quantities of water will help fat loss etc.

I can find as many articles stating the drinking water thing is a myth as i can that it works to help use fat loss.

Another thing that annoys me is when people say it must be plain water as if my body is going to tell the difference between water straight from the tap and water that I've added a dose of cordial into. What about if I drink the water then 5 minutes later eat an orange - OH NO the water in my stomach is now mixed with orange juice its no longer plain water !!!

I can't say that it's a myth, but neither can I come up with a scientific validation for that claim. I find that MFP advice is almost all anecdotal and rarely do claims come with source links from sources that I consider authoritative. My preferred sources: Mayoclinic.org, clevelandclinic.org, webmd.com, those that come from government agencies ending in .gov or universities with sites ending in .edu. That doesn't make them infallible, but they do almost always cite the scientific study that backs up their claims. If you want, you can then even go read the study for yourself if so inclined.

---

Clin Dermatol. 2010 Jul-Aug;28(4):380-3.
Nutrition and water: drinking eight glasses of water a day ensures proper skin hydration-myth or reality?
Wolf R, Wolf D, Rudikoff D, Parish LC.
Source
Dermatology Unit, Kaplan Medical Center (affiliated to the Hebrew University - Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem), 76100 Rechovot, Israel. wolf_r@netvision.net.il
Abstract
How-to books, beauty journals, the Internet, and the media usually recommend drinking six to eight glasses of water each day for keeping the skin hydrated, helping it look healthier, and making it less prone to wrinkles. We have found no scientific proof for this recommendation; nor is there proof, we must admit, that drinking less water does absolutely no harm. The only certainty about this issue is that, at the end of the day, we still await scientific evidence to validate what we know instinctively to be true--namely, that it is all a myth.
Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PMID: 20620753 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

---

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20620753

This is just one source of opinion, from National Institute of Health and not represented to be the definitive position. I drink as much water as I can, but I don't track it.