Needing 8 glasses of water a day a "myth"

deedeehawaii

This topic came up in another post, and I am repeating my comments here because I think it will be noticed by more people as a "new topic".

There is NO SCIENCE behind the advice that you need to drink 8 glasses of water a day.
For a starting point on this fact, google the topic, or see the article: "The claim that you need eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day has been debunked. Again."
http://www.livescience.com/health/080403-water-intake.html

The article also addresses if water affects weight loss, there are NO CLINICAL TRIALS that prove such a theory.
"Drinking more water will make people feel full and curb their appetite. Proponents say this may help people maintain their weight and even help fight obesity. But studies remain inconclusive. No carefully designed clinical trials have measured the effects of water intake on weight maintenance."

Many people resort to flavored mixes in order to make drinking so much water palatable. Perhaps less water than 8 glasses would be quite adequate, especially if you are able to drink the lesser amount without needing to resort to artificial sweetners and colors in drink mixes. Aren't 4 glasses of pure water better than 8 glasses of chemically tainted water?

gurlondrums

Not to challenge you or anything, but I read somewhere that if you don't drink enough water, your body thinks you're dehydrated and retains water so when you're trying to lose weight and the scale isn't moving, that might be a factor. I don't know if it's true. Just something I read.

deedeehawaii

Not to challenge you or anything, but I read somewhere that if you don't drink enough water, your body thinks you're dehydrated and retains water so when you're trying to lose weight and the scale isn't moving, that might be a factor. I don't know if it's true. Just something I read.

There are many myths out there, without any science behind the myths. I am here to learn, and welcome MFPs to find a reliable source with scientific evidence of a counter position and post it for us!

SHBoss1673

well, I mean, lets not go overboard here. I mean, while 8 cups a day is a very generic middle ground, the science behind drinking water is anything but a myth.

I mean, what is goal of this post deedee ? Is it to find out how much water you should be drinking?

I can tell you that depending on your weight, activity level, and exercise amounts most adults of average size lose between 50 and 90 oz of water per day through urination, respiration, sweating and various other activities.

stacyoct19

All I can say is that whether or not scientifically they can prove if the consumption of 8 glasses of water is connected to weight loss, it definitely makes me feel a lot better. I can easily drink 8 glasses of other drinks in a day. Why not hit the water first before I put empty calories into my body? Eight glasses of water with crystal lite and other flavored water additives is still better than drinking soda.

1. I feel better
2. I snack less
3. My skin is much healthier
4. I don't retain as much fluid

Scientists still can't prove how the bumble bee can fly. But it flies.

I've seen the benefits in drinking more water. That's all I gotta say.

deedeehawaii

well, I mean, lets not go overboard here. I mean, while 8 cups a day is a very generic middle ground, the science behind drinking water is anything but a myth.

I mean, what is goal of this post deedee ? Is it to find out how much water you should be drinking?

I can tell you that depending on your weight, activity level, and exercise amounts most adults of average size lose between 50 and 90 oz of water per day through urination, respiration, sweating and various other activities.

The purpose of the post is to point out that it is myth that the average body needs 8 - 8 ounces glasses of water per day. My statement is from by an article which bases their viewpoint on science. The topic came to mind to me in another posting where there was conversation that evolved to include about whether adding artificial flavoring and sweeteners to water was healthy or not. I suggested that perhaps having less "pure" water would be more beneficial than forcing down chemicals just so you can get in 8 glasses a day, especially when for the average person needing 8 glasses is not based on scientific evidence.

To me, I look forward to finding interesting information on this site, or at least other things to think about besides the routine " I ate xxxx today". Knowledge is power. That is one reason that your postings are so helpful, they often include great tips and insight.

catherine1979

While drinking 2 liters of water a day isn't going to hurt you, I think the best tell as to whether or not you're drinking enough water is the colour of your urine. If it's light yellow, great. If it's dark yellow, drink more. There is no science out there that says that an average adult living in a temperate climate and having an average amount of physical exertion needs to drink that much water. Of course your requirements vary based on your weight, gender, and activity level.

Is drinking 2 liters a day bad for you? No. There was an article in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in 1999 (Kleiner et. al) that said that drinking lots of water can reduce the likelihood of having urinary stone disease, cancers of the colon and urinary tract, and childhood and adolescent obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine published an article in 1999 (Michaud et. al) stating that the volume of water intake is inversely associated with the risk of bladder cancer in men, as more frequent urination reduces the amount of time that potential carcinogens are in contact with the urinary tract. A study in 2004 in the British Medical Journal (James et. al) demonstrated that a modest reduction in the consumption of carbonated beverages in children, who instead could opt to drink water, did show a reduction in obesity. There are dozens and dozens of articles out there demonstrating over and over again that children who drink sweetened beverages and soda are more likely than their peers who drink water to be overweight or obese. Interestingly, the link between water consumption and obesity in adults doesn't seem to be as strong.

In any case, even mild dehydration can cause physiological and mental impairment, so keeping hydrated is key to overall good health. I love water, so I'm going to keep drinking my 2 liters a day.

Creanda

I have to disagree! to a certain point - there is nothing that says that everybody needs 8 glasses of water a day, but what is proven, is that an adequate fluid balance in your body is absolutely essential for a heathly loss of weight.

If you don't get enough pure water, your body will not be able to rid itself of various toxins that is bloking your system, and your body will need a lot of energy to fight these toxins. This energy should instead be used to fight the extra pounds, and to stay healthy. You must drink enough water to keep your body hydrated at all times. Some people my need only four glasses, others eight, and some may need ten glasses a day.

But don't think that cola, tea, coffee, juice or other fluids will do the trick ! It has to be pure mineral water.

xXmimiXx

I don´t think it can be a myth considering it´s the basis of every healthy lifestyle, diet and well being guide on the planet! Regardless of diet books etc it´s common sense if so much of our body is made up of water we gots to replace it...I´m not gonna stop anytime soon! I drink more than 8 glasses a day too!

¡Viva agua!

deedeehawaii

The article did not say that 8 glasses was bad for you. It just said that it is a myth that the average person needs that much. If you want more, go for it. But if you want less that 8 glasses, don't feel the need to force it down (especially if you have to disguise the bland taste with chemicals). Of course, as others have pointed out, if you are in the hot sun or doing a lot of physical work, more water is needed than usual. I appreciate everyone's comments, I personally LIKE the topics that incite polite but lively discussion.:bigsmile:

jlvgriffin

Thank you Catherine for all your scientific information. As a Health care worker with the older population, one of the biggest problems we see and one of the main reason we send people to the hospital is dehydration. The medical problems that come along with dehydration (mental status changes, UTI's, Kidney stones, increased risk for cancer and so forth) make it apparent that although we may not NEED 8 glasses of water a day, it helps up maintain the homeostasis of our body. Sad to say, but when we do not have guidelines to give people (IE drink 8 glasses of water) they will think that 3 is enough! And unless they are drinking a lot of other decaffeinated beverages or lots of fruits a vegetables...They are not getting enough fluid. I have some patients that drink 1-2 glasses of coffee a day, and nothing else!

The Population on a whole has been found to be in a constant mild state of dehydration...kids included. After just visiting the nephrologist with kidney stones in my 7 (!!!) year old...I was told that a high sodium diet and a constant state of dehydration is one of the causes of the scary increase in kidney stones in KIDS !!

Yes, people do have the right not to drink fluids...but I think that saying that the 8 glass limit is a myth is a dangerous game to play with your health.

megstar8686

I believe that water isn't important so much for weight loss, but for normal bodily function. If your body doesn't have enough water, obviously you become dehydrated, which affects many organs - most importantly, the brain. If you suffer even mild dehydration, the body becomes more lethargic, and brain function slows, affecting alertness and concentration... among MANY other things. If you find you don't concentrate well at work, or are always tired, it could very well be that you're not drinking enough water. I always encourage my students to bring their drink bottles to class with them to stay better hydrated.

Really though, it's your body... drink as much or as little as you feel you need to!

carrieberrie

Drinking water sure beats the alternative!!!!!!

FitbitConnor

I think we're getting too fussy about the specific 8 glasses, if every guy and every girl ate 2000 and 1500 calories respectively then there would be many people consuming an innapropriate amount of calories yet this is the figure printed on the nutrition information of moat foods. I think the intention is just to impress the importance of keeping hydrated and they probably just picked an amount that would likely nourish most people without being excessive and flushing out all the important electrolytes

Jennwith2ns

Regardless of science, water is GOOD for you! I feel so much better now that I drink so much of it. After only 3 weeks of drinking lots of water a day (compared to about 8 oz a day before) I have had several people say my skin looks more healthy.

Fieldsy

I love water. I drink about a gallon a day. Myth or not.......it seems to help my diet and could careless what a random article says.

arewethereyet

:drinker: drink water

rachi20024

I love water. I drink about a gallon a day. Myth or not.......it seems to help my diet and could careless what a random article says.

Water is my liquid gold :drinker: I know this is off topic but WOW a 223 pound loss is inspiring congradulations!

lilchino4af

A friend told me that 8 8-oz glasses a day doesn't necessarily work for everyone and that a better way to figure out how much water your body needs to properly function/maintain healthy operation is to take your body weight, divide by 2 and that's how many oz you should drink per day. For example, I'm 165 lbs (at 5 ft 9 in), so I'd take 165 divide by 2 which would be 82.5 lbs or 82.5 oz of water (apprx 10 8-oz cups). LIkewise, if someone was 115 lbs they'd only need 7 8-oz cups of water. I find that as long as I drink at least 8 glasses I'm feeling really good; if I make it to 10 I feel great! And, I've found that the more I drink water, the less I crave soda, sweet tea, and all the other not-so-good-for-you drinks.

FireMonkey

"Negoianu and Goldfarb say they found no clear evidence of benefit to increasing water intake. On the other hand, no clear evidence exists of a lack of benefit. "There is simply a lack of evidence in general," they conclude."

This doesn't prove anything one way or the other. I have to agree though that dehydration is a much bigger health risk than drinking too much water, except in some specific medical conditions. Kidneys are wonderful organs - if you take in more water than your body needs, they get rid of it very efficiently. If you take in too little, they can deal with that too, but on the long run they'll pay the price. :drinker:

Fieldsy

I love water. I drink about a gallon a day. Myth or not.......it seems to help my diet and could careless what a random article says.

Water is my liquid gold :drinker: I know this is off topic but WOW a 223 pound loss is inspiring congradulations!

thanks......little more to go!

zeala

I think honestly that everyone has a different water requirement, especially if we are all different sizes, do different things etc. I don't drink 8 glasses of water. That would just require me to force it, and end up going to the bathroom more. I drink what my body needs, and as someone else mentioned, I think seeing your urine is a better indicator ( unless you eat beats, they can throw it off ).

dogmeat

Scientists still can't prove how the bumble bee can fly. But it flies.

While this is an often-quoted thing, there has never been any scientific doubts regarding bee flight. The calculations that lead to this myth were done to show that bee flight isn't fixed-wing kind, not that it violates any aerodynamic principles. Basically, a bee isn't a 747.

As for the water intake, drink what you're comfortable with. There's no magic in 8 glasses of water a day. One of the neat early pre-symptoms of dehydration is thirst. If you're not thirsty throughout the day, you're probably not dehydrated.

SnakePlissken

When we were cave dwellers there weren't any choices of what to drink other than water.
But modern man has replaced his water consumption with chemical Horses#$^ and sugar laden liquids.
One of the reasons behind suggesting to people that they drink 8 glasses of water is that they'll replace the sugary and chemical baloney with something much healthier,........ water. I mean a lot of people coming to a site like this have a giant problem pounding soda. When they're thirsty, they pick up a coke or pepsi.

No carbs, No sugar, No salt. That's why water is good for you. It doesn't do the damage of the stuff we've replaced it with.

paddlemom

A friend told me that 8 8-oz glasses a day doesn't necessarily work for everyone and that a better way to figure out how much water your body needs to properly function/maintain healthy operation is to take your body weight, divide by 2 and that's how many oz you should drink per day. For example, I'm 165 lbs (at 5 ft 9 in), so I'd take 165 divide by 2 which would be 82.5 lbs or 82.5 oz of water (apprx 10 8-oz cups). LIkewise, if someone was 115 lbs they'd only need 7 8-oz cups of water. I find that as long as I drink at least 8 glasses I'm feeling really good; if I make it to 10 I feel great! And, I've found that the more I drink water, the less I crave soda, sweet tea, and all the other not-so-good-for-you drinks.

One of the reasons these formulas, or any generalizations should be taken with a grain of salt....given my weight, and this formula, I would be drinking 18!!! cups of water a day. Just drown me now....

On the other hand, thirst is not always a first line indicator of dehydration - again, because many folks aren't in tune with their bodies, or because we have different thresholds of discomfort.

I don't think that anyone is arguing that water is a good thing and probably a clearly preferred alternative to most other beverages (pardon the pun), but I think the point is that you don't need to draw a line in the sand that says choke down 8 glasses of water because you aren't going to lose weight if you don't.

msarro

Drinking ice water burns calories. That should be enough of a reason to do it.
http://health.howstuffworks.com/question447.htm

cranberrycat

I think that drinking 4 glasses of pure water is going to be better than trying to force 8 cups artificial-something down.

We get hydration from foods, too. Veggies contain a lot of water, and that contributes to our fluid intake.

And, don't forget about the benefits of drinking tea or coffee (yes, coffee). Besides providing hydration, both of these beverages provide wonderful antioxidants for our body. Just be careful of what is added to it. So, if you are a coffee or tea drinker, these beverages would count. Many people enjoy a cup of coffee or tea every day, and that should decrease the need for water consumption.

I don't know if this has been debated here before, but there is another myth out there that caffeine is a diuetic, and that if one drinks a caffeinated beverage that he/she should drink an additional glass of water. I googled this, and it turned out that there really is no definite diuretic action at all.

kicklikeaGIRL

I've never read anywhere that says "You need 8 glasses of water a day". But, 8 glasses of water is a BASIC GUIDELINE for people who can't seem to figure out how much water is good for them based on their specific factors: your health, how active you are and where you live. For me personally...as I have been active and healthy I have experimented with my water intake to find out what was best for me. 8 glasses of water is not enough for me, that is about half of what I need to be intaking everyday. And, regardless of what you say...I know that is best for me.

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. In order for your body to properly function, you need to replenish your body's water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water. THAT, my friend, is scientific evidence. Of course no scientist can calculate how much water exactly each person needs because each person is different based on their health, activity level and where they live, etc.

What exactly are you looking for? I mean, I understand you don't think people should be filling their water with other contaminations & artificial sweetners and things...but that has nothing to do with the amount of water you should be putting into your body. Whether they choose to sweeten their drinks is up to them and their health. At least they are getting the liquids they need to adequately replenish their body's water supply.

And...just FYI...I got the following from the Mayo Clinic on Water....

***The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace the lost fluids.

dogmeat

Coffee is especially good for those of us who are obese, as it also lowers your chances of developing type 2 diabetes.

I generally drink 4-6 mugs of coffee a day, usually with milk. That takes care of my hydration and calcium needs (and no, coffee doesn't leech calcium from your body either, another urban legend).

kicklikeaGIRL

I think that drinking 4 glasses of pure water is going to be better than trying to force 8 cups artificial-something down.

We get hydration from foods, too. Veggies contain a lot of water, and that contributes to our fluid intake.

And, don't forget about the benefits of drinking tea or coffee (yes, coffee). Besides providing hydration, both of these beverages provide wonderful antioxidants for our body. Just be careful of what is added to it. So, if you are a coffee or tea drinker, these beverages would count. Many people enjoy a cup of coffee or tea every day, and that should decrease the need for water consumption.

I don't know if this has been debated here before, but there is another myth out there that caffeine is a diuetic, and that if one drinks a caffeinated beverage that he/she should drink an additional glass of water. I googled this, and it turned out that there really is no definite diuretic action at all.

Isn't it a little hypocritical to say that we shouldn't consume 8 cups of "artificial-something", but yet you're saying that drinking coffee will decrease the need for water consumption? I have never seen any good side effects of coffee. Granted there are some bogus (in my opinion) studies that "show" coffee is good for you...but I have never seen the results. From what I've seen when one doesn't get their coffee fixation..they get headaches, get irritable and they can't function without it. (not to mention it increases blood pressure) Does that even sound healthy? Granted I know a lot of people drink coffee, but still, its not good for you. Water is the best way to replenish your body

Anyways, I don't mean to sound grumpy...but I am a big advocate on drinking water. Especially since I've seen so many horrible side effects of drinking coffee as a "water substitute" in my own family. Most people could use a little more water (and pure water, might I add) to their daily diets.

dogmeat

I have NEVER seen any good side effects of coffee. Granted there are some bogus (in my opinion) studies that "show" coffee is good for you...but have you ever seen the results? From what I've seen when one doesn't get their coffee fixation..they get headaches, get irritable and they can't function without it. (not to mention it increases blood pressure, Does that even sound healthy? Granted I know a lot of people drink coffee, but still, its not good for you. Just like soda is not healthy nor good for you. Are you going to start telling us now that soda is better than water??

You don't "see" the good side effects of coffee as they relate to lowered chances to contract diseases like type 2 diabetes and parkinson's disease.

Also; coffee doesn't raise your blood pressure.

It's hardly a "health drink", but it's not bad for you either. If you prefer to drink your coffee over plain water, there's nothing wrong with that.