Needing 8 glasses of water a day a "myth"
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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 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??
I don't think it is a bit hypocritical to say what I said. Coffee isn't an artificial beverage. People have been drinking coffee for a very long time. Yes, caffeine can be addicting, and that can be an issue. But, I was under the impression that we were debating fluid intake, not caffeine addiction.
Moderate coffee consumption has not been shown to have any harmful effects at all... but I think this debate should be saved for another thread.
Diet soda, artifically flavored water, these are the things that probably call for additional fluids in order to flush away the toxins. Trying to squeeze in 8 glasses of water by way of artificially flavored beverages is not healthy/0 -
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.
Just caught the edit to your post. I don't disagree on your advocacy of drinking water. Anything that is overdone can be harmful. Water, included.0 -
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.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??
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.
Like I said...I'e never "seen" the good side effects...because to me...I don't believe they can be completely proven. However, I have seen the side effects of: jitters & uncontrollable shaking (even more so when coffee hasn't been consumed), headaches/migranes, fatigue. The doctors at the Mayo Clinic told my grandfather that he needed to cut back on his coffee intake because the caffeine was giving him increased blood pressure. Coffee is for sure, a physical dependant. Those that drink coffee regularly are dependent upon it. Its not a necessity, unlike water. It is a physical dependence.
But, in all honesty...its your health and you are doing what you feel right for your body. I don't think you'll do yourself much harm if you continue to drink your coffee. But, I do think that water, and pure water will health improve your help and hydration.
Edited in order to correct my spelling errors...it feels like a Monday!0 -
Like I said, everything in moderation. Excessive coffee may be bad, but excessive water can be bad, too.0
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well all bodily functions need water but 8 glasses is just recommended. Your body does need water but it's 8 give or take.0
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Like I said, everything in moderation. Excessive coffee may be bad, but excessive water can be bad, too.
I'm not sure I've heard anything bad about drinking excessive water other than water intoxication. Since it isn't really water specific, is there something else you are referring to?0 -
I'm not sure I've heard anything bad about drinking excessive water other than water intoxication. Since it isn't really water specific, is there something else you are referring to?
Water intoxication is what I was referring to . Sorry, I didn't include the quote that my prior post was directed at, otherwise it might have made more sense.0 -
...there is another myth out there that caffeine is a diuetic...
It's not a myth. It is a diuretic, just not a *omg I have to pee*. Caffeine has been studied extensively since it's such a widespread and effective stimulant.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/nutrition/04real.html?_r=2
http://www.minddisorders.com/Br-Del/Caffeine-related-disorders.html
As far as 64 oz. of water. meh I drink what I'm comfortable with so I don't even bother measuring. I'm almost water exclusively.
There's plenty of people that don't drink enough and some that drink too much. Electrolytes, anyone?0 -
...there is another myth out there that caffeine is a diuetic...
It's not a myth. It is a diuretic, just not a *omg I have to pee*. Caffeine has been studied extensively since it's such a widespread and effective stimulant.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/nutrition/04real.html?_r=2
http://www.minddisorders.com/Br-Del/Caffeine-related-disorders.html
As far as 64 oz. of water. meh I drink what I'm comfortable with so I don't even bother measuring. I'm almost water exclusively.
There's plenty of people that don't drink enough and some that drink too much. Electrolytes, anyone?
Have you seen Idiocracy? That's what this reminded me of. "It has Electrolytes!"0 -
It's not a myth. It is a diuretic, just not a *omg I have to pee*. Caffeine has been studied extensively since it's such a widespread and effective stimulant.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/health/nutrition/04real.html?_r=2
http://www.minddisorders.com/Br-Del/Caffeine-related-disorders.html
As far as 64 oz. of water. meh I drink what I'm comfortable with so I don't even bother measuring. I'm almost water exclusively.
There's plenty of people that don't drink enough and some that drink too much. Electrolytes, anyone?
I really didn't plan on hijacking this thread with the caffeine debate, but I could point out even more references regarding the caffeine/diuretic myth.
Coffee has about the same diuretic effect that water does. You drink it, and it comes out.
i. Ballet S, et al (1969) Effect of coffee ingestion on catecholamine release. Met 18; 288-291
ii. Dorfman LJ, Jarvik ME (1970) Comparative stimulant and diuretic actions of caffeine and theobromine in man. Clin Pharmacol Ther 11; 869-872
iii. Massey L, Wise K (1984) The effect of dietary caffeine on urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium in healthy young females. Nutr Res 4; 43-50
iv. Neuhäuser-Berthold M, et al (1997) Coffee consumption and total body water homeostasis as measured by fluid balance and bioelectrical impedance analysis. Ann Nutr Met 41; 29-36
v. Passmore AP, et al (1987) Renal and cardiovascular effects of caffeine: a dose-response study. Clin Sci (London) 72; 749-756
vi. Robertson D, et al (1978) Effects of caffeine on plasma rennin activity, catecholamines and blood pressure. NEJM 298; 181-186
vii. Wemple R, et al (1997) Caffeine vs caffeine-free sports drink: effects on urine production at rest and during prolonged exercise. Int J Sports Med 18; 40-46
viii. Colton T, et al (1968) The tolerance of coffee drinkers to caffeine. Clin Pharmacol Ther 9; 31-39
ix. Denaro C, et al (1991) Effects of caffeine with repeated dosing. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 40; 273-278
x. Goldstein A, et al (1969) Psychotropic effects of caffeine in man. IV. Quantitative and qualitative differences associated with habituation to coffee. Clin Pharmacol Ther 10; 489-497
xi. Myers M, Reeves R (1991) The effect of caffeine on daytime ambulatory blood pressure. Am J Hypertens 4; 427-431
xii. Robertson D, et al (1981) Tolerance to the humoral and hemodynamic effects of caffeine in man. J Clin Invest 67; 1111-1117
xiii. Grandjean AC, et al (2000) The effect of caffeinated, non caffeinated, caloric and non-caloric beverages on hydration. JACN 19; 591-600
xiv. Armstrong LE (2002) Caffeine, body fluid-electrolyte balance, and exercise performance. Int J Sport Nutr and Exer Met 12; 189-2060 -
It sounds like you just don't want to drink the water and would rather make excuses that it doesn't matter. I also can't believe you are really basing everything off of this one article you read. Really? Do you have any idea how much BS is all over the internet? Come on now.0
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It sounds like you just don't want to drink the water and would rather make excuses that it doesn't matter. I also can't believe you are really basing everything off of this one article you read. Really? Do you have any idea how much BS is all over the internet? Come on now.
Honey, have you read this thread? Or just the last few posts?
I have no issue with drinking water. I just finished up a 1 liter bottle of pure water, and plan on drinking more.
My original post was about the fact that drinking 4 glasses of water is better than drinking 8 glasses of artificially flavored beverages. I also pointed out that we get hydration from other sources, including the foods that we eat, and we can also get hydration from coffee and tea.
I have no intention on debating coffee any further. That is not the issue of this thread.0 -
That's exactly what I posted with the NY Times link.Coffee has about the same diuretic effect that water does.0 -
It sounds like you just don't want to drink the water and would rather make excuses that it doesn't matter. I also can't believe you are really basing everything off of this one article you read. Really? Do you have any idea how much BS is all over the internet? Come on now.
There's plenty of material available that lines up with the article in the original post.
No-one's really claiming you SHOULDN'T drink 8 glasses of water a day. What's being said is basically that it's not necessary for a healthy diet and weight loss. No one even seems to know where the 8 glasses figure originates from.
An average person outputs about 2.5 litres of water a day, and inputs about 2.5 litres a day through food, metabolism and other drinks in an average diet. Forcing yourself to drink water on top of that is just not necessary.
If it helps with avoiding hunger or has some effect on your skin, good for you.0 -
It sounds like you just don't want to drink the water and would rather make excuses that it doesn't matter. I also can't believe you are really basing everything off of this one article you read. Really? Do you have any idea how much BS is all over the internet? Come on now.
Honey, have you read this thread? Or just the last few posts?
I have no issue with drinking water. I just finished up a 1 liter bottle of pure water, and plan on drinking more.
My original post was about the fact that drinking 4 glasses of water is better than drinking 8 glasses of artificially flavored beverages. I also pointed out that we get hydration from other sources, including the foods that we eat, and we can also get hydration from coffee and tea.
I have no intention on debating coffee any further. That is not the issue of this thread.
My post was not in reply to your's or anything having to do with coffee. I was following the original point of this thread.0 -
Before we ground beans and poured hot water over it
Before we crushed the leaves of a tea plant, boiled water and steep it
Before we added chemicals to water to make it bubble
Before we added artificial syrup and sugar to that bubbly water
there was
WATER!
We are supposed to drink it and plenty of it. We have gotten so used to NOT drinking water that our bodies have adapted.
I did an experiement. I drank no water for 1 week and then took a test of number memory. Just reading a number, closing the page on the computer, and then transfering that number onto another page. I had to check back 2-3 times to get the number down.
I drank 4 16 oz bottles of water a day for 2 weeks. I just used this as a ref for the purpose of the experiment.
After 2 weeks I could open the page, read the number 298.22 for example, close the page, open a new one and imput the number. My short term memory had increased by at least 50%.
Dehydration is a real. Our bodies adapt, but good clear water is the best beverage for our bodies. I am convinced. :drinker:0 -
That's exactly what I posted with the NY Times link.Coffee has about the same diuretic effect that water does.
So, maybe I am not understanding this post, are you saying that water is a diuretic?0 -
Yes water is a diuretic.0
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I see what the original poster is trying to say. While water is good for us and we should drink plenty the idea that 8 cups a day is a magic number may not be true for everyone, I don't drink 64 0z. everyday and it has nothing to do with me making excuses because I don't want to drink it, I am just not going to make myself sick forcing down 64oz. ounces of water just because that is the general number. Myth or no myth I don't know but I know that I drink anywhere from 6-10 cups depending on what I am doing that day and I am very healthy. So I agree 64oz is a gerneral number and might not be what everyone needs to drink to be healthy.
We need to also remember that the article might have just been something they found and wanted to share so I don't feel we judge them personally.0 -
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
I totally agree with you in that the specific amount is variable, but the numbers give a good guide to what is needed on a general basis. On cold less active days I may only need 6-7 glasses of water. Some days, even cold ones when I've been very active I may feel thirsty still after 10 glasses. I don't think you should try to force water down when you feel like you're drowning in it, but the recommendation given is sensible and a very good guide.0 -
Before we ground beans and poured hot water over it
Before we crushed the leaves of a tea plant, boiled water and steep it
Before we added chemicals to water to make it bubble
Before we added artificial syrup and sugar to that bubbly water
there was
WATER!
Interesting experiment!:drinker: :happy:
We are supposed to drink it and plenty of it. We have gotten so used to NOT drinking water that our bodies have adapted.
I did an experiement. I drank no water for 1 week and then took a test of number memory. Just reading a number, closing the page on the computer, and then transfering that number onto another page. I had to check back 2-3 times to get the number down.
I drank 4 16 oz bottles of water a day for 2 weeks. I just used this as a ref for the purpose of the experiment.
After 2 weeks I could open the page, read the number 298.22 for example, close the page, open a new one and imput the number. My short term memory had increased by at least 50%.
Dehydration is a real. Our bodies adapt, but good clear water is the best beverage for our bodies. I am convinced. :drinker:
Interesting experiment! Water is definitely my beverage of choice!0 -
Wow! Originally I wasn't going to post on this thread but now I feel the need to. I don't mean to offend anyone and don't believe that I know everything. This is just what I know and feel strongly about since I teach it and it affects all parts of my work. I do drink coffee in the morning but limit myself to one cup in the morning, after that it's only water.
Plain and simple drink water. How much? An average of 64 oz a day and that can vary per person. I agree with the following statements:
- we put out 2.5 liters of water a day
- we can input 2.5 liters through water and food
- 8 glasses is a guideline - more water per day if you exercise
- Water doesn't have enough electrolytes on it's own and can be supplemented with gatorade etc. (By hydrating and cleaning out your system you clear out electrolytes which need to then be replaced)
- There is a point of excessive water (related to electrolytes, No more than 2 liters per hour max but ideally 1 liter per hour)
I disagree with the following statements:
- Coffee is a good way to add your water intake- Coffee IS a diuretic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diuretics/HI00030)
- drinking pure water is better than drinking it with artificial sweeteners- if you use gatorade or other sources of electrolytes it's not so bad but if you use crystal light or other types then you are better off with pure water
On the note of coffee- which I'm aware this thread is not about thought I would add anyway
It is a diuretic as well as vasoconstrictor, which means it will make your veins and blood vessels smaller which can increase your blood pressure.
Water is a vasodilator which is why they ask you to drink water before donating/getting blood drawn. It will build up your blood pressure but in a good way and cleans the blood of toxins.
I'm not a doctor but I am an EMT and work in the outdoors. I teach kids how to keep their bodies running well while on backpacking/biking/canoeing trips. ANY place I have worked agrees that 2 liters of water a day is a MINIMUM and that caffeine is a diuretic and can get you in big trouble with dehydration because of it. Just think if you drink only coffee your pee is yellow...if you drink only water your pee is clear...water in water out should be clear!0 -
Well, I will put my 2 cents in on this subject..............
Water is very important and from someone that has a family history of kidney disease and personally I have had kidney stones, drinking water with nothing added except maybe an orange or lemon slice is very, very important............
My doctors and research I have done says that a person should drink half of their body weight in water, the body is made up of 70% water, so replenishing what we lose everyday is important. So if someone weighs 120 pounds, then 60 oz is sufficient for that person. If someone weighs 300 pounds 150 oz is the recommended amount to consume daily............
Little known fact: High Blood Pressure is not caused from too much sodium intake. It is caused from the body being in a constant state of DEHYDRATION!!!0 -
Wow! Originally I wasn't going to post on this thread but now I feel the need to. I don't mean to offend anyone and don't believe that I know everything. This is just what I know and feel strongly about since I teach it and it affects all parts of my work. I do drink coffee in the morning but limit myself to one cup in the morning, after that it's only water.
Plain and simple drink water. How much? An average of 64 oz a day and that can vary per person. I agree with the following statements:
- we put out 2.5 liters of water a day
- we can input 2.5 liters through water and food
- 8 glasses is a guideline - more water per day if you exercise
- Water doesn't have enough electrolytes on it's own and can be supplemented with gatorade etc. (By hydrating and cleaning out your system you clear out electrolytes which need to then be replaced)
- There is a point of excessive water (related to electrolytes, No more than 2 liters per hour max but ideally 1 liter per hour)
I disagree with the following statements:
- Coffee is a good way to add your water intake- Coffee IS a diuretic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diuretics/HI00030)
- drinking pure water is better than drinking it with artificial sweeteners- if you use gatorade or other sources of electrolytes it's not so bad but if you use crystal light or other types then you are better off with pure water
On the note of coffee- which I'm aware this thread is not about thought I would add anyway
It is a diuretic as well as vasoconstrictor, which means it will make your veins and blood vessels smaller which can increase your blood pressure.
Water is a vasodilator which is why they ask you to drink water before donating/getting blood drawn. It will build up your blood pressure but in a good way and cleans the blood of toxins.
I'm not a doctor but I am an EMT and work in the outdoors. I teach kids how to keep their bodies running well while on backpacking/biking/canoeing trips. ANY place I have worked agrees that 2 liters of water a day is a MINIMUM and that caffeine is a diuretic and can get you in big trouble with dehydration because of it. Just think if you drink only coffee your pee is yellow...if you drink only water your pee is clear...water in water out should be clear!
Thank you!0 -
Little known fact: High Blood Pressure is not caused from too much sodium intake. It is caused from the body being in a constant state of DEHYDRATION!!!
Umm, I'd like to leave this topic alone already, but I must address this claim, not only because it's not based on any evidence but because it's the opposite from truth.
One of the side effects of dehydration is DECREASED blood pressure.
There are tons of causes for high blood pressure, from high sodium intake to obesity, but dehydration certainly isn't one of them.0 -
Little known fact: High Blood Pressure is not caused from too much sodium intake. It is caused from the body being in a constant state of DEHYDRATION!!!
Umm, I'd like to leave this topic alone already, but I must address this claim, not only because it's not based on any evidence but because it's the opposite from truth.
One of the side effects of dehydration is DECREASED blood pressure.
There are tons of causes for high blood pressure, from high sodium intake to obesity, but dehydration certainly isn't one of them.
You are very wrong. I can back up the scientific evidence on this.
My husband started going to the same Endocrinologist as I go to for his HBP and we also see a naturopathic Doctor. Both gave use literature and books regarding the correlation of dehydration and High Blood Pressure.
And HBP is caused from the body being in a state of constant or chronic dehydration.0 -
You are very wrong. I can back up the scientific evidence on this.
My husband started going to the same Endocrinologist as I go to for his HBP and we also see a naturopathic Doctor. Both gave use literature and books regarding the correlation of dehydration and High Blood Pressure.
And HBP is caused from the body being in a state of constant or chronic dehydration.
Well, pseudoscience is not the same as science. Naturopaths, homeopaths and the like are non-scientific practitioners.
I don't think it's right to spread unscientific claims that go 180 against what conventional medicine believes, especially on issues like HBP where mistreating the condition can have severely harmful results.0 -
Yes, that is what I speaking about in my original post. I'm glad that many of you have seen that.My original post was about the fact that drinking 4 glasses of water is better than drinking 8 glasses of artificially flavored beverages.
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There's plenty of material available that lines up with the article in the original post.
No-one's really claiming you SHOULDN'T drink 8 glasses of water a day. What's being said is basically that it's not necessary for a healthy diet and weight loss. No one even seems to know where the 8 glasses figure originates from.
An average person outputs about 2.5 litres of water a day, and inputs about 2.5 litres a day through food, metabolism and other drinks in an average diet. Forcing yourself to drink water on top of that is just not necessary.
If it helps with avoiding hunger or has some effect on your skin, good for you.
Yep. Drink 8 glasses (or more) if you want, but it is a myth that 8 glasses is "required" for the average person under normal conditions.0 -
Thank you, it was indeed just something to share. Meanwhile, I stand by my posting that it is healthier to drink less than 8 glasses of "pure water " per day than to force down 8 glasses of "chemically sweetened and flavored water".I see what the original poster is trying to say. While water is good for us and we should drink plenty the idea that 8 cups a day is a magic number may not be true for everyone, I don't drink 64 0z. everyday and it has nothing to do with me making excuses because I don't want to drink it, I am just not going to make myself sick forcing down 64oz. ounces of water just because that is the general number. Myth or no myth I don't know but I know that I drink anywhere from 6-10 cups depending on what I am doing that day and I am very healthy. So I agree 64oz is a gerneral number and might not be what everyone needs to drink to be healthy.
We need to also remember that the article might have just been something they found and wanted to share so I don't feel we judge them personally.0
This discussion has been closed.
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