Is drinking a gallon of water a day healthy?

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elizabethdzenitis
elizabethdzenitis Posts: 63 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, if you didn’t already know there’s this huge drink a gallon of water a day stuff going around. My friend did it one day and I’m just like there is no way that can be healthy... or is it?
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  • Nikion901
    Nikion901 Posts: 2,467 Member
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    Maybe, maybe not ... depends on where your sodium level is.
  • ptrcmcc6
    ptrcmcc6 Posts: 103 Member
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    I'm no expert but I wouldn't think it to be healthy. I have a friend who drinks a ton of water and she's been hospitalized a few times because her sodium levels drop too low. Now, she's also on water pills so I don't know if that has anything to do with it but, I would think, unless you're drinking something which contains electrolytes, along with all that water, you would just be flushing your system of all it's essential minerals. That's just my opinion though. I could be wrong....... :neutral:
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,181 Member
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    I typically drink about a gallon most days--a liter or so at the gym, another liter or so through the day at the office and a couple at night. I couldn't chug it all at once, but it doesn't seem like a particularly excessive amount for me. I rarely even wake up in the night to use the restroom.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,986 Member
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    Probably not necessary for most people. Probably won't hurt most people, if spread out throughout the day.

    Never drink large amounts of water because someone else (who is not a medical professional or poison hot line call-taker) is urging you to, daring you to, betting you to ...

    Drink if you're thirsty. Drink if it's been a couple of hours since you needed to urinate. Drink if your urine is bright yellow or dark yellow (although some vitamin supplements can cause this, which means, congratulations, you've just spent money on vitamins to make expensive pee). See a doctor if it's regularly dark yellow or brown.
  • ptrcmcc6
    ptrcmcc6 Posts: 103 Member
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    COGypsy wrote: »
    I typically drink about a gallon most days--a liter or so at the gym, another liter or so through the day at the office and a couple at night. I couldn't chug it all at once, but it doesn't seem like a particularly excessive amount for me. I rarely even wake up in the night to use the restroom.

    Wow!! You're lucky.......lol. If I drank anything even close to that I'd be in/out the bathroom all day.......lol.
  • ptrcmcc6
    ptrcmcc6 Posts: 103 Member
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    Noel_57 wrote: »
    elizabethdzenitis wrote: »
    So, if you didn’t already know there’s this huge drink a gallon of water a day stuff going around. My friend did it one day and I’m just like there is no way that can be healthy... or is it?
    I drink 2 gallons. I haven't lost any weight, but I just got a job in Kansas irrigating a cornfield. :|

    LOL
  • BrookeLynn18
    BrookeLynn18 Posts: 22 Member
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    It depends. It is a good way to dilute your electrolytes if it's something you aren't used to. Personally, I drink 1-2 gallons of water a day. I drink a lot.. I feel better the more water I drink. If it were me, I would build up to drinking that much to give your kidneys the opportunity to get used to it. Your body works better if you are well hydrated, but it is possible to over hydrate. After a really salty meal, water helps to flush out the excessive sodium and get rid of water retention.
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
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    Depends on your activity and sodium intake. If you eat a lot of ramen/processed food you'll probably be doing yourself some good drinking that much. If you eat a raw/vegan/plant based/whole foods diet with little added salt you could do some damage.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    edited November 2017
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    As others have said depends on their sodium intake. Sodium/water is a balance. Generally with the American diet people tend towards too much sodium and not enough water to balance it out. That is probably why for *health* lots of websites recommend low sodium and more water, because they are making the assumption your sodium intake is too high.

    If your sodium intake is not too high then drinking a gallon of water a day is if anything doing you more harm than good. You'll end up with a very low sodium level which is not particularly good and in extreme cases can be dangerous. Best case scenario drinking that much water is overkill and a waste of time and effort unless you subside on canned beans and chips or other high sodium foods.
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
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    In the summer, I can drink up to 6 liters a day. I sweat a lot...a LOT. Never had any problems with my bloodwork. A gallon a day is my norm.
  • RalphRoberts
    RalphRoberts Posts: 2 Member
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    If you drink the 8 glasses of water that mfp states you should, you would then be consuming at least a gallon of water a day...or is 64oz a half-gallon?
  • RalphRoberts
    RalphRoberts Posts: 2 Member
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    My bad...128oz equals a gallon. They only advise us to drink a half-gallon a day.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    If you mean drink a gallon of water in addition to all the other fluids you drink to stay hydrated, then it is neither healthy nor unhealthy. But you will be making trips to the bathroom more often. If you are counting all fluids in your "gallon a day" then a gallon is about right, but it is better to drink to thirst than to set some arbitrary amount you are going to drink.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,679 Member
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    I drink at least that much. I've been doing it for decades so it's not a big deal. I keep a bottle of water next to me and sip fairly frequently and after exercise I always drink a lot since I sweat a lot. Coffee and other beverages add another half gallon or more.
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
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    elizabethdzenitis wrote: »
    So, if you didn’t already know there’s this huge drink a gallon of water a day stuff going around. My friend did it one day and I’m just like there is no way that can be healthy... or is it?

    There's lots of "water" theories around. Some say drink half your lbs weight in ounces of water. So a person weighing 180lbs should drink 90 ounces. A gallon is 128 ounces, so that would be good for someone weighing 256lbs.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    elizabethdzenitis wrote: »
    I’m just like there is no way that can be healthy... or is it?

    if you did it all at once it might be dangerous. if you did it all at once before a long freeway drive, definitely dangerous unless you've got someone else driving the car. still not very good for the car, or at least its upholstery.

    i drink a gallon, some days. different people are different and to me personal trial and error makes a lot more sense than just doing something the internet tells you to do. 4l is my personal feel-good threshold but it's not something i even achieve half the time. it's by no means necessary.
  • ptrcmcc6
    ptrcmcc6 Posts: 103 Member
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    RalphRoberts wrote: »
    If you drink the 8 glasses of water that mfp states you should, you would then be consuming at least a gallon of water a day...or is 64oz a half-gallon?

    64 oz. is a 1/2 gallon........128 oz. is a gallon.

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