#Water Intake

Adult
Kids

How much should you drink every day?

Gender

Male Female

Number of Drinks?

Cups per Day

Water Intake Needs

Recommended Water Intake

You might need to modify your total fluid intake based on several factors

Exercise

If you do any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to cover the fluid loss. It's important to drink water before, during and after a workout. If exercise is intense and lasts more than an hour, a sports drink can replace minerals in your blood (electrolytes) lost through sweat.

Environment

Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional fluid intake. Dehydration also can occur at high altitudes.

Overall health

Your body loses fluids when you have a fever, vomiting or diarrhea. Drink more water or follow a doctor's recommendation to drink oral rehydration solutions. Other conditions that might require increased fluid intake include bladder infections and urinary tract stones.

Pregnancy or breast-feeding

Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. The Office on Women's Health recommends that pregnant women drink about 10 cups (2.4 liters) of fluids daily and women who breast-feed consume about 13 cups (3.1 liters) of fluids a day.

Cartilage, found in joints and the disks of the spine, contains around 80 percent water. Long-term dehydration can reduce the joints’ shock-absorbing ability, leading to joint pain.

Saliva helps us digest our food and keeps the mouth, nose, and eyes moist. This prevents friction and damage. Drinking water also keeps the mouth clean. Consumed instead of sweetened beverages, it can also reduce tooth decay.

Blood is more than 90 percent water, and blood carries oxygen to different parts of the body.

With dehydration, the skin can become more vulnerable to skin disorders and premature wrinkling.

Dehydration can affect brain structure and function. It is also involved in the production of hormones and neurotransmitters. Prolonged dehydration can lead to problems with thinking and reasoning.

Water that is stored in the middle layers of the skin comes to the skin’s surface as sweat when the body heats up. As it evaporates, it cools the body. In sport.

Some scientists have suggested that when there is too little water in the body, heat storage increases and the individual is less able to tolerate heat strain.

Having a lot of water in the body may reduce physical strain if heat stress occurs during exercise. However, more research is needed into these effects.

The bowel needs water to work properly. Dehydration can lead to digestive problems, constipation, and an overly acidic stomach. This increases the risk of heartburn and stomach ulcers.

Water is needed in the processes of sweating and removal of urine and feces.

A lack of water can cause blood to become thicker, increasing blood pressure.

When dehydrated, airways are restricted by the body in an effort to minimize water loss. This can make asthma and allergies worse.

These dissolve in water, which makes it possible for them to reach different parts of the body.

The kidneys regulate fluid in the body. Insufficient water can lead to kidney stones and other problems.

Some scientists have proposed that consuming more water might enhance performance during strenuous activity.

More research is needed to confirm this, but one review found that dehydration reduces performance in activities lasting longer than 30 minutes.

Water may also help with weight loss, if it is consumed instead of sweetened juices and sodas. “Preloading” with water before meals can help prevent overeating by creating a sense of fullness.

When partying, unsweetened soda water with ice and lemon alternated with alcoholic drinks can help prevent overconsumption of alcohol.

References: Visit Fifteen benefits of drinking water in MedicalNewsToday.com!