How much water do you really need to drink in a day?

We have long been told that an adult should drink 8 glasses of water a day. Unfortunately, this may cause dehydration in most individuals as it does not take in to account sex, weight and external factors that affect hydration levels.

When we are dehydrated many of our daily functions will be affect, such as mood and energy. Other symptoms of mild dehydration included: thirst, headaches, muscle cramps, dryness, dark urine.

There are many factors that influence our hydration levels: age (the older we get the less we retain water), the amount we sweat (temperature, exercise), coffee and alcohol consumption, types of food you eat (salty foods and soda increase dehydration), and some medication (antihistamines and blood pressure meds cause dehydration).

So how do we know how much water we should be drinking? A good rule is that you should never feel thirsty, if you feel thirsty you are already mildly dehydrated. Therefore you should drink water throughout the day and not just a couple of large amounts to get to that “8 glasses a day” goal.

The best way to know if you are hydrated enough is to make sure your urine is clear to pale yellow.

This recommendation is not for everyone, please consult your Health Care Provider (Naturopathic Doctor) and with them you can determine what is right for you.