11 Myths and Facts About Hydration and Drinking Water

If there’s one piece of health advice everyone can agree on, it’s that drinking water is good for you.

“The human body is made up of roughly 60 percent water [per the U.S. Geological Survey] water, and it’s critical for so many of our body’s daily functions,” says Jen Scheinman, RD, a dietitian based in Ossining, New York. Among water’s many roles in the body, it helps regulate body temperature, aids digestion, and protects the brain and spinal cord, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — which is why it’s so important to stay well hydrated. “We naturally lose water through sweat and urine, and even breathing, so we need to drink plenty of fluids to replace what we’ve lost,” Scheinman says.

For such a basic drink, however, water is still surrounded by plenty of intrigue: How much should you drink? Still or sparkling? How do you know when you’re getting enough — or too much?

Many myths about water have been around for years. Find out what’s true and what’s not, based on the latest research, with this roundup of common misconceptions and facts everyone should know about the water they’re drinking.

1. Everyone Needs to Drink 8 Glasses of Water a Day

Myth You may have heard that eight glasses of water is the standard to strive for, but this rule of thumb isn’t one-size-fits-all. Fluid needs vary by your age, sex, activity level, and body size. As a general rule, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends that women get a total of about 2.7 liters (L), or 11 cups, of fluid and men get about 3.7 L (16 cups) per day of any fluid, not just water. This intake accounts for both beverages and foods, since foods provide about 20 percent of our daily fluids, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

“No one can figure out where this ‘eight glasses of water’ came from, but I believe it came from the old RDA [recommended daily allowance] for water that matched water requirements to calorie requirements,” notes Georgia Chavent, RD, director of the Nutrition and Dietetics Program at the University of New Haven in West Haven, Connecticut. “The new requirement from the Institute of Medicine is much more generous and includes recommendations for total beverage consumption, not just water.”

2. Drinking Water Flushes Toxins From Your Body

Fact Though water doesn’t necessarily neutralize toxins, the kidneys do use water to get rid of certain waste products. If you don’t drink enough water, your kidneys don’t have the amount of fluid they need to do their job properly, according to the National Kidney Foundation. “If the body does not have sufficient water, then metabolic wastes will not be removed as efficiently as they should,” explains Amy Hess-Fischl, RD, CDE, of the University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center. “In essence, the body would be holding in toxins instead of expelling them, as is required for proper health.”

3. Bottled Water Is Superior to Tap Water

Myth It’s not uncommon to prefer the taste of bottled water to tap water, but that doesn’t mean it’s actually better for you in terms of health. “Bottled water is not necessarily superior in quality compared with tap water. In the United States, tap water is strictly regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency to protect public drinking water and make sure it is safe to drink, says Scheinman. Water from the faucet may even have some benefits you won’t find in a bottle. “Tap water often contains fluoride, a mineral that helps prevent tooth decay and promote dental health,” Scheinman points out. According to the American Cancer Society, fluoride is now used in the public drinking water supplied to about 3 in 4 Americans.

That said, water contamination from lead, copper, or bacteria is possible in buildings with old pipes or faucets, according to the CDC. If you’re concerned about contamination in tap water, Scheinman recommends using a water filter like Brita or Pur as a lower-cost, lower-waste choice than bottled water.

4. Drinking Water Can Help Keep Your Skin Moist

Myth While it used to be believed that staying properly hydrated led to youthful, vibrant skin, the reality is that the amount of water you drink probably has very little to do with what your skin looks like. “Unless the individual is severely dehydrated, drinking large quantities of water will not prevent dry skin,” Hess-Fischl says. “Basically, the moisture level of skin is not determined by internal factors.” Instead, according to Mayo Clinic, external factors such as skin cleansing, the environment, and skin conditions determine how dry the skin is or will become.

Board-certified dermatologist Michael Jacobs, MD, associate professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and medical technology director at Cortina, agrees. “Drinking a lot of water alone cannot prevent dry skin,” he says. “Dry skin is linked to low oil and lipid levels in the skin’s membrane, and since lipids help prevent water loss, people can still be at risk of dehydrated skin if there are not sufficient lipids to prevent it.”

5. Drinking Water Helps You Lose Weight

Fact Drinking water won’t specifically trigger weight loss, but it can aid in the process. Water replaces other calorie-laden beverages in the diet, causing you to reduce your overall number of calories. Plus, it can make you feel fuller, so you may eat less at each meal. That could be why a study published in October 2018 in Clinical Nutrition Research revealed that people who drank water before a meal consumed fewer calories when it came time to eat.

There is also some evidence that drinking water may play a role in increasing metabolism, something known as “water-induced thermogenesis.” Some research found that drinking extra water throughout the day led to a slight increase in total calorie burn for the day (around 200 calories), but further research is needed.

6. Yellow Urine Is a Sign of Dehydration

Myth It can be, but not all yellow urine is cause for alarm. “Dark yellow urine may be a sign of dehydration,” says Tanya Zuckerbrot, RD, owner of Tanya Zuckerbrot Nutrition in New York City. “The kidneys filter waste products and reabsorb water and other useful substances from the blood, so they control the volume and concentration of urine output. ” Research has found that dehydration leads to increased urine concentration, turning your urine dark yellow. “Ideally your urine should be straw yellow in color,” Zuckerbrot says. Other factors, though, such as taking a multivitamin, can also lead to yellow urine.

According to Scheinman, dark urine could also be a sign of another underlying condition, not just low fluid levels. “If someone notices a sudden change in the color of their urine, or it remains dark even after hydrating, I’d recommend they go to a doctor to get it checked out,” she says. Some kidney and liver disorders can cause dark urine, according to Mayo Clinic.

7. If You’re Thirsty, You Are Already Dehydrated

Myth If you start to feel thirsty, then you are headed in the wrong direction and should grab a drink of water, but thirst doesn’t necessarily mean you’re dehydrated. Hydration is measured by the concentration of chemicals dissolved in the liquid part of the blood. Research has found that an increase of as little as 1 percent in this concentration can trigger thirst. Actual dehydration, on the other hand, is a more serious issue that comes with other symptoms besides hankering for some water. Some signs of serious dehydration include extreme thirst, less frequent urination, fatigue, and dizziness, per Mayo Clinic. Pay attention to whether you’re experiencing dehydration symptoms besides just thirst. If so, it’s definitely time for a drink.

8. You Need Sports Drinks, Not Water, to Function at a High Level in Athletics

Myth (Usually) Sports drinks may have fancier advertising campaigns, but in most situations, water is really all you need to get the fluid necessary to participate in most athletic endeavors. “Adequate fluid, especially water, is most important for athletes of all ages as it is the single most important way the body has to transport nutrients and energy and remove heat during exercise,” says Chavent.

On the other hand, people who compete in highly strenuous activities, like endurance running or long-distance cycling, may need to supplement their water intake with sports drinks to offset the electrolytes they lose due to heavy sweating over long periods of time. A joint position paper from the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine states that sports beverages may be consumed before, during, and after exercise to help maintain blood glucose concentration, provide fuel for muscles, and decrease risk of dehydration and dangerously low sodium. But this doesn’t apply to most people who are simply exercising to get fit at the gym, for instance.

9. It’s Possible to Drink Too Much Water

Fact People with certain health conditions can put themselves at risk of complications if they drink too much water. “People with some heart conditions, high blood pressure, or swelling of the lower legs [edema] need to avoid excess water,” says Hess-Fischl. “If you have a history of kidney problems, especially if you have had a transplant, consult your doctor before increasing your fluid intake.”

As for what too much water looks like, it can vary from person to person. “Everyone’s fluid needs differ based on height, weight, activity level, and environment,” says Scheinman. “While there’s no specific limit, I’d question anyone who is drinking much more than the recommended amount if they are not losing a lot of sweat. If that’s the case it would be a good idea to be checked out by a healthcare provider.” Symptoms of serious overhydration include confusion, nausea, vomiting, and coordination problems, according to Mayo Clinic.

10. You Should Not Reuse Plastic Water Bottles

Fact Plastic water bottles can present several risks to people who drink their contents and then fill them up time and again. “These bottles leach chemicals into your water after multiple uses,” Hess-Fischl explains. When researchers tested tap water that had been stored in reusable plastic bottles, they turned up several hundred different chemical substances, including several that are known to be potentially harmful to human health, according to a study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials in May 2022.

Hess-Fischl also cautious that plastic bottles, if not properly cleaned, may also harbor bacteria from your mouth. But another finding of the same study was that machine washing bottles increased the migration of chemicals into the water. Single-use water bottles aren’t intended for cleaning at high heat, such as in a dishwasher, and the elevated temperatures make these bottles more likely to disperse chemicals into the water they contain. For a bottle you can use over and over, opt for a durable material like stainless steel, which can withstand hot temps and won’t break easily.

11. Sparkling Water Isn’t as Hydrating as Still

Myth Since the rise of flavored seltzers, rumors have circulated that these beverages don’t hydrate the body as well as regular water. Fortunately, this simply isn’t true. According to the CNN, sparkling water is just as hydrating as noncarbonated.

Not only do these beverages restock your fluid supplies, they can also be a pleasant flavor detour from the usual h3O. “Sparkling water is a great way to hydrate if you don’t enjoy still water. Even flavored seltzers, as long as they don’t have added sugar, can be a great choice instead of plain water,” Scheinman says.

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Why Drink More Water? See 6 Health Benefits of Water

It’s no magic bullet, but the benefits of water are many.

Written by Kathleen M. Zelman, RD, LD, MPH

Americans seem to carry bottled water everywhere they go these days. In fact, it has become the second most popular drink (behind soft drinks). But water lovers got a jolt recently when we heard that a new report had found that the benefits of drinking water may have been oversold. Apparently, the old suggestion to drink eight glasses a day was nothing more than a guideline, not based on scientific evidence.

But don’t put your water bottle or glass down just yet. While we may not need eight glasses, there are plenty of reasons to drink water. In fact, drinking water (either plain or in the form of other fluids or foods) is essential to your health.

“Think of water as a nutrient your body needs that is present in liquids, plain water, and foods. All of these are essential daily to replace the large amounts of water lost each day,” says Joan Koelemay, RD, dietitian for the Beverage Institute, an industry group.

Kaiser Permanente nephrologist Steven Guest, MD, agrees: “Fluid losses occur continuously, from skin evaporation, breathing, urine, and stool, and these losses must be replaced daily for good health,” he says.

When your water intake does not equal your output, you can become dehydrated. Fluid losses are accentuated in warmer climates, during strenuous exercise, in high altitudes, and in older adults, whose sense of thirst may not be as sharp.

Here are six reasons to make sure you’re drinking enough water or other fluids every day:

1. Drinking Water Helps Maintain the Balance of Body Fluids. Your body is composed of about 60% water. The functions of these bodily fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature.

“Through the posterior pituitary gland, your brain communicates with your kidneys and tells it how much water to excrete as urine or hold onto for reserves,” says Guest, who is also an adjunct professor of medicine at Stanford University.

When you’re low on fluids, the brain triggers the body’s thirst mechanism. And unless you are taking medications that make you thirsty, Guest says, you should listen to those cues and get yourself a drink of water, juice, milk, coffee — anything but alcohol.

“Alcohol interferes with the brain and kidney communication and causes excess excretion of fluids which can then lead to dehydration,” he says.

2. Water Can Help Control Calories. For years, dieters have been drinking lots of water as a weight loss strategy. While water doesn’t have any magical effect on weight loss, substituting it for higher calorie beverages can certainly help.

“What works with weight loss is if you choose water or a non-caloric beverage over a caloric beverage and/or eat a diet higher in water-rich foods that are healthier, more filling, and help you trim calorie intake,” says Penn State researcher Barbara Rolls, PhD, author of The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan.

Food with high water content tends to look larger, its higher volume requires more chewing, and it is absorbed more slowly by the body, which helps you feel full. Water-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, oatmeal, and beans.

3. Water Helps Energize Muscles. Cells that don’t maintain their balance of fluids and electrolytes shrivel, which can result in muscle fatigue. “When muscle cells don’t have adequate fluids, they don’t work as well and performance can suffer,” says Guest.

Drinking enough fluids is important when exercising. Follow the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for fluid intake before and during physical activity. These guidelines recommend that people drink about 17 ounces of fluid about two hours before exercise. During exercise, they recommend that people start drinking fluids early, and drink them at regular intervals to replace fluids lost by sweating.

4. Water Helps Keep Skin Looking Good. Your skin contains plenty of water, and functions as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss. But don’t expect over-hydration to erase wrinkles or fine lines, says Atlanta dermatologist Kenneth Ellner, MD.

“Dehydration makes your skin look more dry and wrinkled, which can be improved with proper hydration,” he says. “But once you are adequately hydrated, the kidneys take over and excrete excess fluids.”

You can also help “lock” moisture into your skin by using moisturizer, which creates a physical barrier to keep moisture in.

5. Water Helps Your Kidneys. Body fluids transport waste products in and out of cells. The main toxin in the body is blood urea nitrogen, a water-soluble waste that is able to pass through the kidneys to be excreted in the urine, explains Guest. “Your kidneys do an amazing job of cleansing and ridding your body of toxins as long as your intake of fluids is adequate,” he says.

When you’re getting enough fluids, urine flows freely, is light in color and free of odor. When your body is not getting enough fluids, urine concentration, color, and odor increases because the kidneys trap extra fluid for bodily functions.

If you chronically drink too little, you may be at higher risk for kidney stones, especially in warm climates, Guest warns.

6. Water Helps Maintain Normal Bowel Function. Adequate hydration keeps things flowing along your gastrointestinal tract and prevents constipation. When you don’t get enough fluid, the colon pulls water from stools to maintain hydration — and the result is constipation.

“Adequate fluid and fiber is the perfect combination, because the fluid pumps up the fiber and acts like a broom to keep your bowel functioning properly,” says Koelemay.

If you think you need to be drinking more, here are some tips to increase your fluid intake and reap the benefits of water:

1. Have a beverage with every snack and meal.
2. Choose beverages you enjoy; you’re likely to drink more liquids if you like the way they taste.
3. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Their high water content will add to your hydration. About 20% of our fluid intake comes from foods.
4. Keep a bottle of water with you in your car, at your desk, or in your bag.
5. Choose beverages that meet your individual needs. If you’re watching calories, go for non-caloric beverages or water.

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Does drinking water with lemon really remove toxins from the body? EcoWater

Does drinking water with lemon really remove toxins from the body?

In the era of health blogs and diet fads, we have a constant stream of information about new superfoods, nutritional supplements and ways to lose weight. Photos of people with perfectly clear skin, slim figures and toned muscles are accompanied by catchy headlines promising that by following certain rules, you too can look like the models in these photos.

Recent trends include drinking lemon water, a popular practice that many health blogs promote as a way to “detox” the body and aid in weight loss. However, there is no conclusive scientific evidence that this approach actually delivers the promised benefits. Below are the advantages and disadvantages of drinking lemon water.

Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water

The main health benefits of drinking lemon water are probably due to vitamin C, which improves iron absorption and helps your immune system function properly. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that helps protect the body’s cells from damage. Reducing cell damage means reducing the risk of many diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Lemons also contain citrus flavonoids, plant compounds that also help reduce inflammation. Research Reports 2019reported that citrus antioxidants and flavonoids may improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity.

Another benefit of drinking lemon water is that it tastes good! Lemon is a great flavoring addition, and lemon water can act as a drink replacement for people trying to eliminate sugary drinks from their diet. If you have issues with dehydration during the day or don’t like the taste of plain water, drinking fruit water is an easy way to stay hydrated throughout the day.

Disadvantages of drinking lemon water

Can you drink lemon water every day? The main risk associated with regularly drinking lemon water is potential damage to your teeth. Lemon water is safe to drink, but due to the acidity of lemons, drinking it regularly can erode your tooth enamel over time. This makes the teeth more sensitive to the hard texture of food and temperature changes, and promotes cavities. Luckily, lemon water drinkers can avoid tooth decay by drinking it through a straw and brushing their teeth immediately after drinking.

Does drinking water with lemon cleanse the body?

No. The idea of ​​detox is to remove harmful toxins from the body, but the human body already naturally gets rid of toxins through digestion. There is no evidence that any type of “detox diet” detoxifies the body or provides any measurable health benefits. In fact, lemon water can interfere with the body’s natural detoxification process.

Lemon water does not contain fiber, so if a person limits their dietary calorie intake, the colon cannot effectively remove toxins and waste products during digestion. Drinking water helps to remove toxins from the body, but there is no evidence that lemon water is better than plain water in this regard. There is also no evidence that lemon water is better than plain water for weight loss. Drinking lemon water for vitamin C and enjoying it is a good option, but drinking it for detox purposes or trying to lose weight won’t have a visible effect.

Keeping the body hydrated is the best way to keep it in good shape. Make sure you drink fresh, clean, good tasting water. This is a great way to stay hydrated.

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Water – benefits and harms for cleansing the body

Remembering the school biology course, the following information comes to mind: “the human body consists of 60-80% water”. What does it mean? And the fact that water is its most important component, its lack leads to a violation of the natural processes of life and malfunctions of individual organs.

How much water is in the body?

There is no specific figure for how much water is contained in our body. The indicator depends on a number of factors, including age and individual characteristics. The younger and more energetic our body, the more fluid it contains. On the contrary, with the approach of old age, which is characterized by active processes of skin aging, a decrease in the efficiency of some organs, a violation of the functions of brain activity, its amount decreases due to natural causes, which, of course, is to the detriment of the body. You can make up for the lack of h3O by observing the daily intake of drinking water, which is 30-40 ml per kilogram of weight. The amount of water drunk can be increased due to the summer heat or holidays in hot countries, the presence of colds, lactation, and so on.

Optimal water intake:

• fasting glass,
• one more – half an hour before the meal,
• next – 2.5 hours after eating,
• 1-1.5 hours before bedtime – the last glass of liquid for today.

You can get used to such a regimen in a week, then you will drink as much water as you need without hesitation. And remember – an extra glass of water will not cause harm, but it will significantly reduce the risk of developing many diseases.

What causes lack of water?

The health benefits of water are clear. Being an active participant in biological processes, water cleanses our body both from the outside and from the inside, improves well-being and rejuvenates the body at the cellular level. Unfortunately, most of us do not pay due attention to “drinking issues”, consuming no more than a third of the daily requirement of h3O per day, and this amount falls on the water that enters our body with fruits, vegetables, other foods or drinks (carbonated, tea, coffee, etc. ).

The body does not receive clean drinking water, which leads to a deficiency of life-giving moisture and dehydration, and this is fraught with serious consequences. The damage that dehydration does is enormous. The fact is that the body, trying on its own to compensate for the lack of fluid, gradually takes it from the cells and blood. In turn, the functioning of vital organs is disrupted – the brain, heart, lungs, liver, etc., and even joints. The skin becomes dry and flabby, a feeling of fatigue, headaches appear, a person becomes distracted, immunity decreases … All these symptoms become a reason to see a doctor.

But it’s enough to drink just a glass of clean water every hour or two. And many health problems can be avoided! Compliance with the drinking regimen is the key to good health and excellent prevention of many diseases.

About the benefits of clean water for our body

• Regular drinking helps to remove salts, toxins and slags that accumulate in cells and clog our body, causing it serious harm. Water, according to most scientists, stabilizes the work of the kidneys, which are a natural filter and are responsible for cleansing the body. In other words, the more water we drink, the easier it is for the kidneys to excrete harmful substances. Only 150-200 ml of warm water on an empty stomach will best cleanse the mucous membranes of toxins accumulated overnight and “start” the digestive tract.
• Drinking glass after glass of pure water throughout the day, we not only cleanse our body, but also fight fat deposits. It has been proven that the less water the body contains, the easier it is to gain weight. The benefits of water for weight loss are manifested in the fact that it is the only product that does not contain calories. True, if we are talking about a bottled product, then this is not always the case and a certain amount of calories may still be present in it. A glass of water that fills the stomach can reduce appetite and dull the feeling of hunger. Isn’t this, first of all, what people who jealously monitor their weight need?
• By removing waste products, water is necessary for the normal functioning of the digestive system. It reduces the risk of developing infectious diseases, and is also a natural lubricant for the joints. Cartilage and joints that do not receive the necessary amount of fluid become more fragile and prone to damage. Often there are painful sensations in the joints, which is again associated with a large accumulation of toxins in the blood. Drinking frequently can help prevent arthritis, reduce back pain, and even strengthen your spine, which is 3/4 water.
• Water is an excellent thermostat. It is not for nothing that after active sports or during a strong heat, doctors recommend drinking more. Water “cools” the heated body and normalizes body temperature. Regular intake of water on an empty stomach is a good prevention of heart disease. Cardiologists are confident that a person who consumes a sufficient amount of h3O per day reduces the risk of a heart attack to a minimum.
• Water is also essential for healthy skin. As a result of dehydration, the skin becomes dry, loses its elasticity and may even begin to peel off. In addition, the concentration of toxins increases, and their difficult removal through the skin with sweat is fraught with inflammation and skin irritation. Water saturates our cells from the inside, moisturizes the skin and prevents its rapid aging.

Drink filtered water

Drinking a glass of water on an empty stomach is the best. Having lost moisture during sleep, the body needs to restore it. Drinking water on an empty stomach is one of the best habits. It is good to take care of a portion of the morning liquid in advance and throw a slice of lemon and lime into the glass. A vitamin infusion drunk on an empty stomach will energize you for the whole day!

Just don’t forget about water purification. The harm of tap water leaves no room for doubt. Boiled water, which many of us are used to drinking, is also not suitable for healing. It’s called “dead” for a reason. Of course, it will not cause serious harm, but such water is devoid of nutrients and oxygen, which means that the effect of its use will be minimal.