How Much Water Should You Drink a Day?

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We've all heard that we're supposed to drink 8 glasses of water a day and that beverages like soda and coffee don't count toward this total. In fact, many people say that caffinated drinks like coffee not only don't hydrate us, but actually suck hydration from our bodies. Is this true?

Just How Much Water Should you Drink Each Day?

This is a question with no easy answer. Each person is unique and their water requirements are also unique. How much water you require to stay hydrated depends on many factors such as your size and activity level. Is there any truth to the 8 glasses of water a day guide? Heinz Valtin, M.D who is a professor emeritus at Dartmouth Medical school as well as a kidney specialist did an almost year long study in 2002 to try to find scientific proof for the 8 glasses a day guideline. The result? The study found no scientific support to support for drinking 8 glasses a day.

Another interesting tidbit that was disproved by the study? Many experts say that by the time you feel thirsty it is too late and you are already dehydrated. The study showed, however that thirst began when the concentration of blood, which is a good way to measure hydration, had risen less than two percent. The accepted concentration of blood that indicates dehydration is five percent which is much higher.

You can read more about the study here.

Many people say that if you are adequately hydrated your urine should have no color. However, this isn't necessarily the case. If your urine is a light lemon yellow color it means that you are well hydrated. An even easier way to decide if you are getting enough water? Let your body tell you. It sounds simple, but our bodies are excellent at letting us know what they need, so if you feel thirsty odds are you are not adequately hydrated and you should drink something. It's as easy as that.

Other things that you should be aware of are that most people get between 2-4 cups of water just from the water that is in the food we eat each day. The water from the food helps to keep us hydrated. Additionally, for years it has been believed that caffeine dehydrated our bodies and that caffinated beverages not only did not hydrate us, but contributed to dehydration. However, in recent studies it has been shown that caffinated beverages hydrate just as well as non-caffinated, meaning that a cup of coffee actually will help to hydrate you.

Is there any difference in hydration between hot water and cold water? The answer is no. Our bodies are equally hydrated by both hot and cold water so you can drink whichever you prefer.