Daily water intake: Let's discuss

Angela Wright said:By the time you actually feel thirsty, you're already about a third of the way to being dehydrated.
Usually, the recommendation is to hit eight glasses of fluid a day, and that includes stuff like soup at lunch, tea with breakfast, oatmeal made with water, or even the moisture from fruit and things like that.
So, your water intake really needs to be adjusted based on what kind of diet you're sticking to during the day.

I didn't think you'd fall for those marketing gimmicks. There is no such thing as being "one-third dehydrated."
Dehydration is a life-threatening condition. You either have it... or you don't.

If someone is thirsty, they’re just thirsty. They aren't "dehydrated."

As for this whole "eight glasses of water a day" thing, it's just some incredibly stubborn myth that women's magazines have been peddling for probably twenty years. It has zero scientific basis. Absolutely nothing.
Nobody *needs* to chug eight glasses of water daily just because some magazine said so.
The body needs a certain amount of hydration—on average, we're looking at about two liters a day under normal conditions and typical activity levels. Some people need more, some need less.
That two-liter requirement is met through plain water, the moisture in your food, and metabolic water, which is produced during biochemical processes during digestion.

Forcing yourself to hit eight glasses a day is just nonsense. You drink as much as your body asks for.

fadedmarlin402 said:Forget all that nonsense about hitting two or three liters a day. Honestly, the best advice is just to listen to your body. 👍 Forcing it won't get you anywhere.

Exactly.

I tried that once; I just ended up with a headache.
Drink when you need to. Don't force it.

Though, drinking slightly more water than my usual tiny amount (since I tend to be chronically dehydrated and feel it in my kidneys), seems to reduce bloating. It makes me look slimmer, even if the scale hasn't budged an inch.

placidjackal36 said:I didn't think you'd fall for those cheap marketing gimmicks. There’s no such thing as "1/3 dehydration."
Dehydration is a life-threatening medical emergency. You either have it... or you don't.

If someone is thirsty, they're just thirsty. They aren't dehydrated.

And as for that "eight glasses of water a day" rule? That's just some incredibly stubborn mythology that women's magazines have been peddling for over twenty years. It has zero scientific basis. Absolutely nothing.
Nobody needs to force down eight glasses of water daily because it's simply unnecessary.
The body requires a certain amount of hydration—on average, about two liters a day under normal conditions and typical activity levels. Some people need more, some need less.
Those two liters come from plain water, moisture found in food, and metabolic water produced during biochemical digestive processes.

Forcing yourself to hit eight glasses a day is pure stupidity. You drink what your body asks for.

Well, since you claim studies don't exist... you're right about that.
But rather than us both playing professor, here is what Mayo
says.

Look, there are studies out there, sure, but absolutely none of them actually prove that drinking those eight glasses of water really does what all those women's magazines and massive bottled water marketing campaigns claim it does.

amberskipper3 said:Lately, I’ve been seeing more and more media outlets—and even some academic literature—suggesting that the whole "eight glasses a day" rule is nothing more than an outdated myth.
Personally, I have never been able to force myself to drink that much water in a single day, so I simply stick to my own intuition and drink whenever I feel thirsty.
My complexion is excellent, I’m not overweight, and my skin isn't dry at all...
What are your thoughts on this?

....In my opinion, you ought to look into one of the books by Dr. F. Batmanghelidija. Once you pass sixty, repairing the biological damage and systemic changes that have occurred within the body becomes a much longer process. Ultimately, whatever choice you make will be yours alone....☕

I can't handle drinking that much water either... it honestly makes me feel nauseous😢 but my friend—who is basically a saint about this—is constantly sipping on it. She doesn't even wait until she's thirsty. At first, she was really forcing herself to do it, but now it’s just become a habit. I tried following her lead, but I just can't do it; it makes me feel sick...

She tells me, speaking from her supposed "expertise," that you have to be sipping water constantly. Her theory is that by the time you actually feel thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Honestly, I can barely even remember to drink anything unless my body starts screaming for it.😂

It really varies. Sometimes I end up drinking way too much, and other times I barely touch a drop.

____________
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Lisa Kern said:She claims—and she’s supposedly an expert on this—that you have to drink water constantly. Apparently, by the time you actually feel thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Honestly, I can barely remember to drink anything until my body starts screaming for it. 😂

..your colleague’s advice is certainly noteworthy; she must hold quite a bit of influence over you. You should probably take her word for it. In all likelihood, you are already partially dehydrated, and histamine is to blame here—it's the substance responsible for regulating water distribution within the body. Consequently, the body frequently sends signals of hunger when what it actually needs is hydration. The initial signs of dehydration often manifest as fluctuating blood pressure—where it spikes and then drops again—intermittent joint pain, particularly in the knees, elevated cholesterol levels, and so on. Try to establish a habit of drinking two glasses of water immediately upon waking up, and one glass about thirty minutes before every meal (which totals roughly five to six glasses a day). Lemonades, juices, or teas simply cannot replace pure water, which is essential for the biochemical processes, transport mechanisms, and efficient cellular respiration within the body. If you adopt this habit, it will help stabilize your metabolism, and as a secondary benefit, your physique may finally reach the shape and weight you've always desired...👍

It seems no one has mentioned the protocol for when someone accidentally overhydrates! Should we be looking into electrolyte supplements or something similar to balance things out?

Salt makes you hold onto water, which is exactly what you don't want. Honestly, I think the best move is to take a diuretic to flush all that excess out, though obviously, you’d only do that under a doctor's supervision.

restlessmarlin6 said:They’re young—right in my age bracket (early 20s)
Like, they don't even touch water with their coffee, and honestly, they barely care for fruits or veggies either... I only know a handful of 🙂

I seriously have no clue where they get their hydration from 😁 Maybe they just soak it all up through their skin in the shower? 😁 🙂

They basically hoard whatever moisture they have in their system... kind of like lizards 😁
Most of the water stays locked away, while the tiny bit that actually circulates and gets flushed out is roughly equal to what they're taking in..
I know a few people who won't touch a single piece of produce, drink a couple of black coffees (which act as diuretics), and maybe manage half a liter of water or juice a day at most—yet they function perfectly fine..

But man, they have this look in their eyes where you can't tell if they're severely dehydrated or just sleeping with their eyes wide open..

I drink as much as I want, even if everyone keeps telling me I'm overdoing it 🙂

Those college kids running around looking for snacks like they're chasing a candy truck

But honestly? I feel great—totally fine—unless I can't get my hands on some water

One of the biggest reasons I stopped traveling so much is this constant, nagging need for ice-cold hydration

Seriously, give me an hour without it and I feel like a fish out of water

I’m not sure how much of it is a biological necessity versus just my brain demanding a dopamine hit, but yeah, there it is

As for overdosing? I really think the body has its own built-in regulator—like, once you hit a certain point, your system just forces you to throw up (I've heard stories about people making bets where the loser had to chug water as a penalty)

The heat waves lately have been absolutely brutal—truly unbearable—and our bodies are just screaming for hydration.
I honestly think I’ve downed at least six gallons of water today alone,
and I’ve had to run to the restroom at least six times already... if not more. 🙂

It makes me wonder, though—is there actually a limit to how much fluid we can consume daily
before it becomes excessive or even counterproductive?

How much water are you all drinking on a daily basis—especially given this current heatwave?

casualjackal12 said:The heat is absolutely brutal right now—our bodies seriously need to stay hydrated.
I feel like I’ve downed at least 6 liters of water today alone,
and I’ve definitely had to hit the bathroom at least 6 times. 🙂

I’m starting to wonder, though... what’s the actual limit? How much water can we realistically drink every day
before it actually becomes too much?

How much are you guys drinking daily—especially with this current heatwave?

Typical me—just 2 to 4 glasses a day.

I tried hitting 5 liters once and ended up feeling nauseous enough to throw up.

Don't you think that just two to four glasses of water a day is a bit... insufficient?
How on earth could five liters of water make you feel sick—unless, of course, you tried to chug the whole thing all at once?

Sticking to two liters of water a day, just like always. Since I’m basically holed up indoors most of the time, I don't really notice much of a difference. It’s hard to worry about heatstroke when the house stays pretty chill—I don't have AC, but the insulation is solid and I keep the blinds pulled down tight 😉. I don't feel any need to chug more than that, and honestly, forcing myself to drink extra just feels pointless
.
In my book, six liters is just overkill 🤷

Look, I don't just chug water for the sake of being "healthy"—I drink because I'm thirsty and it's freaking boiling out there.
I’m not forcing it down my throat just to hit some arbitrary goal; if I'm drinking, it's because my body actually needs it... though, honestly, even for me, six liters sounds absolutely excessive.
After sitting down and actually doing the math—which I should have done sooner—I think I might have been overdoing it a bit.
It wasn't quite the full six liters; more like closer to four. 🙂

I can't even tell you how much I've been drinking—honestly, I’m constantly parched, and now this cheap water is actually making me feel a little nauseous.😁 But hey, I’m thirsty, so what am I supposed to do?🤷

casualjackal12 said:Don't you think 2-4 glasses of water a day is way too little?

Theoretically, sure, maybe—but I was doing just fine with that amount until this summer hit. Personally, I tend to retain water, so if I actually followed those "recommended daily intakes," I’d be bloating like crazy from edema—unless, of course, I were hitting intense cycling classes, spinning, or aerobics. Then it would be different.

casualjackal12 said:How could 5 liters of water have made you feel bad? You didn't just chug it all at once, did you?

It wasn't all at once, but my routine was basically forcing down half a liter every hour or so—literally shoving a bottle to my lips because, honestly, I don't really get thirsty. I can tell when I'm feeling off, but I don't naturally connect that sensation to needing water. After a few hours of doing that, I felt absolutely miserable and had this disgusting taste in my mouth.
And I've read that you can actually die from water intoxication.

Does anyone know why some people just lack that internal regulation? Like, they don't intuitively know how much water they need or when to scale back (I've noticed I'm the same way with food, too).??
If I weren't following some "you should do this" rule or being nagged by my mom, I could easily go days without eating anything—meanwhile, you have other people who are constantly dealing with stuff like, "My hands are shaking, my blood sugar dropped," and feeling actual hunger..
Why doesn't that mechanism work for everyone?

Hello everyone 🙂

It is essentially this: I tend to consume a rather small amount of water throughout the day—perhaps about 20 ounces—and since I am not particularly active, I suppose I don't feel much of a need for hydration. I would like, and perhaps ought to, drink more water, primarily because I am aiming to lose some weight and because it is supposedly beneficial for one's health. I was wondering how many glasses of water you all typically consume daily, and whether there actually exist people who manage to hit that eight-glass mark every single day?