People are often baffled by the question of “how many cups of water should I drink per day.”
Our body is made up of 60% of water, and we are into losing and gaining water for the body to maintain the equilibrium.
The opinion regarding how much water one must drink per day varies. It is often recommended to drink at least eight 8 ounces glass of water every day. This is known as the 8×8 rule.
However, there are some fitness experts who suggest that we should sip water throughout the day as we are always at the risk of being dehydrated. Drinking water throughout the day can play a significant role in keeping us hydrated.
How Many Cups of Water Should You Drink Per Day?
As per the 8×8 rule, you should drink eight 8 ounces glass of water per day.
However, depending on the age and health of the individual, the water intake varies up to a lot of extents. It can also vary according to the needs.
Well, here is the water intake as per the age group.
Adults
As per the recommendation of IOM, the people aged 19 or above should drink at least 3.7 liters of water for men and 2.7 liters for women. Also, men should drink 13 cups of beverages while women can drink only 9 cups.
Children
The water intake in case of children may vary according to the age group. Kids between the ages of 4 to 8 must drink at least 40 ounces (5 cups) of water per day. For children aged 9 to 13, the water intake increases to 56 to 64 ounces (7-8 cups). Lastly, the water intake increases to 64 to 88 ounces (8-11 cups) for teenagers aged from 14 to 18.
Women of reproductive age
Well, the need of drinking water for this category is different. For women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, they must drink at least 80 ounces of water per day. Breastfeeding women should drink 13 cups, which is nearly to 104 ounces as it will prevent them from the risk of being dehydrated.
In a nutshell, the amount of water that the people must drink as per their age group are as follows:
- 4-8 years old– 5 cups which comes nearly to 40 ounces
- 9-13 years old- 7–8 cups which comes nearly to 56–64 ounces
- 14-18 years old- 8–11 cups which comes nearly to 64-88 ounces.
- 19 years old (men)- 13 cups which comes nearly to 104 ounces.
- 19 years old (Women)- 9 cups which comes nearly to 72 ounces.
- Pregnant women- 10 cups which comes nearly to 80 ounces.
- Breastfeeding women- 13 cups which comes nearly to 104 ounces.
Is water drank only to keep the body hydrated?
All fluid helps in keeping the body hydrated. However, water is the essential fluid that has a significant role to play in this case.
Water is free of sugar and calories. Other fluids too can keep you hydrated. These fluids may include coffee, soda, iced tea, fruit juices, etc.
According to experts, people who consume too much of caffeine are at the risk of being dehydrated.
There are some fruits and vegetables that contain water, such as watermelon and lettuce consuming them also keep you hydrated.
Health Benefits of Drinking Water
No denial, water plays a vital role in improving our health. Water helps every body part to function properly as it helps to remove toxic substances from our body. It also plays an essential role in preventing the risk of kidney stones and constipation.
Also, drinking water regularly can help in proper and comfortable bowel movement. Irregular bowel movements can lead to dehydration, which can be cured by drinking water.
Can water cure health problems?
Of course, It can.
Water plays a vital role in curing various health problems. If you increase your water intake, you will be surprised to know that most of your health problems are cured.
Some of the health problems which can be cured by increased water intake are as follows:
- Constipation: Various studies have shown that the increased water intake can cure constipation easily.
- Cancer: Believe it or not, increasing the amount of your water intake can reduce the risk of the bladder as well as colorectal cancer.
- Kidney Stones: It is familiar to everyone that drinking water can help cure kidney stones.
- Acne and Skin Hydration: Since water plays a significant role in hydrating skin, it can also effectively reduce skin. However, it is just according to anecdotal reports. No study has yet confirmed this advantage of drinking water.
Can water improve brain functions and increase energy level?
If people fail to drink sufficient amount of water, they are at the risk of dropping energy level and improper functioning of the brain.
About 1% of the total body weight is water. Even mild dehydration can have a severe effect on health.
Therefore, by increasing water intake, the energy level, as well as the brain function, can be improved.
How to determine if you are drinking sufficient amount of water?
The color of your urine can help you a lot in determining your water intake. A clear or pale yellow urine signifies that the person is drinking sufficient amount water. Darker urine signifies that the person isn’t drinking much water.
Drinking too much of water can also cause grave concerns. It’s only the athletes who compete in marathons, who drink too much of water throughout the day. Although this is rare.
The excess water leads to diluted electrolytes which in turn leads to dropped sodium level.
This causes Hyponatremia which leads to dropped sodium levels of the body. Other symptoms of Hyponatremia include seizures, fatigue, muscle cramps, weakness, confusion, and headache. A person may also go into the coma for drinking too much of water.
What are the easy ways to drink water throughout the day?
- Instead of coffee and tea, choose to drink water every morning.
- Make sure to carry a bottle of water every day. Keep sipping water at regular intervals.
- To add a little taste to water, you can also choose to add sugar flavorings or drops of lemon and sugar.
Why is water needed in the body?
Water is needed in the body because of the following reasons:
- It regulates the temperature of the body within the normal range.
- Safeguards spine and other essential tissues.
- Lubricates the joints.
- Helps the body to get rid of waste materials through smooth bowel movements, urine, and sweat.
Final Thoughts
Water has an important role to play in our day to day life. Several enhanced water bottles containing vitamin and electrolytes are also available in the market.
There is no need to get baffled to understand how many cups of water you should drink per day. All of it varies according to the needs and health conditions. But make sure you drink enough water per day to keep away all your problems.