Are you drinking too much water?
2012
Are you drinking too much water?
Wait… don’t you mean “are you getting enough water?” Nope. Too much. Didn’t think that was possible, did you? That’s not surprising in a world that tells us water is king. But did you know that the whole “8 glasses a day” thing is a myth? And did you know that you can be doing some major damage to your body if you over do the H20?
Are you drinking too much water?
- Do you carry around a water bottle to drink throughout the day?
- Do you think drinking a tall glass of water will help curb your appetite?
- Do you pee frequently, including during the night?
- Is your pee clear as the day is long?
- Do you think that’s a good thing?
If you said “yes” to any of the above questions, chances are you are drinking too much water.
But water is essential for life!
I know. I know. Water is good. It’s essential, even. So please don’t take this as a “water is bad” post. Water is good… if it’s in the right amount. And it can be bad if it’s not. Really bad.
Water Intoxication
Rapid intake of too much water floods the inside of cells when sodium is depleted. This sodium depletion, called hyponatremia, can rupture the cells, either from extra pressure on the cells from without, or from pressure within flooded cells. As cells rupture in various parts of the body, certain symptoms emerge, and usually quickly.
What kind of symptoms? Well, things like vomiting, headaches, confusion and disorientation. If things progress this can lead to more serious things like seizures and coma. Untreated cases have resulted in death. (Like this recent case, or these other sad cases, for example).
Of course these are extreme situations of water intoxication. Generally speaking, we hit the danger zone when we take in more water than what our kidneys can process in a hour. And for someone with extremely healthy kidneys that is about 30 oz. of water in a hour (please don’t drink that much!). Drinking too much water in rapid succession can prove fatal and should definitely be avoided.
But you don’t drink THAT much so you’re okay, right?
I’m hoping that anyone reading this blog isn’t doing anything extreme in the name of health. Extreme diets are probably more dangerous than sitting on your butt all day and eating junk (not that I recommend doing that). So even though you’re probably not in danger of dying from water intoxication doesn’t mean you can’t improve your health by getting the right amount of water instead of just more.
Drinking too much water: How much is too much?
Like most health conscious folks I was diligent with my water intake. I carried a water bottle with me almost everywhere. I always had a tall glass next to me as I worked at the computer. I never drank soda, punch, coffee or alcohol (still don’t). Other than a glass of milk at breakfast, every other meal was washed down with good ol’ H20.
My world was rocked early this year when I read this article by Matt Stone. Rocked because I finally realized that I was drinking too much water. I also learned that drinking too much water can do some damage long before you ever enter the danger zone of death by water intoxication.
Drinking too much water can lead to:
- Decreased metabolism
- Decreased mental clarity
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Cold hands/feet
- Decreased emotional well being
So you know… it can basically put a major wrench in your day… not to mention your health.
But what about dehydration?
Water is important, but most of us probably don’t need 8 glasses a day. In fact, scientifically speaking, there is no real evidence that suggests this number has any real benefit.
“Drink your weight in water” and other lies.
A few years ago Heinz Valtin, a kidney specialist from Dartmouth Medical School, wanted to know if the common advice to drink eight, eight-ounce glasses of water per day could hold up to scientific scrutiny.
After scouring the peer-reviewed literature, Valtin concluded that no scientific studies support the “eight x eight” dictum (for healthy adults living in temperate climates and doing mild exercise).
In fact, he found that drinking this much or more “could be harmful, both in precipitating potentially dangerous hyponatremia and exposure to pollutants, and also in making many people feel guilty for not drinking enough. Not a single scientific report published in a peer-reviewed publication has proven the contrary.” (American Journal of Physiology—Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiolog, 2002).
Dr. Margaret McCartney in the British Medical Journal discusses research which reveals how drinking when not thirsty can impair concentration, rather than boost it.
Glasgow-based GP Margaret McCartney says the NHS Choices website’s advice that people should drink six to eight glasses a day is ‘not only nonsense, but thoroughly debunked nonsense’. She adds that the benefits of the drink are often exaggerated by ‘organisations with vested interests’ such as bottled water brands.
And while we’re debunking the 8 glasses a day myth, let’s talk about two other water-related falsehood:
Myth 1. Thirst is a sign you’re already dehydrated.
It is often stated that by the time people are thirsty, they are too late. But according to Valtin, thirst begins when the concentration of blood (an accurate indicator of our state of hydration) has risen by less than two percent, whereas most experts would define dehydration as beginning when that concentration has risen by at least five percent. In other words: Thirst is a good sign to start drinking water. No need to guzzle before you feel the need.
Myth 2. Dark urine means you’re dehydrated.
Lately I’ve seen a “pee guide” going around the social media outlets. Seems most people are aiming for clear pee. But at normal urinary volume and color (meaning, there IS color), the concentration of the blood is within the normal range and nowhere near the values that are seen in meaningful dehydration. As Valtin explains, “the warning that dark urine reflects dehydration is alarmist and false in most instances.”
So how much water should I drink?
That’s actually not an easy question to answer. So many factors affect our needs from what we eat to the weather. Obviously there are times when more water is appropriate, like after/before intense exercise or if you are in extreme heat. In other words: If you body is losing water (like sweating), then replenishing those fluids is essential. .. But unless you are an extreme athlete or spend a lot of time in a hot climates you probably need less than what you’ve been previously told.
Listen to your body. This is my “go to” advice for most health practices because our body is packed full of useful signals to help us keep it happy… with one little snag: The problem with over-hydration is that a symptom of drinking too much is dry mouth and excessive thirst. So there may be a period of “challenging your body’s signals” while it gets back to a more balanced state.
I like Matt Stone’s advice for this one:
If you have very clear urine and some health problems like anxiety, chronic fatigue, migraines, yada yada, you should work hard to get some color back into your urine – in effect increasing the glucose and electrolyte concentration of your cells. I’m not talking about dehydration, just ideal hydration.
If you are peeing a lot, make sure you’re getting adequate salt into your diet, too (as over-hydration means we have an imbalance of our salt to water ratio). Don’t skimp on the real salt, people. And don’t feel like you have to “wash down” everything you eat.
I’d also recommend Matt’s new book, Eat for Heat, if you want some practical advice on getting your fluids at the optimal level.
I improved my health by drinking LESS water
As someone who has always had extremely low blood pressure (something our medical world doesn’t pay much attention to because there’s no drug for it), chronic insomnia, frequent night pees, and a water fetish… I started putting the puzzle pieces together. I was definitely drinking too much water. And it’s been a gradual process to find what works for my body. I’m getting better at listening and responding to my body’s signals and hydrating more appropriately. And guess what?
- I sleep WAY better
- I don’t get up to pee throughout the night (Hallelujah!)
- I get fewer headaches
- I have more energy
- I think clearer
- My ridiculously low blood pressure has come into a normal range!
So… are you brave enough to go against the most popular health advice ever given? Your body just might thank you, if you do.
Sources:
http://www.herald.ie/news/courts/man-26-died-after-months-on-lowsalt-diet-3228358.html
http://www.wisegeek.com/can-drinking-too-much-water-be-unhealthy-or-even-dangerous.htm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2014112/Drinking-water-bad-health-Benefits-myth.html
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/5/f/blwaterintox.htm
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=strange-but-true-drinking-too-much-water-can-kill
http://180degreehealth.com/2012/02/how-much-water-should-you-drink
http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/it-possible-drink-too-much-water
http://calorielab.com/news/2006/05/28/8-glasses-of-water-a-diet-urban-legend/
This post is part of Motivation Monday, Monday Mania, Clever Chicks, Fat Tuesday, Scratch Cookin’ Tuesday, Healthy 2Day, The Mommy Club, Frugal Days Sustainable Ways, Real Food Wednesday, Tasty Traditions, Creative Juice Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, Freaky Friday, and Sweet Sharing Monday.
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How much water did you find you seem to need? It seems that if I don’t drink when I’m not thirsty in the morning I get really thirsty after dinner and I don’t like to drink then because it usually makes me have to go potty before the morning.
It really depends on the day and what I’ve had to eat. I try to stop drinking water by 7 or 8 pm so I don’t have to pee at night. But I usually still have a SMALL amount of water first thing in the morning because my body wants it. But I make sure to have a breakfast that’s not too water-based (I avoid smoothies or lots of “just fruit” type things… fried eggs and toast with some raw milk seems to work for me). I’ll save more water-based foods for the afternoon and evening to sort of “gear up” my body for the night fast.
The thing is everyone is so unique. I’d start by paying attention to your urine and adjusting slowly while listening to your body. Hope that helps!
Well, that makes sense. I’ve always thought the 8 glasses a day was non-sense. After all, a 300 lb person is going to need far more water than a 90 lb person! Saying that every single person in the world needs 8 glasses a day is like saying every single person needs to wear the same size shoe; we’re all different and it’s just not going to work.
That being said, I’ve clearly fallen for every single one of those myths! I actually had an app installed on my phone that reminded me to drink water when I was at work. I was so proud of myself when I got up to drinking 6 glasses a day! 6 is what I thought was ideal for someone of my weight and activity level. I would actually strive for near-clear pee and was proud of myself when I achieved it; although I loathed how often I had to go to the bathroom.
I honestly don’t have a very strong thirst drive. Using that water drinking app, I realized that without it I would typically only drink 3 glasses of fluid a day, mostly tea. But, I eat lots of fruit and veggies, which do have a high water content. And, I’ve got a third kidney that works, so I’m particularly efficient at processing fluids.
I uninstalled that app months ago because it was a battery hog. Now, I’ll stop beating myself up for only drinking three glasses of water in a day instead of 6.
Isn’t it liberating to not have some sort of guilt-driven number hanging over your head? If you’re thirsty, drink. If not, don’t. So simple.
Well done you! This comes back to moderation and listening to your body as well. Too much of a ‘good’ thing is still too much. If more realised that less is more I think we’d be in a good place!
Amen, Joanna. Health doesn’t have to be complicated… we just seem to like to make it that way far too often.
It’s a worthwhile perspective to consider and seems to point toward the maxim: “Moderation in all things” … including water. That said, what is up with the Matt Stone worship across the blogosphere? I just can’t take anyone seriously who recommends junk food for health. I think speaking against restrictive dieting definitely has a place, but he seems to go for shock value and mass appeal, leaving people’s health behind in the process. Matt is not moderate.
Ha! I certainly wouldn’t consider myself a Matt Stone worshiper (although I do agree there is a lot of talk about him around the health world). I think he makes some valid points and has done a lot of good for people who have been sucked into extreme diets. I also think he has some valid points on restoring metabolism and why that is important. With that said, I personally think whole real foods will always win out. I do appreciate his call to “eat the food” as so many people are stressing themselves out from worry about what to eat… which is never good for our health. I also think metabolism is part of the picture (and that certain “junk foods” *might* help restore that faster), but I think nutrition and lack-there-of (pesticides, GMOs, highly processed foods, etc) are another part of the picture that have long term effects. So I don’t personally buy into the eat junk food aspect.
For me, I like to read as much information as possible… see as many view points as possible. From WAPF, Paleo, Low-Carb, Veg*n, etc. I think all points have something to add and it’s about making sense of it all in a way that respects the human body’s design and our own personal biodiversity. For me, the water factor has a made a huge difference in my overall health and so I can’t shove Matt under the bus even if he’s a little rough around the edges (nor does that mean I believe or follow everything he says).
AMEN! Matt Stone has some very helpful points and has done thorough research, but I disagree about his point on junk food. I don’t think junk food is necessary to raise metabolism.
Lauren, we often seem to be on the same page.
Thanks for your reply, Robin. Matt can push my buttons, but you’re right that he has made some goods points, too, so I shouldn’t dismiss him altogether. I appreciate your balanced perspective.
Thanks, Eileen.
I have really frequent headaches… Maybe this is why! Water is all I care to drink, so thanks so much for this post!
Hope it helps, Rachel!
ok BIG wake up call here!!! Honestly I should be really worried. I drink ALOT of water, but my body craves it like a mad person.
I wake up and drink a quart of water (32 oz) oops already stressed my kidneys. I eat breakfast (no water for 30 min before or after) at least I know to do that. Then I do a sauna or run and drink another quart or two… and go on about my day and usually after accupucntrue or chiro drink another quart. I then drink nettle tea or a big big cup of bone broth. and I always keep a quart of water by my bedside.
I am wayyyy overdoing it! I don’t even know my bodes thirst signal anymore! a week ago my younger sister (who drinks very very little water) commented on how much water I drank after I gulped down a whole quart of water while talking to her. Soo I think you both are right. So this week I have tried to cut down on my water intake and it has been hard.
I have all those symptoms (cold hand and feet, I wake up to pee about 4x (SOOO annoying!), frequent headaches, I pee like every 30 min during the day, and yeah the emotional “fog” I get if I drink too much. I always thought that water was really important especially if you have fluid retention problems- like me. though maybe my fluid retention is because my kidneys are weak, because I drink too much water, making my problem worse, and so on. I also thought that all those symptoms were because of my low thyroid- but it could be both.
I tend to have a tight puffy face in the morning so I thought, well more water for me. Guess not! Today I went to the dr/chiro and they took my blood pressure. I was so low and quiet that they had to take it 10x and the nurse had to call in someone else to try and take it (i was staring to get a little worried). Thank you so much for writing this article. I guess as healthy as we think we are, there is always something to work on! ok this comment is a little too long, so sorry.
I hope it helps, Caroline. I know it was a wake up call for me. The hardest part was getting through the first few days when I felt so thirsty because my body was over-hydrated. But after a week or so it became so much easier to actually know what my body needed and respond. Good luck! Hope you are doing well!
Hi! What would you suggest for breastfeeding moms? I drink sooooo much water but I find my milk supply is very easily compromised if I don’t… Thoughts?
Many thanks, Analise
Hi Analise,
I think BF moms need to be careful and make sure they get adequate calories and liquid. I know that when I was BF a newborn I felt thirsty all the time. (Although that was back when I was drinking more than I needed to). I’m still BF a toddler and I’ve noticed that as I toned down my water intake that I don’t feel those same “I NEED SOMETHING NOW” urges. And my milk supply has been fine. If nothing else, I would recommend drinking something with minerals to keep your body more balanced. Raw milk or even adding a little salt to your water (place it under your tongue so you don’t get the icky salt water taste) may help. Or just balance the liquids with a little bit of fat (cheese is always good). Above all listen to you body.
Thank you!!
Eyeopening! Thank you.
It really does sound like I am indeed drinking too much water, hm.
I already had a suspicion because I was recently following the daily routine of an asian specialist for colon surgery – and was puzzled at how little water he drunk. But when I actually followed his advice, I felt really good – Funny that…
Your thought-provoking article definitely reinforces this idea, which is very liberating for me because I was getting a bit obsessed with having to have water bottles with me at all times…
So interesting by the specialist. Wow!
Thanks for stopping by, Sandra!
Very interesting!
I have always wondered what is the optimum level of water for our bodies.
I suffer from an overactive bladder so I go far more often than most people and have always been like that. Supposedly it’s more a faulty signal telling my brain I need to go rather than my bladder being full, as I’ve been for ultrasounds and have been told my bladder has been empty even though I’ve felt desperate for the toilet.
I don’t suffer from any of the listed health problems so not so concerned that I’m drinking too much although I do eat a lot of water rich foods.
When I went on a raw food diet for 6 months I rarely needed to drink at all as I got all the water I needed from my food but I did go even more often than usual which is one of the reasons I gave up the diet.
I also agree that thirst is a good indicator of thirst. But when I feel thirsty I might start to get headaches so don’t like to allow myself to get thirsty. I also got extremely thirsty at the start of breastfeeding when my baby was younger but not as she got older.
I’d never heard of Matt Stone so thank you for introducing me to him. Interesting concept about metabolism but agree that I want to completely avoid junk food!
Thank you so much for getting me thinking once again!
Thanks, Katherine!
This makes alot of sense. Thanks for covering this topic! However, it raises a question about breastfeeding. Everyone is always saying drink lots of water to keep up your milk supply… can we be harming our bodies in the process?
Hi Rachel,
I would still make sure your getting enough calories and liquid while breastfeeding. Check my comment above about it.
I never believed the 8 glasses a day thing, obviously people have different needs based on size and activity level. I read a book called Your Body’s Many Cries For Water that recommends you drink half your body weight in ounces. That makes more sense to me, although on a day when I’m less active that seems like a bit too much, but overall it feels like a more sensible guideline.
It definitely at least recognizes that we are different sizes. But still, depending on the water content of the food you eat on any particular day, it’s still a general guideline that misses some key points.
I’ve heard a number of times recently about drinking too much water. One of the points was that we don’t think about the fluid in the fruits and vegetables we eat and count that towards our daily intake.
I definitely need to drink water when I wake up, and I also find I’m more tired when I drink less than 3 24 oz jugs of water daily. But overall, I don’t think of myself as dehydrated or overhydrated. I’ve probably found my balance.
Thanks for sharing this at Motivation Monday!
It’s great that you’ve found what works for you!
Wow! So many myths that I’ve always heard! I’ve never been a big fluid drinker, and I always thought that I was surely damaging my health. Interestingly though, when I was in nursing school, I would always have a water bottle to sip on during our 4 hour lectures. After those long classes, I would always have horrible intestinal discomfort and cramps. I always thought it was just from sitting too long, but maybe it was all that water that my body wasn’t used to!
Interesting, Monica. It could have been the water… the combination of both long classes and water.
Thanks for this article! I often wondered if I was drinking too much, and your research gave a satisfying answer.
Thank you for sharing this post at Healthy 2day Wednesdays! You’re post will be shared on Facebook and Twitter this week!
Thanks, Paula!
You raise some important points, but i do still believe MOST people don’t drink enough water, so i’m very cautious of advice that we should be drinking less. I personally struggle to drink enough and feel way better when i drink more. Have you come across the book ‘Your Bodys many cries for water’ also Elwin Robinsons ‘The Easy Exhaustion Cure’ Both advocate drinking lots more water than the average person typically drinks.
Yes, it’s good to remember that everyone is different. And the most important thing is to listen to your body’s signals (both thirst, and what your urine is telling you). It seems that super health conscious people tend to be the most guilty of drinking too much water.
Not worried about this. My body has always craved lots of water because it has lots of toxins to deal with. If I’m peeing in the night, my body is excreting toxins. If I’m not having regular BMs, then I know I’m not drinking enough. I’m also not afraid of salt whatsoever. Bring it.
Love it, Rachel. Bring it, indeed.
Robin, do you think coffee counts as to the amount of water intake (black, no sugar or milk)
Hi Mary,
I’m not a coffee drinker myself, but I would think that it would count as you use water to make it (right? Ha! Just shows how little I know about coffee).
I’ve heard both sides of the caffeine debate. Some say anything caffeinated shouldn’t be counted towards your liquid intake and others say it doesn’t matter. So I was wondering which is correct.
Ah, yes. Don’t you love how both sides have “proof” that they are right? I don’t know the answer, but if you listen to your body you’ll probably be fine either way.
It’s just the way that caffiene stimulates your kidneys– it revvs the cells that are processing blood, and they extract more water, which is dehydrating. It used to be said that you had to drink a glass of water to make up for every cup of coffee… our pediatrician told us this year that it is now considered a hydrating drink.
Another great one! I have discovered that eating water-filled vegetables or fruit (without getting into how much and when) first gives me mineral and vitamin balanced ‘water’ – which is what nature intended for satiation. Fermented vegetables apply also which adds enzymes and probiotics galore. “Water” as we think of it should be secondary, your body will let you know. Right on and thank you!
Thanks, Betsy!
I recently purchased a water ionizer. I started out at a neutral pH of 7. Gradually I increased it to 8 and now I am drinking water at a pH level of 9. I won’t make it any higher than that. Since drinking ionizer water, I found that I actually need to drink less water. I also rarely get headaches any more or digestive issues, but this also has to do with avoiding certain foods such as gluten, processed foods and sugar. The higher pH may be balancing my system. It’s too early to know for sure.
So interesting, Tara. You’ll have to let me know how you like it over time.
Wonder what you’d have to say about me, I started drinking more and more water since I was 19. I’m 25 now. I was always one of those people who liked taste of water better than juice or soda. The summer I was 19 i started feeling thirsty a lot, so I’d drink more water. It became like a cycle of drink-pee-drink-pee. After I went to the toilet (almost every hour) I’d immediate would have to have a full glass of water because I’d be so thirsty. So now I probably drink 4-6l of water a day, that’s 140-210oz a day. That’s a sedentary kind of day. If I’m running around at work and sweaty I’d be drinking even more! And when running around at work the amount I pee out is very minimal. As if I drink 60oz and pee out 5. I have read that drinking too much is not good for you… wonder what is normal amount for my body, because I’m confused.
also would like to add I don’t wake up to pee at night, even though I drink a glass of water right before bed, it’s the last thing I do
Such a great question, Ally. I really don’t believe there is ONE answer for every person… and each person is so unique. Sounds like you are drinking a lot, but if you don’t have any symptoms of over hydration I wouldn’t stress too much. If you suffer from headaches, fatigue, cold hands/feet, insomnia, etc. then I’d maybe consider taking a closer look. The point of this article is that we are all different, no general guideline will fit everyone, and that crazy-health-nuts (like me) can *sometimes* go overboard with good things, like water.
I don’t know what planet you live on but most people in the US are suffering from chronic dehydration due to excess salt and fat consumption, as well as a lack of water. Alcohol, cigarettes, prescription medication, supplements, high fat/protein diet, pollution, cooked food, and just about everything under the sun can dehydrate someone. Unless you are urinating clear 8-10x per day, you are suffering from dehydration. Urinating during the night is natural and a sign of hydration. I highly suggest that the next time you write an article on such an important topic you take time to do legitimate research. The adult human body requires no less than 3 liters of water/day for normal metabolic functioning.
Hi Vickie,
Clearly we don’t see eye to eye on nutrition, and that’s okay. But I did provide legitimate research, including studies from highly respected doctors (kidney specialists) and researchers who could not find a single scientific study that actually proves the 8 glass of water a day myth. And personally, I don’t think our body was meant to be peeing 10 times a day. And while I do agree that there are probably a lot of people suffering from dehydration, I think there are probably a lot of people also suffering from over hydration. That’s the whole point: Listen to your body and don’t over do anything. Because the reality is that there are people actually DYING from drinking too much water.
Finally, while I appreciate comments that challenge or present different points of view, I don’t always appreciate being told I have no legitimate research, particularly when you claim all sorts of things in your comment without a single source of information to back it up. Please feel free to comment, but make sure you do so appropriately.
Thanks!
I’ve been hearing this about water over the last couple of years. I’ve never tried to drink a certain amount of water–I have always been excessively thirsty and easily drank more than eight glasses a day. Probably twice that. The interesting thing is that as my health has improved, I’ve been less thirsty. So for me, it was the other way around–improve health, lessen thirst. I still drink a fair amount of water, though, just less. I can almost make it through the night without a pee, but then, I do sleep up to ten hours–I could probably make it 7 hours. I used to get up twice, now once. I drink according to thirst. If I ignore my thirst too long I’ll get a headache. If I don’t drink enough over the course of a day, I’ll have difficulty with bowel movements the next day. So even though I drink more than the average person, I think this is better than getting dehydration symptoms.
You sleep 10 hours! I am sooooo jealous!
Yes, the key really is INDIVIDUALITY! It’s great that you have found what works for you.
LOL don’t be jealous of my sleep…I wish I had more time to do stuff during the day
Agreed about individuality. My husband drinks much less than I do and only has to go the bathroom twice a day. How nice! (He’s also healthier than I am.)
Whoa! I always have icy fingers and toes, difficulty falling asleep, headaches, and yes-clear pee. I also drink at least 10 glasses of water a day, am always thirsty, and can’t get around without my water bottle. But here’s the thing- if I drink less, I get head aches and feel generally lousy, until I drink a few glasses of water, then I feel quite refreshed. Am I over hydrated? Under hydrated? Don’t know? Can’t tell?
I would love to hear your (unprofessional of course, I understand that you probably have liability issues) opinion.
Thanks, P.
Hi P!
Obviously, I’m not an expert. But it sounds like you are drinking a lot of water. And unfortunately, when your body is used to that much water you will get headaches and feel crappy while you try to adjust back. If you can handle it for a week, your body should be able to get to a more stasis place. Can’t say for sure what the ideal amount of water is for you… but maybe just try reducing one cup a day until you feel better? Good luck!
I am always thirsty after meals… have you come across anything about that in your research? It is no matter how much I have drunk throughout the day (I only drink water/milk). And even when I drink a lot of water- 60 oz- I will only pee 2-3x/day. I also crave sugar after I have eaten. I keep trying to find answers but haven’t come across anything.
Not sure. I’d check out Matt Stone as this is more his forte than mine.
SO CONFUSED . . . I try drinking 60 oz plus of water i pee 8x a day and i put on weight drinking water and not the good kind. Sometimes it feels like i was in better shape when i was going out every night. I also crave something sweet when im done eating, no idea what thats about. Oh well heres to finding what works for you.
I’d check out Eat for Heat (linked above in the article). It lays a good foundation on how to balance the whole water, sugar, salt stuff so that your body is functioning more optimally. Good luck!
I actually lost weight by increasing my water intake. I have an office job, and most days I sit in front of a computer for 8 hours a day. I started to get frequent headaches, from a combination of not enough water, staring at a computer, and being inside all day. I started keeping a water bottle on my desk and drink two bottles full every day at work, which is about 40-50 ounces. In just three weeks, I found I had lost weight and my headaches disappeared. Moral of the story, water is not the enemy.
Water isn’t the enemy. You are right. It’s essential for life. But so is salt. And so is the balance between the salts, sugars, and water in our body. The key is finding what works for you and NOT over-diluting your cells because you think you need some magical number.
I was just having the conversation with my husband yesterday about how much water a person is “supposed” to drink. I mentioned some confusion over the various “rules” about how much a person needs.
First it was 6 glasses, then it was 8 glasses, then it was 12 glasses. Then someone came up with “take your weight, cut it in half- drink that many ounces per day” Unless a 300 lb person is an extreme weight lifter in a hot climate who also likes to run half marathons, I can’t imagine why they would need 150 ounces of water a day. So that equation didn’t make sense to me either.
Thanks for posting this, I never understood why I would need to force myself to drink additional glasses of water if I wasn’t thirsty.
Yeah, it’s amazing how simple it is when you listen to your body. Drink when you are thirsty. Simple.
I have recently (as of the past couple weeks ) started to carry around a water bottle with me wherever I go. The past few days I have started to feel thirsty ALL the time and sometimes pee up to once an hour when awake. But this is so sudden. It’s only started happening lately. I’ve begun drinking a 24 ounce bottle many many times over a day. However I am a college student who gets little sleep, sometimes has to eat the cheap bad foods, walks everywhere, and sits in class for hours at a time. What do you think?
Also, I’ve been reading through all the responses to your comments and you are SO polite, friendly, encouraging to everyone and take their input into account. I was wary about the facts you were presenting at first but after reading your comments I so respect and value your thoughts!
Thanks
Hi Morgan!
Thanks for your kind words. I appreciate them.
It’s hard to say exactly what’s going on… and obviously I’m not a doctor… but it sounds like you are probably drinking more than you need to. You shouldn’t need to pee that often throughout the day, and usually that’s a sign that your cells are just drowning in fluids. I don’t think it’s bad to carry a water bottle, but only drink when you are really thirsty. Of course, this may take some “backing off” for a week or two while your body readjusts. Unfortunately, one of the symptoms of both dehydration and over-hydration is thirst. So I’d pay attention to your urine and how often you pee. Ideally you should only need to pee 4 – 5 times a day. Of course, getting adequate sleep and good nutrition will help, too. Listen to your body and let go of any “rules.”
Good luck!
Ugh – is it a sign that I’m overhydrated if I am totally anxious about trying to drink less water tomorrow? lol I have every symptom listed and have for years, especially the constant peeing, cold hands/feet and chronic thirst. This is so interesting and I’m really curious if it will help my symptoms, I’m just not sure I have enough will power to stop drinking my tea and water all day!
Good luck. You may want to start by eating fruit when you are thirsty. It’s still a lot of water but it has some other things your body needs at the same time.
Hm, interesting article. I just read the late Dr. “Batman’s” book, “Your Bodies Many Cries for Water” and started doing what he recommends and as a result I have noticed many improvements in my daily functions. Have you read that book?
I haven’t read that book… and water is essential to good health. It’s also a great method for detox which could explain the positive results. Just be sure to keep in touch with your body. If you start noticing any of the above symptoms you may want to back off a bit.
That I will! Thank you! And I listed the name of the book incorrectly, it’s really called, “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water” and the author’s full name is Fereydoon Batmanghelidj.
I do believe this and have had doctors confirm. Listening to your body is so important. I need a lot of water…..I drink on average 72-80 oz a day, my urine is rarely if ever clear, and I start getting shaky and irritable if I haven’t had enough by the afternoon, I don’t even drink it with my dinner (outside of restaurants). On the other hand my mother is good with a couple glasses a day or her skin dries out – yes dry skin from too much water – people think she’s crazy. Very good post.
Thanks, Ali!
Oh my! I drink a liter of water in 5 minutes. I’m so luck that my kidney is still working.
This is me! i drink between 5-7 litres of water a day on average. going to try ‘giving it up’ for a week and see – aided by rehydration tabs. we shall see. thanks!
Thanks for this article. I have very low blood pressure caused by low blood volume. Doctors have suggested i drink 4 L of water a day (aka16 glasses). I am now suffering from everything you have listed, and my bp is lower. Going to reconsider my options.
Yes, do! Just keep listening to your body and adjust as needed. Our body’s needs change depending on activity level, weather, etc. Good luck!
Hi! I was totally shocked when I read this. My minimal water intake is 200 oz. Its not unusual for me to drink 50 oz. In a matter of minutes. And I have cut back a little I was up to close to 400 oz. a day. I am always thirsty and tend to drink more water I’m the evening and nighttime. I also have a very low salt intake diet. I sweat constantly have very bad headaches. Extreme lower back pain and now also very very painful and swollen lower legs (so bad it hurts to walk or even put pressure on them). I don’t sleep well. I spend lots of time in the bathroom. My feet are always cold and now my hands and arms have been getting closer a lot more too. My doctor blows me off about the my legs and all they want to do is give me injections in my back which is making it worse. Since its my lower back could it be my kidneys and not even my back? I weight 208 and was trying to help loose weight by increasing my water intake. I had fallen and hit my back in the kidney area 10 years ago and have suffered from back pain since then the bruise was the shape and size of a full size football. Nobody has even checked my kidneys before. Where do I go from here. I am miserable I have zero energy and am so sleepy all the time. I am only 36 and have 4 kids, a two year old grandbaby with another one on the way in Aug. I don’t want to get any worse. I always feel ssoooooo thirsty now do I cut back and should I have my kidneys checked? Really worried now.
Wow, Renee… I’m sorry. Sounds like a rough go right now. I can’t give medical advice, but if it were me I’d definitely cut back on my water intake. I’d check out the Eat for Heat book I mention as it gives some good tips on how to balance out the cellular fluids and hopefully restore some of the issues going on. It’s very possible that your back pain is kidney related, but again, I can’t say that for certain. It wouldn’t hurt to get your kidneys checked, but I don’t know if most doctors will agree with my “less water and more salt” stance. While you are transitioning through the thirsty period as you cut back, when you feel thirsty grab some fruit or put some real sea salt in some orange juice and drink that. Try to get more fluids that have natural sugars and salt in them since that’s more what our body’s fluids are like. That will hopefully help you cut back on fluids without feeling super thirsty.
Good luck!
Thank you for your article-hope you dont mind me asking a question.
Im a 27 year old female, 5’3 150 lbs, I have an active job (55 hours a week) that is very physical and is outdoors. I drink 2 16.9 oz bottles of water by noon, and by the end of the day I am usually at the 6-7 bottle range with a small Gatorade squeezed in there. I have always had bp on the lower side ( 90-115 over 55-65) and my urine is always clear yet during the workday I dont urinate that much. I do feel thirsty a lot, but I just want to make sure I take in enough liquids yet not too much. Thank you and sorry for the lengthy comment.
Hi Monica,
Obviously I can’t give any sort of medical advice. Being outdoors and being physical DO up your need for fluids. You could experiment with making your own gatorade type drink (think: Water, freshly squeezed lemon juice, some salt, and honey to taste) and see if that helps. I’d still have water (or some liquid) on hand because heat dehydration can be scary. So maybe it’s not that you should stop drinking water, just add more to it to help keep your fluids balanced.