What is the recommended daily water intake?

 

How much water should you drink per day?

We can go 50 days without food, but we can only live 2-3 days without water. Water is very important for the human body and we need about 2.5 liters of water per day. Most of this will come from liquids, and some will come from solid or liquid food.

A large part of our body consists of water, so daily water consumption is very important. A total of 2.5 liters per day is a rough estimate and depends on several factors:

• Age
• Sex
• Weight
• Height
• physical activity Level
• temperature and climate

As we age, the water content in our body decreases. Newborns are the highest with 75%, and the elderly are the least with 55%. Adults have, on average, 60% of water in their bodies. 

So where exactly is water stored in the body? One-third is in our blood and between our cells, and the majority, two-thirds, is in our cells. 

If your body is dehydrated, many bodily functions can be affected as water regulates:

• Body temperature
• hormone regulation
• energy expenditure my stimulation
• thickness of blood
• skin moisture
• cell lifespan
• positive digestion
• Cushion function for spinal cord, brain and eyes
• Waste product elimination

Our body constantly loses water through breathing, sweat, urine and feces. If we get sick through vomiting and diarrhea, we lose even more water, which dehydration our risk increases.

HOW THIRD ARE YOU?

Because water is so important to our survival, our bodies have a very good way of letting us know when we're dehydrated. Thirst. If you feel thirsty, you know you need to drink.

Have you ever wondered how your body knows when you're dehydrated? 

In our brain, receptors measure the consistency of the blood and respond if it becomes thinner. As a result, a hormone called vasopressin is released into our system. Vasopressin allows us to retain more water in our body by holding water in our kidneys and igniting the feeling of thirst. 

If you want to double-check your hydration status, a simple way is to look at the color of your urine. A light yellow means you're drinking water, but if it turns dark yellow, you're dehydrated.

Dehydration that occurs when there is not enough water in the body is very dangerous. If we lose only 1% of our body water, our ability to exercise decreases, our body temperature control decreases and our appetite decreases. At 5% water loss, our mental performance decreases; with difficulty concentrating, irritability, drowsiness and often headaches. If we lose more than 8% of our water, we can actually die. 

Have you ever been so concentrated or busy that you forgot to drink? Symptoms that may occur are:

• dry, sticky mouth
• muscle cramps
• Headache
• Dry skin
• Tiredness
• loss of concentration

As a general rule, 20-30% of the water we need comes from our food. Eating a balanced diet with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables can already help us stay hydrated.

DRINKING TOO MUCH WATER CAN BE DANGEROUS

The rule of 'more is not always better' applies when it comes to water. You can get water intoxication, hyponatremia from drinking too much. 

This is a state of overhydration that causes salt levels in the blood to drop and excess water to move through cells, which can lead to lung congestion and loss of muscle cells. 

Therefore, it is always recommended to add a little salt to your water when you need to drink an exceptional amount. 

For example, especially in a hot climate and when exercising for long periods of time (e.g. long-distance cycling and marathons) we need to drink a lot because a lot of fluid is lost through sweat. Loss of sweat also means a loss of salt, which can cause cramps and fatigue. For this reason, it is important to drink isotonic drinks that contain sodium and are suitable for the composition of our body fluids.