How much water people should drink every day has been a source of controversy in the medical community, and different experts often arrive at different answers. According to the Mayo Clinic, adults should drink enough water throughout the day to avoid feeling thirsty and produce at least 1.5 liters of light-colored urine per day.
Size
Many medical guidelines recommend that, under most circumstances, healthy adults should drink about 2 liters of water per day to replace fluids lost through urination, bowel movements, breathing and sweating. This is the same size as most large plastic pop bottles, or about 8 cups, with each cup being 8 oz. Children need about 1.5 oz. of water per pound of body weight a day, so a 30-lb. toddler would need 20 oz., or 2.5 cups. Since water glasses and bottles can vary in size, measuring how much fluid your usual drinking containers hold can give you a better idea of how much liquid you're consuming.
Considerations
Many factors can increase or decrease the body's daily water requirements. Hot weather, athletic activity, excessive sweating, illness and diarrhea can all make the body lose fluids faster. Women who are pregnant or nursing may also require additional water, or about 10 cups per day during pregnancy and 13 cups a day while breastfeeding. In contrast, people who are inactive or consume many liquid-rich foods may need less water.
Types
Although water is important, other beverages, and even foods, can help satisfy the body's daily requirements. Fruit juice, milk, sports drinks and non-caffeinated soda, tea or coffee can all count toward the day's requirements. Foods that are high in liquids, such as soups, fruits, smoothies and juice popsicles can also help the body stay hydrated, especially for children who may find plain water unappealing. Caffeine or alcohol may dehydrate a body, but recent evidence suggests that even these drinks will add some water to your system.
Function
Water has many important functions in the body, including regulating body temperature, carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells throughout the body, flushing out toxins, cushioning organs and joints, and keeping sensitive tissues such as the eyes, ears, nose and throat moist. Water makes up about 50 to 60 percent of body weight in most adults, and up to 75 percent in children. Since the body uses up and excretes water through its daily processes, people must take in additional water or fluids to replace it.
Benefits
Water has many benefits compared to other types of beverages. It's readily available and free of calories, unlike other drinks, which can be expensive and contribute to excess weight gain. Although fruits like watermelon are 80 to 90 percent water, and beverages such as milk and juice have a high water content, none provide as much water as efficiently as pure water.
Prevention/Solution
Insufficient water can cause dehydration, which can be deadly, especially in young children or elderly adults. To avoid dehydration, drink water consistently throughout the day and consume enough water to avoid feeling thirsty, especially before and after rigorous activity and during hot weather or illness. Rarely, some people, especially athletes and young children, consume too much water, causing an electrolyte imbalance called hyponatremia, or a feeling of fullness, resulting in insufficient calorie intake.
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