do i really need to drink eight glasses of water every day
Water is an essential component of the human body, making up 60%-70% of total body weight. It is responsible for transporting nutrients and removing waste from the body. Whether in daily life or during running, drinking water is indispensable. Although drinking water seems like a simple issue, many people do not drink water correctly. It is not as simple as drinking when thirsty. There are many misconceptions online, such as caffeine causing dehydration and the need to drink eight glasses of water a day.
Misconception 1: Drinking eight glasses of water a day
For health reasons, everyone needs to drink some water daily, but the exact amount varies from person to person. Susan, an exercise nutrition expert at the University of South Carolina, believes that the recommendation to drink eight glasses of water a day is too arbitrary. 'Everyone, especially athletes, has different water needs.' The American Medical Guidance Organization recommends that women drink 2.6 liters of water daily and men 3.5 liters. However, the organization also emphasizes that most healthy people can judge their need for water based on their level of thirst.
Misconception 2: Urine should be as clear as water
Expecting urine to be completely clear is excessive. As long as the urine is light yellow, like lemonade, it is acceptable. If the urine is very clear, it means you have drunk too much water and need to excrete it. Conversely, if your urine is the color of apple juice or darker, or has a strong odor, you need to drink water immediately.
Misconception 3: Caffeine causes dehydration
Research shows that consuming 250 to 300 milligrams of caffeine (about twice the amount in a cup of coffee) results in a slight increase in urine output three hours later. However, this has a minimal impact on the body's physiological functions.
Misconception 4: Thirst is not an indicator of the need to drink water
For runners, weighing yourself before and after running can help estimate how much sweat has been lost, which needs to be replenished by drinking water. You should drink until you feel comfortable, but not excessively, especially not more than the amount of sweat lost.
Misconception 5: Pure water is the best water
If you are jogging for an hour in cool weather, replenishing with pure water is fine. However, if you are running for an hour and a half on a hot August morning, and you notice white salt stains on your face or clothes, it is better to drink water containing sodium. Sports drinks with electrolytes are a good choice in such cases.
Misconception 6: Drinking a lot of water is not a problem
Drinking too much water can be fatal! Excessive water intake can cause hyponatremia, a condition where the sodium content in the blood is dangerously low. Although the probability of marathon runners developing hyponatremia is very low, some people, such as those with smaller body sizes who take more than four hours to complete a marathon, or those who participate in cool weather (where sweating is less than in hot weather), are at higher risk. The best way to avoid hyponatremia is to drink water only when you feel thirsty.
Misconception 7: Drinking a lot of water is a good way to detoxify
A renowned professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania states that there is no evidence that drinking a lot of water makes your body cleaner. On the contrary, drinking too much water can impair the kidneys' ability to filter blood. The only people who need to drink more water are those who have had kidney stones.
Misconception 8: Drinking more water can avoid the risk of heatstroke
Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition where your body temperature rises rapidly. Dehydration can indeed lead to heatstroke because it makes the body hotter. Experts in exercise science point out that losing just 1% of body sweat can raise body temperature by 0.5 degrees, making timely water replenishment crucial to effectively prevent heatstroke. However, many factors can cause heatstroke, such as exercise intensity, age, physical fitness, humidity, and weather temperature. Therefore, to avoid the risk of heatstroke, you should not only focus on hydration but also consider these other factors.
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