Doesn’t it seem like everyone you see has a cute reusable water bottle sticking out of their bag? Indeed, it’s become much easier to stay hydrated in the last few years\u2014and yet, people still struggle. On top of that, we think we know how much water to drink per day, when in fact that goal number of ounces should actually be a little different for everyone. In fact, experts say it can even vary for you based on what you do in any given day. <\/p>\n
Meet the experts<\/strong>: Stephani Johnson, D.C.N., R.D.N.<\/a>, is an adjunct professor in the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences at Rutgers University; Christy Brissette, M.S., R.D., owner of 80 Twenty Nutrition<\/a>; Devon Wagner, R.D., M.S.<\/a> a registered dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center; Eric Adkins, M.D<\/a>., is an emergency medicine physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.<\/p>\n Here, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about H2O intake, including what the recommendations say, the factors that could influence your individual hydration goals, and more. <\/p>\n How much water should you drink a day?<\/strong><\/p>\n The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has very clear guidelines<\/a> on how much water to drink a day. <\/p>\n According to the organization, women should aim to have 11.5 cups (92 ounces) of fluids a day, while men should have 15.5 cups (124 ounces) of fluids a day. It\u2019s important to point out that those fluids come from food and drink\u2014and about 20% of your daily fluid intake usually comes from foods. <\/p>\n \u201cHowever, many things can impact fluid needs,\u201d said Stephani Johnson, D.C.N., R.D.N<\/a>., an adjunct professor in the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences at Rutgers University. Meaning, you could be over- or under-hydrating if you just follow these guidelines and don\u2019t pay attention to your body\u2019s cues about hydration. <\/p>\n The problem with the advice to drink 8 glasses a day<\/strong><\/p>\n There are a few potential issues with the advice to drink eight glasses of water a day. One is that there\u2019s so much variability in glass size. \u201cEight glasses may be enough, but it depends on the size of the \u2018glass\u2019 and individualized needs,\u201d Johnson said. Meaning, you\u2019re going to be taking in wildly different amounts if you’re using 8-oz glasses vs. 16-oz glasses as your measurement. Advice to drink eight glasses a day isn\u2019t wrong\u2014it\u2019s just not very precise. <\/p>\n If you use a cup as your measurement, you\u2019re then looking at 8 ounces per glass. If you aim to have eight of those glasses, you\u2019re only at 64 oz of water a day. That\u2019s well under the recommended 92 oz of water a day for women and 124 oz a day for men. <\/p>\n Still, if you aren\u2019t currently drinking enough water at the moment and need an easy guide to follow, Johnson said aiming to have eight glasses of water a day is a good starting point. <\/p>\n Factors that influence how much water you need per day<\/strong><\/p>\n Breaking hydration goals down by sex is one way to look at it, but the reality of what you actually need is much more complex. Johnson said that these factors can influence how much water you need: <\/p>\n Why hydration is important to overall health<\/strong><\/p>\n Your body is made up of about 55%-60%<\/a> water. With that, it\u2019s important to stay well hydrated for everything to function properly in your body, said Devon Wagner, R.D., M.S.<\/a>, a registered dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.<\/p>\n \u201cDigestive function, skin health, kidney function, and regulating body temperature all require adequate fluid intake,\u201d Wagner said. <\/p>\n Water is also required for your body to move nutrients around and to flush out waste, Brissette said. Being well hydrated protects your organs and tissues, lubricates your joints and the spinal column, and plays a \u201cvital role\u201d in supporting brain function, Wagner added. <\/p>\n \u201cWithout sufficient water intake, many bodily processes become impaired, with the severity of health consequences depending on the degree of dehydration,\u201d she said. \u201cAdequate hydration<\/a> is essential, but there are negative health outcomes associated with over-hydration, so more is not always better.\u201d <\/p>\n Can drinking enough water help you lose weight?<\/strong><\/p>\n Drinking water may help you lose weight<\/a>, but it\u2019s not a given. \u201cThirst<\/a> is sometimes mistaken for hunger, so having a glass of water before eating can be a helpful way to pause and determine whether you’re actually hungry,\u201d Brissette said. <\/p>\n Being dehydrated can also cause what Wagner called \u201cpseudo-cravings,\u201d especially for things that are salty or sweet. As a result, doing your best to have enough water in your day may help lower the odds you\u2019ll deal with urges to eat less healthy foods. <\/p>\n If drinking more water is the only thing you do for weight loss, Brissette said you’re unlikely to see a significant change. But if you’re hydrating well, being active, and focusing on good nutrition, it can help support your weight loss goals. <\/p>\n Do drinks other than water help with hydration?<\/strong><\/p>\n While nutritionists agree that water is your best bet for hydration, it\u2019s not the only option. Wagner suggested looking for drinks that are very low calorie, like herbal tea, making sure to limit caffeine. \u201cCaffeine pulls fluid out of our bodies and can increase our risk of dehydration if drinking in excessive amounts,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n If you\u2019re sweating a lot, it\u2019s OK to reach for something with electrolytes, like a sports drink, said Eric Adkins, M.D<\/a>., an emergency medicine physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. (This just shouldn\u2019t be the only thing you drink.) \u201cCoconut water is an acquired taste, but it can help when you put a hard workout in and are feeling depleted,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n