Can you drink too much water?
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Can you drink too much water?
| Mon, 08-09-2004 - 1:02pm |
I know we are supposed to drink 64 oz of water a day - which converts to 2 litres in Canadaland. On average I drink anywhere from 3 to 5 litres a day and can still be thirsty when I go to bed. I live in a dry climate but we've had a freakishly rainy summer so it isn't nearly as dry as it normally is.
Honestly, can you drink too much water? Do you end up retaining some of it? I use the loo often but not a freakish amount. If I was going too frequently I would be concerned about diabetes however in my last round of blood tests (back in November) my blood sugars were fine.
The only other thing I drink is a cup of coffee every morning - I don't drink sodas and I'm not a fan of fruit juice (I'd rather have the fruit), I might have a glass of milk a day but I usually get my calcium elsewhere. So, I always have water with me.
Does anyone know if there is such a thing as too much water?
Cheers
Lisa

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"and I don't think it's right to discourage people to drink water."
I'm not discouraging people from drinking water. I'm just saying that you shouldn't force yourself to drink water if you don't want to. Big difference.
"so cautioning them against drinking a healthy amount of water is unnecessary."
No, I'm saying that drinking an EXCESSIVE amount is unnecessary. If you like drinking lots of water (and running to the bathroom frequently), then by all means, be my guest. Personally, it's never appealed to me, and I don't think someone should drink water if she doesn't really want to.
"I think it's safe to say that most people on this board are not die-hard athletes"
Which is why it makes no sense to urge people to drink as much water as they can! If you're in an office all day and don't work out, why do you need that much water? You don't!
"I don't understand why you say that there is no science to back up the fact that water is healthy for the body."
I didn't say that. I said there's no science to support the oft-cited advice to drink 8 8-oz. glasses of water a day ON TOP of all other beverages one consumes. I have no doubt that the 8x8 rule has been reprinted in nutrition and biology textbooks, but merely citing something doesn't mean it's true. I could write an academic paper stating X proposition, and others could quote me in casebooks, but it doesn't mean that my proposition is accurate. Same with the advice on water consumption. Textbooks can recycle the same (erroneous) tidbit of information, and professors can spit it out during a lecture, but it doesn't mean it's true!
"Maybe you just haven't found any because you aren't looking for it."
Dr. Heinz Valtin tried to find scientific studies supporting the old 8x8 water guidelines...but couldn't find any. If a (now retired) professor of physiology at Dartmouth Medical School can't find any, how do you expect me to?! He told Shape magazine in its May 2004 issue (one of the magazines I was referring to in an earlier post), "The minute you drink too much fluid, the kidneys want to pee it. When you don't have enough fluid, the kidneys retain it. The system that regulates the body's fluid balance is accurate, sensitive and fast. On its own, it's remarkably efficient." He goes on to say that most healthy people could do "do nothing but follow thirst and probably be OK." That's because the "conventional wisdom" that thirst means you're already dehydrated is an exaggeration--thirst kicks in when a lack of fluids makes minerals and other components in the blood more concentrated by about 2%. But you're not considered dehydrated until your blood concentrates by 5%--and that's what Valtin called "a large mount of leeway."
The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science spent two years examining peer-reviewed scientific journals related to water intake. They concluded that healthy, sedentary women ages 19-50 need 91 ounces of water a day. That 91 ounces should come from water and all other beverages (except for alcohol) AND food. That works out to about 74 ounces of liquids (again, water, coffee, tea, pop, etc.) for the average woman. And of course you need more if it's hot or you're exercising a lot.
Again, I'm not trying to say that water's not healthy, or that it's unnecessary. I am saying that there are plenty of ways to maintain adequate hydration without having to drink water if you don't really like it. I like a cup of ice water now and then (esp. when I'm exercising), but I'm not giving up my Coke or coffee!
I'm done with the water debate, it's clear that we both have our own opinions of the importance of drinking water. I personally drink at least 2.5 - 3 liters a day, and I notice a change in how I feel and how quickly the weight comes off if I don't get at least that much. And you have your own personal experiences that cause you to think water is not as important. So let's leave it at that. Technically, there is such a thing as drinking too much water, but it's not something a dieter needs to worry about. I would say it's more likely the case that people aren't getting enough water. ~Sabrina
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