On social media, people are drinking a gallon a day. How much water do you really need?
bring patients to the ER on a daily basis. This includes headaches and dizziness, fatigue, nausea, abdominal cramping and constipation, muscle aches and kidney stones. Biologically, this makes sense given that 60% of our body is water.
The benefits of adequate hydration are undisputed..
So it’s no surprise that TikTok and social media abound with fads surrounding adequate hydration and hacks on how to achieve it. One of the more well-known is the #gallonofwateraday encouraging participants to drink one gallon, or 4.5 liters, of water per day. Meanwhile, #cirkul has garnered almost 400 million views on TikTok for a seemingly-normal looking water bottle with an intensity-adjustable water-flavoring mechanism to stimulate drinking. And elsewhere on social media, Khloe Kardashian swears by her $23 motivational water bottle that has become a best-seller on Amazon.
But how much water do we actually need to drink daily?
The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is about 3.7 liters of fluids per day for men and 2.7 liters for women. This seems like a lot, but remember that about 20% of our daily fluid intake comes from food. There are multiple foods that are 85% water that are a great source of hydration and other important vitamins we need, including cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, apples and kale.
Cold and flu season is here. Do vitamins actually work?
So, after accommodating for fluids obtained from food, the old adage of aiming to drink about 6-8 glasses of water a day (1.2-1.5 liters) is generally agreed upon and seems practical. Higher daily amounts are needed for athletes, for those who live in hot or humid climates or at high altitudes, and for those sick with fever, vomiting or diarrhea.
People swear by apple cider vinegar for weight loss. Does it actually work?
It’s also important to remember to stagger your water intake throughout the day. Drinking too much over a short period of time will make you feel bloated and full. And try to avoid playing catch-up in the evening unless you want to be waking up to use the bathroom multiple times at night when you should be sleeping.
Another pro tip: Drink water with your meals. Water aids digestion especially in the chewing and swallowing stages and keeps stool soft and moving through the bowel. A common misconception is that drinking water dilutes digestive juices and impedes nutrient absorption. But that’s a myth to be debunked another day!
Michael Daignault, MD, is a board-certified ER doctor in Los Angeles. He studied Global Health at Georgetown University and has a Medical Degree from Ben-Gurion University. He completed his residency training in emergency medicine at Lincoln Medical Center in the South Bronx. He is also a former United States Peace Corps Volunteer. Find him on Instagram @dr.daignault
More:Can coffee grounds be used to stop bleeding? The answer might surprise you.
People are putting garlic in their ears. Doctor explains why it’s a bad idea.