Your body is about 60 percent water. The body constantly loses water throughout the day, mostly through urine and sweat but also from regular body functions like breathing. To prevent dehydration, you need to get plenty of water from drink and food every day. There are many different opinions on just how much water you should be drinking every day. For adults, the general recommendation from The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is about:
- 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) a day for women
- 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) a day for men
This includes fluids from water, beverages like teas and juice, and from food. You get an average of 20 percent of your water from the foods you eat. Many factors affect how much water you need to stay healthy such as your health, activity, and environment.
Mild dehydration caused by exercise or heat can have negative effects on both your physical and mental performance. Drinking more water and staying adequately hydrated may help with some health problems, such as constipation, urinary and bladder infections, kidney stones, and skin dehydration.
If you want to keep things simple, these guidelines should apply to the majority of people.
- Drink often enough throughout the day for clear, pale urine
- When you’re thirsty, drink.
- During high heat and exercise and other mentioned indications, make sure to drink enough to compensate for the lost or extra needed fluids.