Water myth: are we not drinking enough or too much?

There is a popular, deeply held myth that we should all be drinking more water for better health.

There are a growing number of smartphone apps that track water intake throughout the day and automatically remind users who are falling behind.

Many people feel guilty for not drinking "enough."

What do we tell patients in this case?

Stop drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

This is a myth.

There is no medical evidence that drinking that much water is beneficial to your health. Yet, I hear from many patients who believe it is necessary for good health.

In fact, that tip was popularized by a well-known weight-loss program, but there is no medical evidence that it helps with weight loss.

Drink only if you're thirsty and never feel as if you have to force yourself to drink more.

Water is a good, healthy option for what to drink — you just don't need to force it. (Instead, drink water to replace a high-calorie beverage such as regular soda pop!)

Many foods contain water, which helps us meet this threshold, and few of us are at risk of becoming dehydrated.

The body has a highly sophisticated regulatory system that monitors hydration and then sends you a message to drink when you need to.

If you exercise regularly, you need to drink more to replenish what you've lost in sweat, along with electrolytes.

Another easy way to check your hydration status is by the color of your urine. Urine should be a pale yellow color — perhaps like that of a common sticky note.

Urine does not need to be clear like water. Some vitamins — such as B-complex — and foods can change the color of your urine, but don't feel pressured to have it be very pale or clear.

As I tell my patients, "What comes in must come out." If you drink more, you will have to go to the bathroom more. Save yourself the time and worry, and just drink when your body tells you.

A good way to see if you drink too much is if you need to get up at night to urinate, you drink too much water. Stop drinking earlier.

I have some patients who need to stop drinking water at 6-7 pm in order to sleep through the night without having to get up and pee.

People believe that drinking more water helps to eliminate toxins. But there is no evidence for that.

As a matter of fact, it does not work. You don't need more water to detox. The limiting steps for detox are minerals, vitamins, and amino acids.

If you want to get a good detox going on, you need to address these factors, not drinking more water.

For example, about 50% of the population is deficient in magnesium. Drinking more water won't do anything if you lack magnesium, which is critical for a proper detox.

Don't fall for this myth anymore. Learn to listen to your body. It will tell you when to drink!

10 comments