Drink 1.5 liters of water a day, a myth?
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Various of studies show that you should drink about 1.5 liters of water a day, or 8 glasses a day. However, the figures differ according to the research, and the different types of morphologies observed. Water is an essential need for the body, so its consumption is essential. But is it really limited to 1.5 liters a day?
The body's water requirements are specific to a person's morphology, lifestyle and climate. Water represents about 60% of the body weight. But every day, a significant amount escapes from the body. Studies show that the body of a person of average size would spend more than 2 liters of water a day. The excesses are mainly eliminated by the urine, which serve to evacuate the waste produced by the body, but also through breathing, sweating and tears. These losses are offset by the diet, which represents around a liter, and liquids that are drunk.
It is therefore necessary to hydrate throughout the day, even when the thirst is not felt. Indeed, with aging, people feel less the need to drink and the risk of dehydration is possible. As well as in case of high temperatures (heat causes additional water loss), physical effort, breastfeeding and illness, it is advisable to ensure proper hydration of the body. The risk of dehydration is defined by body weight, and may be due to insufficient and prolonged water consumption. The first signs of chronic dehydration may be dark urine, dryness in the mouth and throat, headaches and dizziness, and very dry skin and intolerance to dryness. heat.
Drinking too much would be bad for your health
Too much and too fast fluid intake in the body, called hyponatremia, could be harmful. The latter would not be supported by the kidneys, which can regulate only one and a half liters of water per hour. In fact, drinking too much water would cause the cells to swell in the blood, which could lead to a disorder of brain function. The concentration of the intra-plasma sodium ion is greatly reduced due to the presence of water in the plasma. However, hyponatremia most often results from pathologies such as potomania or an excess of infusions: cases of this disorder are rare and affect only a tiny number of people.
Variable recommendations
Studies have been conducted to define what would be the real water requirement of the body. The figures vary between 1 and 3 liters per day, it is advisable to drink about two liters daily. But as we saw earlier, it depends on the morphology, the environment and the way of life of the person. This statement must be nuanced and placed in the contexts to which it belongs. These two liters do not include water in the true sense of the term, but all liquids that go through food and water-based drinks (tea, coffee, juice). The theory of 8 glasses therefore refers to the totality of liquids consumed during a day. This recommendation is based on a study by the Institute of Medicine, who had suggested that each calorie of food intake was equal to one milliliter of water. For example, 1,900 calories a day is equivalent to 1,900 mL of water (1.9 L). The confusion occurred when people forgot that the food already contained water, so it would not be necessary to drink 2 liters of extra water. However, other studies say the opposite: they should, according to them, consume between 2.5 and 3 liters in addition to food.
The answer then remains vague and impossible to define, because many research contradict each other and give each different results. The recommendation to drink 1.5 liters of water a day can be considered a myth, but it remains necessary to ensure its proper hydration throughout the day for the good of the body.
sources
British Nutrition Foundation (Ed.). Nutrition Basics - Liquids for life, nutrition.org.uk . www.nutrition.org.uk
European Council of Food Information (EUFIC). Hydration - essential to your well-being, EUFIC . . www.eufic.org
Noakes, T. Nutrition Issues in Gastroenteroly (August 2014), Sharon Bergquist, Chris McStay, MD, FACEP, FAWM, Director of Clinical Operations, Department of Medical Emergencies, Colorado School of Medicine.
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (Ed). Food and Nutrition Center - Water: How much should you drink every day? , MayoClinic.com http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256?pg=2
Dominique Armand, researcher at the CNRS. Scientific file: water . (2013). http://www.cnrs.fr/cw/dossiers/doseau/decouv/usages/eauOrga.html
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