DRINK WATER FOR HEALTH - HOW MUCH?

One of our basic nutrients for life is water. How much water is too much or still not enough? Is the magic formula “8x8” appropriate? Learn more…

THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND

Constance Reedl from Worcester, MA, asks:
 
Since I was a child I learned from all angles: drink more water, drink more water!  Now I hear I drink too much of it. Sounds schizophrenic. How much water is right, and how much is wrong, Doc?
 
Dr. Fritz:
 
We hear again and again that many of us don’t drink enough water, in order to support all cells and organs in our body properly. With dehydration as a result this can lead to quite a few health problems, not only constipation (see our last Sunday Blog). Rather, a water deficiency can also cause muscle cramps, fatigue or dizziness. 
 
However, since our natural-ecologic existence requires a balanced diet and lifestyle in general, we should not be surprised that anything too much is not less problematic than anything not enough. Drinking water being no exception.
 
In other words, yes, drinking too much water can cause water intoxication (water poisoning) – with severe negative effects on brain functioning, just like the contrary (water deficiency). By diluting electrolytes like sodium in the blood, shifting fluids from the outside to the inside of brain cells. With potentially life-threatening outcome.
 
In fact, this swelling of brain cells can lead to, inter alia, headaches as well as nausea and vomiting.
 
Even worse, this fluid accumulation in the brain – called edema - can cause dysfunction of the central nervous system along with, inter alia,

• Confusion
• Double vision
• High blood pressure
• Inability identifying sensory information
• Drowsiness
• Muscle weakness & cramps
• Difficulty breathing
• Etc.

 
Not enough, this kind of intoxication may potentially lead even to brain damage, seizures, coma – and death.

SCIENTIFIC VALIDATION
 

e effects on health and life expectation because of too much water consumption have been scientifically validated in many population segments,  especially for 3 groups.

      *  Army personnel
          (Research: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Rockville, MD, et al.)
     *   Endurance sports athletes
          (Research: The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, UK, et al.)

• Schizophrenics

           (Research: Royal College of Psychiatrists, also in London, UK, et al.)
 
This leads us to the question: How much water is too much?
 
Basically, any amount your kidneys cannot get rid of via normal urination, is simply too much. Usually that’s 27-33 ounces (app. 1 liter) per hour. According to, inter alia, Chosun University School of Medicine in Owangju, Korea.
 
Yet – drinking how much water  is just right?
 
Folk saying teaches us that we should drink 8 glasses of 8 ounces each per day ('8x8').   
 
Unfortunately, however, according to, inter alia, Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, NH, this ‘magic formula’ is not scientifically validated.
 
Instead, we may follow the scientific advice of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine (formerly Institute of Medicine) in Washington, D.C. according to which we should drink water per day as a rule of thumb as follows:
     *    Men 125 ounces (3.7 liters)

• Women 91 ounces (2.7 liters)

  Depending individually on body weight, physical activity and the respective climate we are in.

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DISCLAIMER

Although the aforementioned criteria are based on scientific research, please consider those only as an information, not for therapy.