3 hydration myths, debunked

On average, the human body is made up of 60% water. Water is essential to proper functioning, both physically and mentally. If you don't drink enough water, you may experience headaches, migraines, dizziness, confusion, or other symptoms.

However, widespread advice about how to stay hydrated may not always be accurate or necessary for everyone. Some common myths about hydration include:

1. You need to drink eight cups of water a day

Many people believe you need to drink at least eight cups of water a day to stay healthy, but research suggests that this advice may not necessarily be true.

"We have guidelines telling people how much water to drink," said Herman Pontzer, a professor of evolutionary anthropology and global health at Duke University. "But the reality is that people have been kind of making it up."

In a 2022 study published in Science, Pontzer and his colleagues found that drinking eight cups of water a day was largely unnecessary for most healthy adults, in part because it doesn't account for any water taken from food or other drinks, like coffee or tea.

In general, a person's water needs will depend on several factors, including their age, sex, size, physical activity levels, and the climate they live in. Men will typically need more water than women, and people living in hotter climates will need more water than those living in cooler areas.

2. Drink beyond your thirst levels

Although staying hydrated is important, most experts say you should only drink water when you feel thirsty.

"For survival purposes, if you don't feel thirst, then the general rule of thumb is that you don't have to drink," said Yuki Oka, a professor at Caltech who studies neural and molecular mechanisms in maintaining homeostasis.

An exception to this general rule is if you have certain medical conditions, such as kidney stones or frequent urinary tract infections. People with either of these conditions are generally recommended to increase their water intake to prevent them from recurring in the future.

3. Strive for clear or light-colored urine

The color of your urine is generally a good sign of how hydrated you are. Pale yellow or clear urine suggests you are getting lots of water while darker urine suggests that you may need more fluids.

However, Joel Topf, medical director of St. Clair Nephrology Research, said people shouldn't be too concerned about the color of their urine unless it's very dark or has blood in it.

"Trying to optimize for super pale urine is a fool's errand," Topf said. "I'd be much more focused not on urine color, but on sense of thirst. The idea that we have recently gotten so much smarter than evolution and we know that drinking additional water is helpful; it's just not right. There's no evidence to point to that."

How to stay hydrated

Although you may not need eight cups of water a day to stay properly hydrated, it is still important to make an effort to drink water to avoid dehydration and other negative side effects.

To help you stay hydrated, health experts offer five simple tips:

1. Add flavor to your water

If you don't really like the taste of water, you can add flavor to it to make it easier to drink.

"If water is too plain, there are many ways to liven it up. Add a splash of 100% fruit juice," said Jamie Lee McIntyre, a registered dietitian-nutritionist. "Use frozen fruit like mangoes and berries instead of ice cubes, or freeze bite-size fruit into ice cube trays."

2. Figure out what water temperature works best for you

According to McIntyre, you should find what water temperature is most comfortable for you to drink. If you can't handle cold water, drink room temperature water or vice versa. Enjoying the temperature of your water will make you more likely to drink a full glass.

3. Have a water bottle in every room

Emily Werner, a dietitian for the Philadelphia 76ers, says she tells her athletes to keep water bottles in every room so that they always have a source of hydration nearby. And if you're outside of your house, she recommends bringing your own water bottle in case there's no water fountain nearby.

4. Get your water through food

"Eat your fruits to simultaneously help with hydration and nutrition," McIntyre said. "Produce such as tomatoes, watermelon, grapes, oranges, and pineapple hydrate as well as nourish us."

5. Set alarms to remind yourself to drink

If you're still having difficulty getting enough water during the day, Werner recommends setting timers every hour or half-hour to remind yourself to drink. Over time, drinking water regularly will become a habit and you won't need a reminder to stay hydrated. (O'Connor, Washington Post, 12/6/22; Fiore, MedPage Today, 6/13; Pawlowski, TODAY, 1/20; Ellis, Fortune, 5/6; McPhillips, Fortune, 6/10)

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