Mythbuster: Eight glasses of water a day?

How often have you been told to get eight glasses of water a day without fail? In fact, this recommendation, along with 10,000 steps a day, usually ranks high on most people’s list of fitness and health goals. 

But has this scientifically been proven or is it a myth? While studies show that it is important to keep yourself hydrated, stay healthy, lose weight, improve digestion and also slow down ageing, there are no conclusive studies that stipulate a specific amount of water. According to a 2022 study published in the journal, ‘Science’, one requires anywhere between 1.5 and 1.8 litres of water a day, and not necessarily eight glasses, the equivalent of two litres. 

Guidelines that specify eight glasses of water fail to account for the water content in certain foods. Also, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for drinking water. When you are low on fluids, the thirst alert kicks in, so just pay heed to it and get some water.

There is also a belief that the more water you consume, the more efficiently the toxins in your body are flushed out by your kidneys but science says that as long as your water intake is adequate, your kidneys do a good job of removing toxins.  A 2018 study published in the medical journal, ‘JAMA’, reported that over 600 patients with chronic kidney disease were given more water than those who drank under two litres but that did not in any way change the kidney function in the former group. So, just drink water when you need, and don’t obsess over numbers.

( Mythbuster picks up a popular wellness belief and examines if it is true, false, or maybe lies somewhere in between.)