- By Prerna Targhotra
- Mon, 08 Jul 2024 06:02 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Optimal Water Intake: There is abundant information available on our tips about how much water an individual should drink throughout the day. How much water should you drink in a day is a simple question with no straight or simple answer. No single formula fits everyone as everybody has different requirements. However, it is important to know about your body’s fluid needs to help you estimate how much water your body needs within a day.
Shedding light on optimal water intake, Dr Dilip Gude, Senior Consultant Physician, Yashoda Hospitals Hyderabad said that there has been a wide variety of opinions on how much water to be taken per day. Mayo Clinic recommends that an intake of about 3.7 litres per day for men and 2.7 litres per day for women is usually optimum.
Optimal Water Intake And Side Effects Of Dehydration
Lesser fluid per day may cause dehydration, especially in hot and humid weather. Also, diabetic patients on a class of antidiabetic medications such as empagliflozin, dapagliflozin or canagliflozin are at a higher risk of dehydration as these drugs cause osmotic diuresis. Nevertheless, this class is very important as it provides cardiorenal benefits apart from sugar control.
ALSO READ: Not Drinking Enough Water? Here’s How Dehydration Can Affect Your Body
Prolonged excessive dehydration from poor oral water intake can put one at a higher risk of stroke and blood clots from hyper-viscous state/ blood clot formation in a few individuals. Apart from that more common features are mental fog, dizziness/ syncope etc. Excessive dehydration can also cause hard stools and constipation. Fatigue and various moods such as anger, depression, confusion, and hostility also can be triggered by very poor water intake.
Optimal Water Intake (Image Credits: Canva)
Some people may confuse thirst with hunger and tend to overeat. In these cases, adequate water intake helps them curb overeating. Headaches, skin damage or dryness, and slower metabolism are also some of the effects of very poor water intake.
Fatigue stemming from poor fluid intake can prevent one from adequately working out/exercising as well. Kidney stones and recurrent urinary infections also can stem from long-term poor water intake. Hence, an average of 3 and a half litres of water for men and 3 litres for women definitely helps one keep adequately hydrated and prevent various complications stemming from dehydration.