When my wife Caitlin recently suggested I read an article about the benefits of drinking more water – a loving hint – I could not shrug it off. I don’t drink nearly enough. I’ve long heard about the many benefits of healthy water intake and I decided that this year was the year I was going to do something about it.
According to the Institute of Medicine, the adequate intake (AI) of fluid per day for men is about 13 cups (3.0 liters) and nine cups (2.2 liters) for women.
I realized I don’t even drink the average amount of fluid per day, let alone water. I tended to stick to a hearty cup of coffee in the morning along with maybe a glass of water or juice with each meal.
So as an experiment, we decided to drink around one gallon (3.7 liters) of water per day for 30 days. Our intent was to record our symptoms and hoped those symptoms would motivate us to drink more water.
The first thing I noticed was the increasing trips to the bathroom. That was relatively annoying – especially at work – but there were other symptoms noticed right away, like feeling more rested after waking up in the morning. Even my skin seemed less dry.
Caitlin said she felt more focused during the day and just healthier overall. She also noted feeling more rested after waking up in the morning. She even said she did not feel the need to drink as much caffeine — her drug of choice to keep moving throughout the day.
Outpatient and Community Dietitian Marlys Sloan of OhioHealth MedCentral affirmed what I experienced in outlining the benefits of water intake.
“(Water) reduces the effects of aging by improving skin health, reduces fatigue and improves circulation, decreases constipation, improves digestion and possibly increases metabolism, decreases headaches and hangover effects, reduces bad breath, and is an overall natural internal cleanser,” said Sloan.
But drinking a gallon of water isn’t necessarily the best, and oftentimes the most realistic, way to increase one’s water intake.
“There are 3.785 liters in one gallon. That is more than most individuals ‘need’ or want to comfortably drink. More than likely an individual will not experience any negative side effects (of drinking a gallon of water in a day). They are most likely to be inconvenienced by increased bathroom needs. However, ignoring frequent restroom breaks, likely more than once every 90 to 120 minutes, and clear urine can potentially lead to hyponatremia.”
Hyponatremia is caused by flushing your body of its sodium. It is commonly known to affect athletes who are drinking too much water during a sporting event. An extreme lack of sodium in our body can be fatal, said Sloan.
Most people, however, might find themselves on the other end of the spectrum.
“Most individuals drink too little fluids in general, but especially too little water. Many consume more fluids from flavored coffee beverages and sweetened and sugar free beverages,” she said.
Sloan also pointed out that drinking more water is important for those who are interested in managing weight. “Water, unsweetened teas and even moderate coffee, around 16 fluid ounces daily, are good options to increase fluid intake without increasing calories.”
So in all, I learned three things:
1.) The benefits of drinking more water everyday outweigh the slight annoyance of increased trips to the bathroom.
2.) You don’t have to drink a gallon of water everyday to be healthy. There are plenty of alternatives to increasing our water intake.
3.) Those benefits now motivate me to drink more water daily.
If you have realized you don’t drink enough water, consider taking the 30 Day Water Challenge and then share your story with us. We’d love to see how drinking more water works for you.
