Many people believe they are supposed to drink eight glasses of water a day, or about two liters. Why? Because that is the amount of water they have been told all their life. But a recent report offers some different advice. Experts suggest people should obey their bodies: they should drink as much water as they feel like drinking.
The report says most healthy people meet their daily needs for liquid by letting thirst be their guide. The report is from the Institute of Medicine, which provides scientific and technical advice to the government and the public. The report contains some general suggestions. It says women should get about 2.7 liters of water daily and men about 3.7 liters. But wait–in each case, that is more than eight glasses.
There is one important difference. The report does not tell people how many glasses of water are needed to meet these guidelines. This is because the daily water requirement can include the water content in foods.
As you might expect, the Institute of Medicine says people need to drink more water when they are physically active. The same is true of those who live in hot climates. Depending on heat and activity, people could need twice as much water as others do.
All this, however, does not answer one question. No one seems sure why people have the idea that good health requires eight glasses of water daily. It may have started with a misunderstanding.
How much water we should drink every day
