Jéquier E and Constant F. Water as an essential nutrient: the physiological basis of hydration. EJCN 2010; 64: 115-123
Get your 1.5L of water a day
On average a healthy sedentary adult living in a temperate climate needs to replace 2.5L of lost fluids a day. Although everyone is different. Some factors like age and gender play into how much water you should drink every day on average. So it's worth finding out if you need more. But don't worry. You don't need to replace all your water through drinking alone!
Water is replenished from 3 major sources:
- 0.7L is absorbed through the food we eat.
- 0.3L of metabolic water* is produced in the body during biochemical reactions.
- That only leaves us with 1.5L of water to replace through what we drink.
In combination with food water sources, people should get about 1.5L* of water each day to maintain water balance**. Good hydration goes hand in hand with a healthy lifestyle!
The consequences of inadequate hydration
If the amount of water one loses is not compensated by an appropriate amount of water intake, signs of dehydration may occur:
- Thirst sensation
- Decreases in the amount of urine
- Darker urine color
- Tiredness*
- Dry mouth
- Decrease in mental awareness
In certain circumstances you should drink more water:
- Physical activity
- Heat
* Jéquier E and Constant F. Water as an essential nutrient: the physiological basis of hydration. EJCN 2010; 64: 115-12
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