Comments on: Busting The 8-Glasses-A-Day Myth

New Report Throws Water On Long-Held Belief That More Water Is Better For Health

[sassalin]

Maybe I am missing the point but the article says an average person needs 4-8 glasses instead of 8. Not that much of a difference to me. Some people need more some need less. The difference between the two are not enough to change my mind. Plus where is the proof????

[kwynn21]

one woman says I don''t think you can drink too much...does any one remember the story of the lady who was trying to "hold her wee for a wii?" (I''m pretty sure it was a radio contest sometime last year) she drank too much water, and it killed her. she left behind 3 kids

[erasmus6]

"If water does not take toxins out of your system why do doctors and nurses tell you to drink "lots" of water when you are sick?" Posted by waganupa

They aren''t telling you that because it removes toxins. They are telling you that because if you are running a fever, throwing up or have diarrhoea, you need to be drinking water so you don''t dehydrate.

[waganupa]

My oh my, the garbage that shows up in the internet. This article is absolutely absurd. How much is a "glass" of water? I use a shot glass to drink my water. Hey, maybe I''ll just quit drinking water altogether and just drink coffee (yes, I know coffee forces water OUT of your system I''m being sarcastic). Who are these people and what is their motive? If water does not take toxins out of your system why do doctors and nurses tell you to drink "lots" of water when you are sick? BECAUSE WATER ENABLES THE REMOVAL OF TOXINS FROM YOUR BODY and the amount of nitrogenous toxins present depend on diet so some people will need more water than others. (page 936 - 940 Biology sixth edition Campbell-Reece isbn 080536624-5)- take biology 101 - fools - check out how cells live and work - were you sleeping in class that day? On a hot day in the summer a person can get dehydrated without getting thirsty - this is taught in college in freshman first aid classes. You get headaches and dizzy because your body overheats and toxins build up. The physical size and nature of physical activity of a person determines how much water they need. From "Water science for Schools - the USGS site: "Each day humans must replace 2.4 litres of water". Stop encouraging a person to not drink water without giving specific amounts and conditions. This is just bad advice and terrible science. These people who produce and mis-interpret data should be ashamed of themselves. This is NOT the way to deal with water shortages.

[davzapen]

Part of the backstory is a (1989?) NIGHTLINE article that U.S. soldiers in the desert needed a gallon a day. Good luck finding it; I''m still trying to get a copy of the 10/19/1987 show about the stock market crash that day ... with The Muppets!

[geoffgw]

I do not believe this story at all. have travelled internationally for 24 years. I used to get regular headaches before, during and after trips. Since
I have begun drinking water heavily, I have had maybe 5 headaches in 20 years. I don''t agree with the premise of this article and I see no evidence to support their claims!!

[tmarrros]

Yes, perhaps you don%u2019t need to drink 8 glasses of water a day. The message is though, that was not mentioned, is that you should drink water instead of coffee, soda, and products that are unhealthy.

[shanev137]

Over hydrating will actually leach all the minerals out of your body.

[grammawhamma]

You know all those old sayings?

You can lead a horse to water, but you can''t make it drink. Birds of a feather, flock together. You are what you eat. Sleep with the dogs and you''ll wake up with fleas. The early bird gets the worm. ETC.

Maybe they should do a study on how accurate all of those "old" sayings really are!

[tbweb]

I never subscribed to this and always wondered if I was wrong not to, its nice to be vindicated, some things just don''t feel right and for me this was one of them! I can''t wait to torture my friends who loyally do this and tortured me for not drinking 8 glasses a day! One for me, yes!

[idiobiblio]

Good job wadea10. I looked for the source of the "eight glasses per day" recommendation for a bit but gave up after getting sidetracked.

[wadea10]

The source of the "eight glasses poer day" recommendation was T. E. Terry, editor of the Farm Journal early in the 20th century. He wrote a book, "How to Live a Long and Healthy Life" Also promoted no salt, pure foods with no additives, chewing each bite of food 8 times, ect.

[steeli1]

The water consumed in one day from other food and drink such as juice and fruit is not counted either in the eight glasses supposedly needed or the four to six glasses needed. Really how much water does one''s body need on a daily basis?

[kevsan1]

Also, if you drink more water and especially if you exercise like you should, you have to work at replacing electrolytes which includes salt. Salt free diets are also for those who don''t want to live long. Some medical advice is dispensed because doctors don''t think people will change their lifestyles. If you''re not exercising and drinking enough water, too much salt is bad for you. If you are exercising and taking in fluids you need salt. But like everything it should be in moderation.

[erasmus6]

The only thing I drink is water. I drink it when I am thirsty, that''s it. For people that have problems with kidney function, it isn''t good to drink too much water, it makes them have to work to hard.

[kevsan1]

Having once been seriously dehydrated, I will always try to get at least 6 - 8 cups of water a day. Some folks perspire more than others or if you are working out you definitely need more as you would in hot weather.

It is not natural or good for your kidneys to have a concentrated build up which shows in the color of your urine. Lighter is better. Darker urine is listed as a sign of dehydration.

Too much water is not good either. If your kidneys can''t pass it, you could get water buildup in your lungs. If you have heart problems, too much water can cause fluid buildup.

Of course, this study will be trumped by another and another after that. How many times have we seen that happen? Makes you realize they don''t really know what they are talking about. Best thing is to live and eat as healthy as possible and get sleep.

[susan10001-2009]

I think you CAN drink too much, if I''m not mistaken. Something about throwing off electrolytes or metabolites?? I know someone who died from it.

[idiobiblio]

Of course drinking eight glasses of water a day is absurd unless you''re doing a lot of physical exercise in the heat. However, I think this report is not stressing the fact that the alternatives to water are by and large unhealthy.

This report should emphasize that people need to ditch soft drinks, sugary fruit juices, absurd amounts of coffee, etc, for water.