How much water should you be drinking? (Image: Getty)
The recent heatwave has left many of us Brits feeling dizzy, faint and tired. During these extreme temperatures, it is important to keep hydrated. For years, the advice to drink two litres of water a day has been widely accepted as the key to healthy living.
The NHS recommends drinking six to eight cups or glasses of fluid each day to help keep your body healthy. “Water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count as part of your daily intake,” shared the national health expert. However, one world-famous expert in nutrition has recently taken to social media to debunk the claim that everyone needs two litres of water a day.
Nutritionist Dr Federica Amati took to Instagram and shared: “You may have heard you need two, three or maybe even four litres of water a day, but how much water do we actually need to drink?”
She continued: “The truth is that for most young healthy people, hydration is not an issue. Hydration can become more of an issue with people who are sick and in the elderly because their thirst response is dampened which is a normal part of ageing.”
She went on to say that, as a general rule, responding to your thirst is the best way to stay hydrated. This means whenever you feel thirsty, you should drink rather than attempting to hit a goal of two litres a day.
When it comes to rehydration salts, she says you should not use them unless you’ve been through extreme circumstances like running a marathon or have sweated for many hours. She advises that people do not need regular consumption of these because they can be high in sodium, which is a risk factor for hypertension, which is problematic for health.
She further explained: “We have to remember that we get a lot of the water we need from our food, which is why eating whole fresh fruits and vegetables really contributes to your hydration levels.”
Can I drink too much water?
An expert at Nuffield Health explained: “Just like determining how much water is right for you, this all depends on the person and the environment they live in.
“If we drink too much water, we risk losing valuable minerals like salt and potassium in our urine. If we drink too little, these minerals can start to crystallise and form kidney stones.”
6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day is recommended by NHS (Image: Getty)
Staying hydrated is an important part of supporting your health, energy, and overall well-being. The amount of water you need each day will vary depending on your age, body size, and activity levels, but a simple guideline is to aim for around 35ml of water per kilogram of body weight, said the expert.
They noted that if you weigh 72kg (159lbs), aim for approximately 2.5 litres per day. If you weigh 85kg (188lbs), about 3 litres is needed, and if you weigh 100kg (220lbs), you need around 3.5 litres.
Keep in mind that you may need more if you’re active, exercising regularly, or spending time in hot weather.
