Curious about proper hydration

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Lurker at Large - 09 Jun 2005 15:26 GMT

    I've been wondering this for a long time and thought maybe this would
be a good place to get some "expert" opinions. Last year I joined Weight
Watchers and one of their rules is that you should drink 6 8-oz glasses of
water each day. I've heard this suggestion from other places as well. Wasn't
it also cited on the recently revised food pyramid? So it's a common thing.
    In my experience, drinking that much causes me to urinate so frequently
that I'm uncomfortable for most of the day, and interrupting my work nearly
every 15 minutes to go to the bathroom. I understand that when you start a
diet or exercise program this is good to "wash out the toxins" that may have
built up in your body. But I think it's too much for an ongoing daily
lifestyle.
    Over the last few months, I've experimented with my water intake and
lately I've been drinking about 1 liter of water each day, and I find
that this keeps me hydrated without having to urinate so much. Doing this
requires a trip to the bathroom only every other hour (or so). Doesn't it seem
more sensible to listen to your body and judge proper intake based on rate of
urination? (Assuming that you're otherwise healthy, not diabetic or
anything that changes your metabolic rate.) Right? Or am I way off base?

Sharon

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Jeff - 09 Jun 2005 15:48 GMT

> I've been wondering this for a long time and thought maybe this would
> be a good place to get some "expert" opinions. Last year I joined Weight
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> have
> built up in your body.

There is no evidence that we need 6- or 8- 8 oz glass of water each day.
There is no scientific or medical basis of this at all. As long as you drink
enough so that pee a few times a day, you are drinking enough. The only
exception to this is that peeing more often helps wash bacteria out of the
urethra and helps prevent kidney stones. There was a paper in scinetific
journal with the last 3 years.

The toxin stuff is an old wives' tale as well. The toxin idea was disproven
years ago.

> But I think it's too much for an ongoing daily
> lifestyle.
> Over the last few months, I've experimented with my water intake and
> lately I've been drinking about 1 liter of water each day, and I find
> that this keeps me hydrated without having to urinate so much.

Then 1 liter of water a day is enough for you.

> Doing this
> requires a trip to the bathroom only every other hour (or so). Doesn't it
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> urination? (Assuming that you're otherwise healthy, not diabetic or
> anything that changes your metabolic rate.) Right? Or am I way off base?

You're right on target.

Jeff

> Sharon

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outrider - 09 Jun 2005 16:16 GMT

> > I've been wondering this for a long time and thought maybe this would
> > be a good place to get some "expert" opinions. Last year I joined Weight
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> The toxin stuff is an old wives' tale as well. The toxin idea was disproven
> years ago.

Why are the medical community's embarrassing errors always called old
wive's tales after they figure out they've been doing us wrong? Prior
to the blush, it was "standard of care" or some such.

Was HRT an old wives tale? Vioxx?

Sloshing along...

> > But I think it's too much for an ongoing daily
> > lifestyle.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Then 1 liter of water a day is enough for you.

It is 6-8 glasses or about 48 ounces of fluid, not only water. That can
include water, juice, milk, coffee and tea; the latter two in
moderation. You will also get some hydration from fruits and
vegetables.

Keeping well hydrated is a blood thinner of sorts too, if that's a
concern for you.

I'm sure some Old Doc will come along now and finesse this...

Zee

> > Doing this
> > requires a trip to the bathroom only every other hour (or so). Doesn't it
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Jeff
> > Sharon

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Jeff - 09 Jun 2005 17:01 GMT

(...)

> Why are the medical community's embarrassing errors always called old
> wive's tales after they figure out they've been doing us wrong? Prior
> to the blush, it was "standard of care" or some such.

I don't recall 6 to 8 glasses of water being an part of the stadard of care.
However, it never hurt anyone.

> Was HRT an old wives tale? Vioxx?

These are examples of our limited medical knowledge. These were based on the
evidence that was available at the time.

It turns out that members of the medical community did not realize that had
major selection problems in the study of HRT.

Neither HRT or Vioxx were old wive's tales. They were errors in judgement in
the medical communities drive to improve the lives of patients (and the
pockets of stock holders).

Medicine is a human endeavor, which means it is not perfect.

> Sloshing along...
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> It is 6-8 glasses or about 48 ounces of fluid, not only water.

Actually, the one i heard was 8-8oz glasses of water. Not juice or milk.
Just water. That is what the OP asked about as well. Besides, water is the
main ingredient of fluid.

> That can
> include water, juice, milk, coffee and tea; the latter two in
> moderation.

There were also old wives tales that you should drink a volume of water
equal to the volume of caffeine-containing drinks, because of the diuretic
effect of caffiene, in addition to the 8-8oz glasses of water.

> You will also get some hydration from fruits and
> vegetables.

I never said otherwise.

> Keeping well hydrated is a blood thinner of sorts too, if that's a
> concern for you.

Not much of one, really. Blood thinning really mean preventing clotting,
which hydration doesn't do, except in severe dehydration.

> I'm sure some Old Doc will come along now and finesse this...

I am not that old.

Jeff

> Zee
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>> Jeff
>> > Sharon

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