We have long heard that eight, 8 ounce glasses of water is the amount we need each day.  Many people think this sounds like a lot, but it’s not even the amount we need. Each of us actually needs one half of our body weight in ounces of water.  That’s 80 ounces, or close to three quarts, for a 160-pound woman.

There is little scientific evidence on what the human body’s need for water is.  The reasons for this are complex.  First, most people do not have a good grasp on the feeling of thirst, myself included.  I often confuse thirst with hunger and when being good, grab an apple.  The second reason is we retain water at different levels.  Your water needs depend on how much or how little you exercise, your overall health, your genetics and the level of humidity in your environment.

Thirst is your body’s signal that you need to drink water – but by the time most of us feel thirsty, we are already dehydrated. Losing just a percent of the body’s water can hinder metabolic processes, create exhaustion and decrease athletic performance.  Drinking enough water to satisfy your immediate thirst may not be enough to supply your body’s needs, it can take up 24 hours to fully rehydrate cells.

Although sports drinks, energy drinks, and vitamins infused waters sound appealing – thanks to marketing teams that rake in a purported $26 million in sales yearly – they are not the best choices to rehydrate.  Water is the best thing you can drink to hydrate your body for its daily needs.  (According to exercise physiologists, sports beverages are deeded only during ultra-long endurance events.)

Manufactured drinks often contain simple sugars, such as high fructose corn syrup, glucose, sucrose, dextrose, or fructose, and are linked to obesity, tooth decay, diabetes, and osteoporosis.  Sports and energy drinks or vitamin-infused waters claim to have beneficial ingredients, but the levels of vitamins in those drinks are often low or not the vitamins the American public is typically in need of.  These drinks do not contain the nutrients, including calcium, potassium, and folate, needed to round out one’s diet, and often contain a significant number of calories.  A container of one popular energy drink, for example, has 250 calories and 63 grams of sugar, which is more carbohydrates then what most dietitians recommend per meal.

Source: Massage Mag