Water Wisdom
 You've heard all the advice: Drink eight glasses of water a day. Stay properly hydrated while exercising. Sports drinks aren't just for professional athletes.
Yet you're still unsure whether you're drinking the right amount
for good health.
How much fluid should you really be taking in daily? Do you need
to add extra when you're physically active? And is too much water
dangerous?
Everyone's body needs water. We lose it by sweating, excretion,
or simply not taking in enough through foods—like fruits and vegetables—and
drinks. Mild dehydration (losing less than two percent of your body
weight due to inadequate fluids) can cause health problems, including
dizziness and headache.
To keep your body supplied with the fluid it needs, especially
when exercising, follow these tips:
-
Get the basics. Most women need eight to nine cups of
total fluids a day, including all beverages and the water in
foods.
-
Increase according to the weather. High temperatures
or humidity outside, heated indoor air and high altitudes all
cause you to need more fluids.
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Add when exercising. Drink one cup of fluids every 15
minutes during physical activity, advises Werner W.K. Hoeger,
Ed.D., FACSM, professor of kinesiology and director of the Human
Performance Laboratory at Boise State University. He recommends
sports drinks over water when exercising because they contain
electrolytes—important to provide the minerals necessary for
proper cellular metabolism—which is disrupted during physical
exertion. Electrolyte replacement also helps maintain proper
muscle contraction and cardiac function.
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Add more for big events. If you're going to be in a
race or charity walk, make sure you drink enough to be well-hydrated
the day before, Hoeger adds. Also, drink a glass of fluids an
hour before the event.
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Drinking for two? Pregnant and nursing women need additional
fluids. Talk with your health care professional about what's
best for you.
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Still thirsty? If drinking fluids doesn't relieve your
thirst, you may have a health condition such as diabetes. See
your health care professional right away.
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Too much of a good thing. In very rare cases—chiefly
among marathon runners—drinking too much fluid leads to a life-threatening
illness, hyponatremia. This occurs when sodium levels in the
blood fall too low. It happens chiefly to athletes who have
run for more than four hours and gained a lot of weight during
the race from drinking.
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