To Drink, or not to Drink?

Recently, there have been reports in the news about water intake. The report states that the rule-of-thumb, 8x8 (eight, 8oz.) glasses of water per day may be unnecessary.

Much like your caloric intake, the more water you expend, the more you need to replace to stay in balance. Is this telling you anything you didn't already know? Probably not. But it should make you aware that as an active individual, you do need to think about optimal fluid intake.

While your body has the ability to find water in even the driest baked potato, it may need to expend more water in the process than it gains, resulting in a net loss.

On the other side, too much water can be bad for you.  Hyponatremia is a condition where too much water dilutes the body's natural balance and sodium serum levels get too low.  NSAID use, female gender and excessive water intake during and after exercise can increase the risk of hyponatremia.

If you experience any of the following warning signs, be safe, and seek medical attention immediately:

Nausea
Vomiting
Headache
Confusion
Dizziness
Seizure

For typical athletes drinking "pure" water, the American College of Sports Medicine's (ACSM) recommendation is 20-30 oz./hr. Extreme endurance event athletes, such as marathon or triathlon may benefit from sodium/electrolytes found in sports drinks.

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Be your Absolute best!