Drinking Water - Summary

Here is a summary of certain myths associated with thirst and drinking water, based of the references.




1. One should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

There is no evidence that there is any benefit to drinking unless one is thirsty.

2. When you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

Many different research projects show that the onset of thirst occurs while people are still adequately hydrated. Unless you are running a marathon, there is no need to worry about drinking until you are thirsty.

3. Dark urine means dehydration.

The authors state that "the warning that dark urine reflects dehydration is alarmist and false in most instances".

4. Weight loss is aided by drinking a lot of water.

A study on dieting does not show a significant improvement in weight loss resulting from more drinking.

5. Drinking a lot of water helps alleviate constipation.

There is no evidence that drinking fluids helps constipation.

6. And while we're at it, one additional myth from Reference 5 - Caffeinated beverages make you dehydrated.

Just not true!