Water policy of human body

Water policy of human body

About 71% of the Earth's surface is water-covered. Human body is about 60% water. Water is one of the most important things that we should never ignore. We need water to enable our body to keep eliminating the toxins generated, to produce digestive enzymes, maintain healthy skin, hair, organs and to help our body absorb essential vitamins, minerals and natural sugars. Water also regulates our body temperature, cooling us down by evaporating through our skin. Most of us drink water only when we realise that we are very thirsty. But, ideally, that should not be the case.

Mainly through excretion, sweating and respiration we are constantly losing water from our body, which can lead to dehydration. Even on a cold winter day our body will use and lose about 2 litres of water. To prevent this, we have to rehydrate our body by drinking adequate amounts of water.

There are many different opinions on how much water you should be drinking every day.

Health authorities commonly recommend the 8×8 rule which is very easy to remember (eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day). That is adults should be sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day which equals about 2 litres. Some health gurus believe that we need to sip on water constantly throughout the day, even when you’re not thirsty. Another normal standard for diverse persons is 1 millilitre for each calorie of food intake. (i.e., a person who consume 1500 cal. of food stuff should at least drink 1.5 litres of water)

As with most things, this depends on the individual. Many factors (both internal and external) ultimately affect our need for water.

Here in this article I am trying to separate fact from fiction and explain how one should monitor oneself to know his/her individual need for leading a healthy life.

Water content of our body and our metabolism

Body’s water content affects its metabolic rate. The faster our metabolism is, the more calories and fat we can burn and turn to energy. This is possible by staying hydrated. With dehydration, our metabolism slows down. Studies have proven that drinking 2 cups of water before a meal, increases our metabolic rate by 30 percent.

German researchers found that drinking six cups of cold water a day (that's around 1.5 Litres) can raise resting metabolism by about 50 calories daily—enough to shed 2.5 kg in a year. The increase may come from the work it takes to heat the water to body temperature.

(The important point here to understand is that less water or getting dehydrated frequently SLOWS DOWN OUR METABOLISM. A slow metabolism means slower fat loss and drop in your energy levels and growth)

Water intake and weight management

There are many claims that increased water intake may reduce body weight by increasing your metabolism and reducing your appetite.

According to two studies, drinking 17 ounces (500 ml) of water can temporarily boost metabolism by 24–30% (1)

The researchers estimated that drinking 68 ounces (2 litres) in one-day increased energy expenditure by about 96 calories per day.

Additionally, it may be beneficial to drink cold water because your body will need to expend more calories to heat the water to body temperature.

Drinking water about a half hour before meals can also reduce the number of calories you consume, especially in older individuals. 

(2, 3)

One study showed that dieters who drank 17 ounces (500 ml) of water before each meal lost 44% more weight over 12 weeks, compared to those who didn’t. (4)


Overall, it seems that drinking adequate amounts of water, particularly before meals, may have a significant weight loss benefit, especially when combined with a healthy diet.

Adequate water intake has a number of other health benefits too.

(Drinking water can cause mild, temporary increases in metabolism, and drinking it about a half hour before each meal can make you automatically eat fewer calories. Both of these effects contribute to weight loss)

Water content and brain function

A study conducted among healthy young women concluded that, degraded mood, increased perception of task difficulty, lower concentration, and headache symptoms resulted from 1.36% dehydration.). Increased emphasis on optimal hydration is warranted, especially during and after moderate exercise.

Other studies show that mild dehydration (1–3% of body weight) caused by exercise or heat can harm many other aspects of brain function.(5, 6, 7)

(Dehydration, though mild caused by sweating or by other physical activities can have negative effects on both physical and mental or cognitive performance)

Drink enough water to keep yourself healthy and to help you stay more focused and energetic.

So how Much Water Is Best?

Together, any fluid we intake including plain water and water-rich foods can help maintain our fluid balance. Most foods are also loaded with water. Meat, fish, eggs and especially fruits and vegetables all contain significant amounts of water

No one can tell you exactly how much water you need. This depends on the individual (his/her internal and external environment and lifestyle).

Most people don't need to consciously think about their water intake, as the thirst mechanism in the brain is very effective. However, certain circumstances do call for increased attention to water intake.

Try to see what works best for you. Remember, some people may function better with more water than usual, while for others it only results in more frequent visit to the bathroom.

However, drinking too much water can also be dangerous. Over-hydration can lead to water intoxication. This occurs when the amount of salt and other electrolytes in your body become too diluted. Hyponatremia is a condition in which sodium (salt) levels become dangerously low. This is the main concern of over-hydration.

Drinking too much water or not having a way to remove it can cause water levels to build up.

If your electrolytes drop too low too quickly, it can be fatal. Death by over-hydration is rare, but it can happen.

Let's keep it simple...

When you're thirsty, drink. When you're not thirsty anymore, stop.

When you lose more (excretion, heat and exercise), make sure to drink enough to compensate for the lost fluids.

Listen to your body. Trust your thirst.

That's it!

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