Men and women’s needs for hydration differ.  The original saying is 8 glasses per day, when actually men need about 13 8oz glasses per day and women need about 9.  One size does not fit all, the larger you are and the more active of a life style you have will also change your daily needs.  The easiest thing anyone can do to monitor their hydration is to monitor your urine color.  Lighter urine, like lemonade, means you are well hydrated.  Darker urine, like apple juice, most likely means you are dehydrated.  Believe it or not, foods can actually make up about 20% of your fluid intake.  All foods contain water, but fruits and vegetables contain the most.

A lot of people wonder if caffeine can actually dehydrate you.  The truth is caffeine is a diuretic, which means it increases water excretion from our bodies, but you actually retain most of the water from caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and soft drinks.  Alcohol is the one you have to look out for.  One drink of beer won’t do much because it is about 92% water, but hard liquor and wine have a more dehydrating effect because of their higher alcohol content.

When trying to rehydrating it can be confusing as to drink water or something more like Gatorade or Powerade.  Sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium are essential for the body to function properly.  All of these are electrolytes and are lost from the body when we sweat.  You have to be sure the concentration of electrolytes doesn’t get too high or too low, and you replace them when they become depleted.  If electrolytes ever become unbalanced, your body won’t be able to properly absorb the water you drink.  Most electrolytes can be replenished by eating regular, healthy meals.

Ever heard of the more water the better?  This is not necessarily true.  Hyponatremia (low blood sodium level), or water intoxication, is a serious condition that can occur from taking in too much water.  This can happen when you sweat excessively and take in too much water versus a sports drink, and sodium levels drop tremendously.  Hyponatremia can lead to seizures, coma, and death without prompt medical attention.

Yes, most people do need to drink the equivalent of 64 oz. of water every day for optimal health. Adequate water consumption promotes more efficient metabolic processes, and naturally flushes fat and toxins from the body. However, remember that you need the equivalent of 64 oz. of  water per day – so you can count tea, coffee, Crystal Light and soup broth too.