How much water you should drink, is it backed by research?

How much water you should really drink in a day? All these numbers (2 to 3 litres per day) that everybody seems to be suggesting, is it really backed by research? Let’s find out.

We all know water is important for the proper functioning of our body.

But everybody in India seems to have a notion that one must consume a few litres of water every day.

Some consume 2 litres every day, some have 3 litres, and there are some who even consume 5 litres every day.

Yes, that’s right! 5 litres!

And on hearing that, a few of my friends said “Isn’t 5 litres too much, because human body needs just 2 to 3 litres a day?

This friend of mine who consumers 5 Litres of water every day says that he asked one of his friends who happens to be doctor in sports medicine, and it seems he told him that an active male body required a minimum 3.7 litre water per day. And because this friend of mine exercises regularly, he thought he should consumer 5 Litres of water everyday.

So I thought, I should at least try to find out more about this 2-3 litres per day theory.

India is a hot and humid country and in summers, it’s common for people to consume a lot of water.

But what about winters or monsoon, and especially if you are not an athlete or not into professional sports? What about those living in colder areas?

Do you still need to drink 2-3 litres water every day?

Talking to a few doctors, I got this feedback that water consumption for every individual can vary depending on the body type. For some, 1 ltr can be good, others may need more. What is more important is that the body stays hydrated sufficiently to ensure that blood circulation is good. Insufficient amount of fluids in the body can result in cramps, etc. and excessive water in the body can lead to its own problems.

And I felt this seemed to be a practical suggestion.

Researching further, I stumbled upon this research work. “What drove us to drink 2 litres of water a day?” by Spero Tsindos, Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia.

And his research says that while a lot of experts suggest 2 litres per day, how they have arrived at that number is not clearly demonstrated. His conclusion states that “Water is important for health; however, the recommendation of 8 glasses of pure water per day appears an overestimation of requirements”.

And I thought, there you go. Just like the top food and nutrition companies hid the fact that sugar is bad for health for several decades, perhaps the water bottling companies are spending from their pockets to promote this theory of drinking 2-3 litres water every day?

Quite possible!

So what do you have to say about this theory? Please share your thoughts!