Former American football player Tom Brady, widely considered the greatest quarterback of all time, credits drinking water for his longevity on the football field.
in his bestselling book TB12 Method: How to achieve sustained peak performance for a lifetime Brady also credited hydration for being able to continue playing the sport for so long.
He said he drinks 150 ounces (4.4 liters) of water “on any given day,” and nearly double that when exercising, about 2.3 gallons (8.7 liters).
However, there is evidence that drinking too much water can cause water intoxication.
A paper published in the Journal of Clinical Pathology (2003) outlines how early symptoms, such as inappropriate behavior, delusions, hallucinations, confusion, and disorientation, can resemble psychosis.
If untreated, symptoms can range from mild confusion to acute delirium, seizures, coma, and death.
Wellness influencers recommend drinking more water, preferably from an elegant stainless steel thermos. You might think the evidence supporting the benefits is vast, but it’s quite limited.
In a 2004 report, the U.S. National Academy of Medicine suggested that men drink 13 8-ounce cups (about 3 liters) each day, and women drink 9 8-ounce cups (slightly more than 2 liters) each day. Masu. However, the evidence for this advice is minimal.
We know water is essential, but how much evidence is there that drinking more water is good?
Paper published in JAMA network open This month we will try to uncover the evidence.
Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco scoured the medical literature and conducted a randomized controlled trial on water intake. These trials involve groups of people and some are randomly assigned to an intervention (in this case, drinking more water) while others are assigned to continue with their normal activities. .
Of the 1,500 articles reviewed, only 18 met the rigorous criteria necessary for inclusion in the analysis.
None of the 18 trials included in the review included the often promoted energy, health, or skin tone, but one study looked at overall quality of life.
So what did the study find?
One out of four weight loss studies showed that increasing fluid intake had no effect on weight loss. Two studies showed an effect, but the effect was difficult to measure because drinking water was combined with a low-calorie diet.
In one study, when participants were asked to drink 0.5 liters of water before meals, the group lost more weight than the control group, losing about 1 kilogram over 12 weeks. Overall, the evidence linking water intake and weight loss was mixed.
Among studies examining the relationship between water intake and fasting blood sugar levels, one study suggested that high pre-meal water intake lowers blood sugar levels. The other (which looked only at increases in overall water intake) did not. Again, the results were mixed.
Regarding headache relief, one study found that increasing water intake by 1.5 liters per day improved migraine-related quality of life, but did not change the number of headaches per month. It was shown. In contrast, other studies found no improvement.
Regarding the prevention of urinary tract infections, results were mixed, with one positive trial and one negative trial.
Kidney stone trials showed the clearest benefit. Increasing fluid intake to achieve 2 liters or more of urine daily was associated with a significant reduction in kidney stone recurrence. Kidney doctors consistently advise people with a history of kidney stones to drink more water.
What about quality of life? In one study, participants were asked to drink an additional 1.5 liters of water per day without making any changes. After 6 months, there was no difference in quality of life survey scores.
The researchers noted that all studies included in the review were relatively small, with most enrolling fewer than 100 people. To detect the effect of extra water with such a small sample size, the effect must be strong.
Mr. F. Perry Wilson, a nephrologist at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut, explains: “How do drugs work and when do they stop working?”(2023) found that our bodies are exquisitely tuned to manage the amount of water we carry.
“As we lose water through sweat and exhalation throughout the day, our blood becomes more concentrated and our sodium levels rise. Our brains sense this and cause a sensation called thirst. Thirst is one of the most powerful urges we have.
“When animals, including humans, are thirsty, they choose water over food, medicine, and sex…We drink water when we are thirsty, and that may be enough.”
Wellness influencers often claim that drinking more water eliminates toxins from your body. Perry explains that’s not how it works. “Blood removal occurs far upstream from where urine is diluted or concentrated.”
When it comes to health, skin tone, and detox, the evidence points in one direction. It means, “When you’re thirsty, drink water.” You can drink a little more if you want, but you don’t have to drink too much.
- Dr. Catherine Conlon is a public health physician
