Drinking water has become popular on TikTok in recent years, with users showing off their own water bottles, creating their own “WaterTok” recipes, and revealing what kind of water people should drink in certain situations.
This is despite the fact that dehydration is not actually a problem in the United States. Made headlines Despite claims that the entire country is “dehydrated,” the reality is that people who worry about their hydration levels but feel they are adequately hydrated are likely getting enough water for their bodies.
“If you’re a healthy person who cares about hydration, you’re probably drinking enough water,” writes author Katherine J. Wu. AtlanticWu also noted that experts disagree on how much water we need each day, the best way to measure hydration, and even what drinks are best for staying hydrated.
While drinking too much water might not seem like much of a downside, TikTok user Taylor Donohue (@taylordonoghuee) says she’s reevaluating her hydration habits after a visit to the doctor.
Why we drink too much water
“I paid $500 to have a doctor tell me I just need to drink less water,” Donohue said in the video, which had more than 964,000 views as of Friday.
“I’m that friend who goes to the bathroom every hour,” Donohue reveals. “To be honest, it wakes me up in my sleep. It’s getting out of hand.”
To address the issue, Donahue visited a urologist, who immediately noticed a 40-ounce water bottle she was carrying — which the TikTok user claims she drinks three of per day.
“She said, ‘No, that’s too much. If you taper off or space it out, I think you’ll do better. I don’t want to be throwing pills and drugs and weird catheters at a 23-year-old,'” Donohue recalls. “So I guess that was good news.”
Follow I hope her advice works for me (laughs). Basically, I’m crazy (laughs).
In a follow-up video, Donohue added that he wasn’t drinking water because he was thirsty, but because he was forced to drink water because he had been told it was good for his health.
“As a kid, we’re told to drink lots of water. It’s a multi-purpose drink, it clears your skin, it keeps you healthy, it keeps you fuller longer,” she explains. “So that’s what I did too. I wasn’t thirsty, I was just forcing myself to drink.”
Follow Replying to @kristireedmd ♬ Original Sound – Taylordonoghuee
Many users took to the comments section to suggest Donohue may simply be drinking too much water, with some even admitting they have the same problem.
“I’m a doctor and I have no idea where people get this idea that we need to drink so much water,” one user wrote.
“Yes, you don’t need to rinse with water. He’s right!” another added. “Water is important but drinking too much of it can be harmful! Strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and take probiotics.”
“Funny story: I had a patient come in with frequent urination and 20 minutes into the appointment she said, ‘Doctor, I drink eight cups of coffee a day, does that mean this is affecting me?'” a third recalled.
The Daily Dot reached out to Donohue via email.
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Braden Vieira
Braden Bjella is a culture writer whose work has appeared in Mixmag, Electronic Beats, Schon! magazine and more.
