Myth Buster: Should we really aim to drink 1 gallon of water every day?!

You may have seen this trend all over social media – people consuming 1-2 gallons of water a day to lose weight, debloat, or optimize their health….in theory, this is great – but what does science say?

Unfortunately, studies are not as supportive of this trend as some influencers these days. To be fair, this is a hard health tip to bust since hydration requirements and recommendations are going to be very different for every single person. This makes finding that golden number very challenging.

Research points out that our individual water requirements are influenced by many different factors:

-           Weight

-           Sex

-           Age

-           Activity level

-           Diet

-           Current health level (ex: if you have the flu, you should drink more fluid)

-           If you’re breastfeeding and/or pregnant

-           The environment you live in (temperature, humidity level, etc.)

This blanket “1 Gallon” is supposed to include everyone – right? How can that be if gallon sizes are different depending on what metric system you use?!

1 US gallon = 3.78 liters | 1 imperial gallon = 4.5 liters

Either way, this is a lot of water to consume each day. A 2016 study found that optimally hydrated European women were drinking about 1.8 liters of water from fluid a day (water, tea, coffee, milk, etc.) while optimally hydrated European men were drinking 2.15 liters of water from fluid a day. Quick reminder that 1 gallon is 3.78 liters.

This same study looked at hyperhydrated European adults, who were still drinking less than 1 US gallon and were over hydrated! Hyperhydration sounds great – but it’s not as beneficial to your body as you’d think. Your body works very hard to maintain an optimal electrolyte concentration (this helps us avoid muscle cramps and keeps our muscles, nerves, and organs working properly). Drinking too much or not enough water can disrupt this concentration and impact the movement of fluid through our bodies.

This is why most major medical institutions recommend about 1.8-2.7 liters (60-90 oz) of total fluid intake a day for women in temperate climates and about 2.5-3.7 liters (84-125 oz) of total fluid intake a day for men. Again, this is total fluid intake – which includes milk, tea, coffee, etc.

Best practices for proper hydration:

-           Drink fluid throughout your day, especially before and after lots of sweating.

-           Pay attention to the color of your urine – aim for a lemonade yellow color.

-           Drink water when you’re thirsty.

-           Alternate caffeinated or alcoholic beverages with a glass of water.

-           Track your water intake with an app or by being aware of how many ounces your water bottle holds.

So – drinking water when you are thirsty and making sure your urine is lemonade yellow – recommended. Having a general 1 gallon rule for everyone – not so much.

Photo: ©iStock.com/PeopleImages