7 Science-Based Health Benefits of Drinking Enough Water

The body comprises around 60% water.

It’s generally suggested that you simply drink eight 8-ounce (237-mL) portions of water each day (the 8×8 rule).

Although there’s little science behind this unique rule, remaining hydrated is essential.

Listed here are 7 evidence-based health advantages of consuming lots of water.

1. Helps maximize physical performance

Should you not avoid dehydration, your physical performance can suffer.

Many of the important during intense exercise or high temperature.

Lack of fluids may have a noticeable effect should you lose less than 2% of the body’s water content. However, it’s not uncommon for athletes to get rid of around 6-10% of the water weight via sweat (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).

This may lead to altered body’s temperature control, reduced motivation, and elevated fatigue. It may also make exercise feel a lot more difficult, both physically and psychologically (3).

Optimal hydration continues to be proven to stop this from happening, and it will even lessen the oxidative stress occurring during intense exercise. This isn’t surprising considering that muscle is all about 80% water (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).

Should you exercise intensely and have a tendency to sweat, remaining hydrated will help you perform at the very best.

SUMMARY

Losing less than 2% of the body’s water content can considerably impair your physical performance.

2. Considerably affects levels of energy and thinking processes

Your mind is strongly affected by your hydration status.

Research has shown that even mild lack of fluids, like the lack of 1-3% of bodyweight, can impair many facets of thinking processes.

Inside a study in youthful women, researchers discovered that fluid lack of 1.4% after exercise impaired both mood and concentration. Additionally, it elevated the regularity of headaches (6Trusted Source).

Many people of the same research team conducted an identical study in youthful men. They discovered that fluid lack of 1.6% was harmful to working memory and elevated feelings of tension and fatigue (7).

A fluid lack of 1-3% equals about 1.5-4.5 pounds (.5-2 kg) of bodyweight loss for an individual weighing 150 pounds (68 kg). This could easily occur through normal day to day activities, not to mention during exercise or high temperature.

A number of other studies, with subjects varying from kids to seniors, have proven that mild lack of fluids can impair mood, memory, and brain performance (8, 9Trusted Source, 10, 11Trusted Source, 12, 13).

SUMMARY

Mild lack of fluids (fluid lack of 1-3%) can impair levels of energy, impair mood, and result in major reductions in memory and brain performance.

3. Might help prevent and treat headaches

Lack of fluids can trigger headaches and migraine in certain individuals (14Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).

Studies have proven that the headache is among the most typical signs and symptoms of lack of fluids. For instance, research in 393 people discovered that 40% from the participants possessed a headache because of lack of fluids (14Trusted Source).

In addition to this, some research has proven that consuming water might help relieve headaches in individuals who experience frequent headaches.

Research in 102 men discovered that consuming yet another 50.7 ounces (1.5 liters) water each day led to significant enhancements around the Migraine-Specific Quality of Existence scale, a scoring system for migraine signs and symptoms (16).

Plus, 47% from the men that drank more water reported headache improvement, while only 25% from the men within the control group reported this effect (16).

However, not every studies agree, and scientific study has figured that due to the lack of top quality studies, more research is required to confirm how growing hydration might help improve headache signs and symptoms and reduce headache frequency (17Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

Consuming water might help reduce headaches and headache signs and symptoms. However, more top quality research is required to confirm this potential benefit.

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4. Might help relieve constipation

Constipation is a very common problem that’s characterised by infrequent bowel motions and difficulty passing stool.

Growing fluid intake is frequently suggested as part of the therapy protocol, and there’s some evidence to back this up.

Low water consumption seems to become a risk factor for constipation both in more youthful and older individuals (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).

Growing hydration might help decrease constipation.

Standard water can be a particularly advantageous beverage for individuals with constipation.

Research has proven that standard water that’s wealthy in magnesium and sodium improves bowel movement frequency and consistency in individuals with constipation (20Trusted Source, 21).

SUMMARY

Consuming lots of water might help prevent as well as reducing constipation, particularly in individuals who generally don’t drink enough water.

5. Might help treat kidney gemstones

Urinary gemstones are painful clumps of mineral very that form in urinary system.

The most typical form is kidney gemstones, which form within the kidneys.

There’s limited evidence that intake of water might help prevent recurrence in those who have formerly become kidney gemstones (22, 23).

Greater fluid intake increases the level of urine passing with the kidneys. This dilutes the power of minerals, so they’re less inclined to crystallize and form clumps.

Water also may help avoid the initial formation of gemstones, but research is needed to verify this.

SUMMARY

Elevated intake of water seems to lower the chance of kidney stone formation.

6. Aids in preventing hangovers

A hangover refers back to the uncomfortable signs and symptoms experienced after consuming alcohol.

Alcohol is really a diuretic, therefore it enables you to shed more pounds water than you eat. This may lead to lack of fluids (24, 25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source).

Although lack of fluids isn’t the primary reason for hangovers, it may cause signs and symptoms like thirst, fatigue, headache, and xerostomia.

Best ways to reduce hangovers will be to drink a glass water between drinks and also have a minumum of one big glass water before you go to bed.

SUMMARY

Hangovers are partially brought on by lack of fluids, and consuming water might help reduce a few of the primary signs and symptoms of hangovers.

7. Can help weight reduction

Consuming lots of water will help you slim down.

It is because water can increase satiety and improve your metabolism.

Some evidence shows that growing intake of water can promote weight reduction by slightly growing your metabolic process, which could increase the amount of calories you burn every day.

A 2013 study in 50 youthful women with overweight shown that consuming yet another 16.9 ounces (500 mL) water 3 occasions each day before you eat for 8 days brought to significant reductions in bodyweight and the body fat in contrast to their pre-study measurements (27Trusted Source).

The timing is essential too. Consuming water 30 minutes before you eat is easily the most effective. It will make you are feeling more full so you eat less calories (28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).

In a single study, dieters who drank 16.9 ounces (.5 liters) water before you eat lost 44% excess fat during a period of 12 days than dieters who didn’t stay hydrated before you eat (30Trusted Source).

The conclusion

Even mild lack of fluids can impact you psychologically and physically.

Make certain that you will get enough water every day, whether your individual goal is 64 ounces (1.9 liters) or perhaps a different amount. It’s among the best steps you can take for your state of health.