The recommended amount
of water to be drunk per day varies from person to person, depending on factors
such as how active they are and how much they sweat. There is no universally
agreed upon amount of water that must be consumed daily, but there is a general
level of consensus as to what a healthy amount is. According to the Institute
of Medicine (IOM), an adequate intake for men is approximately 13 cups (3
liters) a day. For women, an adequate intake is around 9 cups (2.2 liters).
Many people will have heard
the phrase, "drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day," which works
out at around 1.9 liters and is close to the IOM's recommendation for women.
Drinking "8 by 8" is an easy-to-remember amount that can put people
on the right track regarding water consumption. Remember, all non-alcoholic
fluid counts towards this recommendation.
Water also helps
dissolve minerals and nutrients so that they are more accessible to the body,
as well as helping transport waste products out of the body. It is these two
functions that make water so vital to the kidneys.
