Myth or Fact: Drink 8 Glasses of Water Every Day I MythBusters

You've probably heard that you should drink 8 glasses of water per day, and this is a widely accepted fact. Is it true, however, that one needs to drink so much water every day? Is it true or false? To learn the truth, watch this video all the way to the end.

Everyone should drink eight glasses of water per day.

Myth. 

Though water is the most convenient and cost-effective fluid to keep you hydrated, the latest Institute of Medicine recommendation is that women aim for two litres or eight glasses of fluid per day and men aim for three litres or 12 glasses per day of any fluid, not just water.

Toxins are flushed from your body when you drink water.

Fact. 

Though water does not always neutralise toxins, the kidneys do use it to eliminate certain waste products. If you don't drink enough water, your kidneys won't have enough fluid to function properly.

Bottled water has been linked to tooth decay.

Myth. 

Bottled water does not cause tooth decay in and of itself, but it typically lacks fluoride, which is added to tap water to help prevent tooth decay.

Water can help keep your skin moisturized.

Myth. 

While it was once thought that staying hydrated resulted in youthful, vibrant skin, the truth is that the amount of water you drink has very little to do with how your skin looks.

Water consumption aids in weight loss.

Fact. 

Drinking water will not cause you to lose weight, but it will help you get there. Water replaces other calorie-laden beverages in the diet, causing you to consume fewer calories overall. Furthermore, it may make you feel fuller, causing you to eat less at each meal. Water, particularly cold water, may even help to boost your metabolism.

Yellow urine is a sign of dehydration

Myth. 

It can be, but not all yellow urine is dangerous. Dehydration can be indicated by dark yellow urine. The kidneys control the volume and concentration of urine output by filtering waste products and reabsorbing water and other useful substances from the blood. Dehydration causes increased urine concentration, which turns your urine a dark yellow colour. Your urine should ideally be straw yellow in colour. However, other factors, such as taking a multivitamin, can also cause yellow urine.

If you’re thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

Myth. 

If you start to feel thirsty, then you are headed in the wrong direction and should grab a drink of water, but thirst doesn’t necessarily mean you’re dehydrated. “Thirst begins when the concentration of [substances in the] blood has risen by less than 2 percent, whereas most experts would define dehydration as beginning when that concentration has risen by at least 5 percent,” notes Hess-Fischl.

Sports drinks, not water, are required to perform at a high level in athletics.

Myth. 

Sports drinks may have more elaborate advertising campaigns, but water is really all you need to stay hydrated while participating in most athletic activities. Adequate fluid, particularly water, is critical for athletes of all ages because it is the single most important way the body transports nutrients and energy while also removing heat during exercise.

It’s possible to drink too much water.

Fact. 

Drinking too much water can put people with certain health conditions at risk of complications. Excess water should be avoided by people who have certain heart conditions, high blood pressure, or swelling in their lower legs.

You should not reuse plastic water bottles.

Fact.

Plastic water bottles can present a couple of risks to people who drink their contents and then fill them up time and again. These bottles leach chemicals into your water after multiple uses.