Musculoskeletal Bibliography
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| title | "Drink at least eight glasses of water a day." Really? Is there scientific evidence for "8 x 8"? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| type | article in a journal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| pubmed | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12376390 open in  this window or  new window
full text | http://ajpregu.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/283/5/R993 | open in this window or new window
| author | Heinz Valtin
| journal | American Journal of Physiology
| year | 2002
| month | Nov
| volume | 283
| number | 5
| pages | R993-1004
| abstract | Despite the seemingly ubiquitous admonition to "drink at least eight 8-oz glasses of water a day" (with an accompanying reminder that beverages containing caffeine and alcohol do not count), rigorous proof for this counsel appears to be lacking. This review sought to find the origin of this advice (called "8 x 8" for short) and to examine the scientific evidence, if any, that might support it. The search included not only electronic modes but also a cursory examination of the older literature that is not covered in electronic databases and, most importantly and fruitfully, extensive consultation with several nutritionists who specialize in the field of thirst and drinking fluids. No scientific studies were found in support of 8 x 8. Rather, surveys of food and fluid intake on thousands of adults of both genders, analyses of which have been published in peer-reviewed journals, strongly suggest that such large amounts are not needed because the surveyed persons were presumably healthy and certainly not overtly ill. This conclusion is supported by published studies showing that caffeinated drinks (and, to a lesser extent, mild alcoholic beverages like beer in moderation) may indeed be counted toward the daily total, as well as by the large body of published experiments that attest to the precision and effectiveness of the osmoregulatory system for maintaining water balance. It is to be emphasized that the conclusion is limited to healthy adults in a temperate climate leading a largely sedentary existence, precisely the population and conditions that the "at least" in 8 x 8 refers to. Equally to be emphasized, lest the message of this review be misconstrued, is the fact (based on published evidence) that large intakes of fluid, equal to and greater than 8 x 8, are advisable for the treatment or prevention of some diseases and certainly are called for under special circumstances, such as vigorous work and exercise, especially in hot climates. Since it is difficult or impossible to prove a negative-in this instance, the absence of scientific literature supporting the 8 x 8 recommendation-the author invites communications from readers who are aware of pertinent publications.
| 2 related items | These 2 items have been specifically marked as related to this item. |
SY Water Fever and the Fear of Chronic Dehydration — Do we really need eight glasses of water per day? “In the drink: do we really need 8 glasses of water a day?,” a webpage on Nutrition Action Healthletter. 1 articles citing this record | These 1 articles on SaveYourself.ca cite this item as a source: |
SY Water Fever and the Fear of Chronic Dehydration |
