Water, water everywhere, but no real need for it. Why do people not believe this?

[ElderLemon]

The evidence is clear that unless we are elderly, we can just drink when thirsty and be absolutely fine. The need for x litres per day is just made up bollocks. But I know from multiple threads over many years that many, if not most, people on here will down right refuse to believe this. Is it just that people don't like science? I don't know why it annoys me so much, live and let live etc. But when I see all the health and beauty articles repeating it I get enraged, I really do. Anyone else? www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/dec/09/is-it-true-that-we-should-all-drink-more-water?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

You should get checked out if sips of plain water are upsetting your stomach, that isn't normal. Do the people at work actually drink every few minutes from their bottles? Or do they simply have them as water is a decent aspect of a balanced diet?

You're not supposed to feel thirsty though and that little bit of water you drink has to be shared out with your entire body and it's the skin who's last.

You can do what you want but if I don't drink enough I need nanna naps in the afternoon.

Ok, so if the OP is enraged about people believing bad or false scientific advice, that’s one thing. Still a very strong reaction re drinking water, when it is mostly fairly harmless (water overdoses aside)

But OP it isn’t simple for people to know what is good or bad advice. There isn’t a site that is ‘good and probably correct scientific advice’ that people can pop onto. For your guardian article about only drinking when thirsty I’m sure there will be similar articles in the UK press about not drinking enough.

So if someone wasn’t feeling great, got advice on drinking more, up to 2lt, and did so, I can’t blame them.

I don’t have time to constantly check advice and guidance for clarity and updates. Even the NHS changes its advice over time, we were once told to eat pasta and bread, limit eggs and dairy, but now the advice is different. Additionally, many official sites or trustworthy sources will have advice that conflicts with each other.

So to be frustrated with people believing dangerous false advice and science is one thing, but to be enraged by people believing advice from reasonable looking sources to drink more water, just isn’t a reasonable response.

There's a lot of debate over school policies on kids going to the toilet in lesson time. I don't remember this being an issue when I was at school; you just went at break time and this was fine. I always wonder if part of the problem is that today's kids drink too much! - often heavily encouraged by the parents.

There's also the people with their annoying "fashion" water bottles who seem to have made being hydrated into another irritating personality trait to add to their already lengthy list.

"You don't only eat when you're hungry" - no, but you don't eat constantly so you never get hungry either!

Thirst isn't 100% as an indicator though, though generally there will be other symptoms if you haven't drunk enough.

The one time I have to force myself to remember to drink myself is when temperatures get above about 23 degrees. I suppose this is a lot more common in some countries - is constant all-day drinking one of the things people have adopted from the US, perhaps?

With that statement I don't think you should have the nerve to say anything else is bad science.

I imagine the caffeine wouldn’t be helping! It’s like saying eat when you’re hungry but you don’t need fruit or vegetables as you can quench your hunger with chips.

That's because your body has become addicted to the amount of water that you consume. Your headaches and lethargy are withdrawal symptoms because you have trained your body to require 2-3 litres of water a day.

I dont often remember to drink water unless I’m thirsty. For a few weeks I used a reminder app to help me drink more and I definitely noticed it made a difference in a good way. I’m sure there’s a limit to the benefit, e.g you’ll see a bigger difference going from drinking 1 litre of water a day to 2 litres a day vs the difference from 2 to 3. But I don’t see any harm in encouraging people to drink more!

You can of course quench your hunger with chips, so yes it is a bit like saying that. You need fruit and veg, but not all the time, and chips are full of potassium and vitamin C.
Thanks for proving my point for me.

It does, because thirst is a sufficient indicator that we need to drink.

Tell that to my ADHD son who can easily go a whole day without drinking if not promoted due to getting distracted by his own bodily cues!

What’s your worry here? That people “disbelieving the science” will overdose on water?

Please point out the issue you have?

(Btw I'm a scientist)

You don’t really have a point but happy to help!

The water content doesn't counteract the caffeine in totality, that's completely made up and untrue. Caffeine can also cause headaches. Lmao a facebook scientist?

And I’m an astronaut.

Did you not understand the point?

Coffee, tea, juice, energy drinks...all hydrate. Plain water is a better choice but they all hydrate.

Chips are just potatoes and contain good nutrition. Vegetables are a better choice but chips will stop you being hungry.

Was there something you didn't understand?

I don't drink water, ever. I drink coffee, fruit teas, sometimes juice, sometimes wine! I've realised that when water is the only thing available I'll just go without. I'm hydrated just fine.

I think the people who need to drink more just don't drink much of anything. The advice is water but more or less any drink would do. Whereas I usually have a cup of something on the go.

Thirst is not an indicator that you should drink . The clinical pharmacist at the surgery told me I should aim for two litres of any liquid a day.

She had noticed that my fingers were very wrinkled and said I was dehydrated . I never felt thirsty but took her advice and my fingers now look normal !

Does anyone else have a sip of water, realise in that moment how insanely thirsty you are and then glug the whole thing?

I've read the science before, but in my experience I've realised that day to day distractions and generally being busy with work/kids etc can stop you realising how thirsty/hungry you are until you finally sit down for a minute, which for me is usually at the very end of the day. So I don't think it's the worst thing to just drink plenty of water (or juice, tea, whatever floats your boat) anyway out of habit.

She's wrong, and thirst is absolutely an indicator that you should drink! What else do you imagine it is?

Well, a few people genuinely do drink too much water and induce Hyponatremia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyponatremia

A drink with a few electrolytes in may sometimes be better than just water.

Anyway, I'm going to have my second large mug of tea of the day.

Oh god. I am always thirsty (no medical reason, I've checked) and when I was breastfeeding it was like I was in a desert.

My parents have tiny water glasses and take tiny sips and pronounce themselves sated. And now my mum keeps getting UTIs.

Just let people be ffs

Okay but do you not see it fitting that official advice would be to consume the healthiest option? Other drinks might do the job but they aren't optimum. Saying drink whatever would be as weird as saying just eat 2000 cals of mars bars a day if you fancy it- no health benefit to a balanced diet.

This thread has made me thirsty; I'm off to get a glass of cold water!

You are incorrect. A simple Google will provide endless proof that your notion is long since debunked.