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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To say you don't need to drink a certain amount of water every day to be healthy

97 replies

marymarkle · 07/02/2019 08:02

How much water your body needs varies depending on how hot it is, how active you are, the food you eat, and any medical needs. The idea that you need to drink a certain amount of water every day was dreamt up by a beauty magazine and has been repeated so many times since, that a lot of people believe it is true.
Unless you have medical needs, drink when you feel like a drink.

OP posts:

Fairylea · 07/02/2019 08:53

I think most people don’t drink enough water etc so drinking more is good for most people. I don’t think there should be a set amount though. I agree that the elderly generation just hardly drink anything and it really doesn’t help with their health problems. My mum never, ever drinks water. A few cups of tea and some vodka and that’s about it! When she’s ill with flu or whatever she gets SO dehydrated and never ever thinks to drink!

6utter6ean · 07/02/2019 08:58

I think that sometimes thirst can be misinterpreted for hunger.
I try to drink a glass of water with each meal (plus usual tea / coffee during the day) but if I get the urge to snack I try to drink water, and often the craving goes away.
I'm also slim, healthy and rarely ill, so I think that my habits seem to benefit me.

JimandPam · 07/02/2019 09:01

Whilst I agree that it's not about drinking water vs other drinks and that some suggestions if 3 litres a day are excessive...it's so important to keep hydrated

I, like pp was constantly nagged as a child about not drinking enough as I just never seemed to get thirsty-I wish I had listened! As an young adult I would sometimes just have a couple of glasses of drink a day and not really notice

I am now two years post kidney transplant for which the biopsy to diagnose what had happened showed long term kidney damage due to dehydration. When I was diagnosed, my kidneys were only working at 20% and I was told they had probably been declining since I was a teenager.

My nephrologist has told me to keep my new kidney I must have a least 2 litres a day. As I have this terrible habit of not remembering to drink, I use an app to keep track.

I realise I am a really unique case and most people do just drink when they're thirsty, but it is a reminder that not drinking enough can have very real consequences.

gamerchick · 07/02/2019 09:05

Your body is mostly water and people think you don't need to drink much? Funny people man

Thirst is a funny thing, you're not supposed to feel thirsty if you're getting enough. A lot of people confuse thirst for hunger and eat more calories than they need. The skin is the biggest organ in the body and the first to suffer if the body isn't getting what it needs.

But I don't give a toss what other people do to their bodies tbh. People saying they drink nowt and it doesn't do them any harm are on par with people who say they've chain smoked all their lives and didn't get lung cancer.

Please yourself, nobodies bothered.

nutellalove · 07/02/2019 09:08

I don't think there's harm in drinking more water and most people don't drink enough. My mum will have about 1 glass a day as she never feels thirsty. That's not enough. I notice drinking more also helps me eat less- I drink 2 litres of water a day and am slim

Juells · 07/02/2019 09:11

Please yourself, nobodies bothered.

It was such a pleasant, informative conversation that encouraged people with bad habits, like me to drink more, until your post

gamerchick · 07/02/2019 09:22

It just boggles my head how people defend their right to keep their bodies running on the minimum. Our bodies are clever and will prioritise the organs that need it the most.

A good barometer is skin and appetite when it comes to water. Drink enough and you tend not to overeat. What's not to like? People never listen to their bodies anymore and come out with dodgy opinions like the one in the OP.

gamerchick · 07/02/2019 09:22

It just boggles my head how people defend their right to keep their bodies running on the minimum. Our bodies are clever and will prioritise the organs that need it the most.

gamerchick · 07/02/2019 09:23

Oops. What's going on with this place lately, nothings working right!

Original poster

marymarkle · 07/02/2019 09:24

It must be bedtime, yes with older people who are unwell both the thirst and hunger sensations can become weak. My elderly mum never or rarely feels hungry. She knows she still has to eat. Obviously when you are at this stage you need to make a concerted effort to drink.
I thought as well kidney damage in these cases is usually because of medication that goes through the kidneys. So if you don't drink enough you are basically taking an overdose.
This really falls into my category of people with health problems.

OP posts:

EmeraldShamrock · 07/02/2019 09:24

My Dad and MIL never ever drink water, just yes my Dad will have a tomato juice weekly but hasn't had water in 20 years, he is proud of this
I love water and prefer the DC to drink water.

Gromance02 · 07/02/2019 09:28

I drink lots of water - around 5 pints a day - undiluted water. I drink a lot of booze too though. People often comment on how good my skin is and that I must have a healthy lifestyle. They couldn't be more wrong. I can only think it is the water that is counter-acting the alcohol!

explodingkitten · 07/02/2019 09:37

My dad stopped feeling thirst when he got older, he gets angry and confused if he forgets to drink. Prompting him to drink a large bottle of water a day improved him a lot.

I think that strictly following the healthy eating/drinking advice isn't that important if you're young and fit, however for the more vulnerable people it really makes a difference.

Triffictriffid · 07/02/2019 09:52

Definitely agree that older people can lose their sense of thirst and certainly the ones I’ve worked with or am related to, needed to be prompted to drink more. Though even with prompting it seemed difficult for them to do much more than take a few sips.

I no longer drink gallons but enough to make sure my wee is pale and I’m not likely to get kidney stones or damage. But unless it’s mega hot, have certain medical conditions, or your expending a lot of energy and sweating, I’m not sure that drinking more than a couple of litres a day is necessary. I was amazed when urologist said it wasn’t helpful to drink lots when you have a uti and that it would dilute the antibiotics effects.

llangennith · 07/02/2019 10:35

I expect all those people saying they don't drink much water actually get their liquids via tea and coffee, which is fine. I don't like tea or coffee, fizzy drinks or squash so I have to drink water or diluted juice or I feel dreadful. 60% of the body is water so obviously we need to drink it.

Floralhousecoat · 07/02/2019 11:24

This is an extremely good watch.

The one thing that has helped me the most is to sit and drink. First I breathe in down to my belly and drink. While drinking I hold my breath and drink calmly till I need to breathe out. I then move the water away from my mouth and breathe out, making sure not to exhale in the water itself. If I need to drink more, I again breathe in and hold the breath and and drink. And repeat as needed. The benefits I've noticed instantly is that the water is better absorbed by the body so less trips to the toilet where the water is simply flushed out. I noticed my cravings improved and I saw other benefits associated with drinking water, such as increased energy. So maybe we need to drink more water in a specific manner for it to benefit. I learnt this method from a friend and noticed the benefits immediately.

In short I now drink water mindfully and slowly, not gluggigng it down.

SweatyUnderboob · 07/02/2019 11:56

The colour of your wee is one of the best indicators as to whether the body is dehydrated or not. It should be pale yellow in colour. It’s a good game to play!

theonetowalkinthesun · 07/02/2019 12:05

I am also one of those people who will wake up in the morning and go throughout the entire day without drinking anything (no water, no tea, no fizzy drinks, nothing) because it doesn't occur to me to because I don't feel thirsty.
I've been half heartedly trying make myself drink more for years, but I just have never really truly committed.
So honestly, 'drink when you're thirsty' is no good for me.
I actually downloaded an app yesterday to help. As a kid, I was always nagged to drink more and just ignored it, figuring that if I needed to drink, I'd be thirsty. I thought I must just get it so from my food. But in the past couple years, realised that this is no good for me.

theonetowalkinthesun · 07/02/2019 12:05

And now, the PP saying about the kidney damage has actually really scared me.

Ginkythefangedhellpigofdoom · 07/02/2019 12:09

Iv not read the thread yet but I follow a quite simple rule to know how hydrated I am. Depending on the results I drink more or not.

The colour of your pee is a generally reliable way of knowing. Sometimes medical conditions screw the result obviously but it's mostly a good test.
Any extra liquid is essentially unnecessary.

If it's dark (and usually strong smelling) your not getting enough liquid.

Your pee should apparently be the colour of light hay. If it's that colour it also usually doesn't smell mega strong either.

There is no rule, but your body will tell you!

PinkHeart5914 · 07/02/2019 12:10

My skin does look better if I drink a fair amount though. Otherwise my skin can be dull

halfwitpicker · 07/02/2019 12:11

Totally disagree, op.

ZanyMobster · 07/02/2019 12:12

GP told me that pee should always be clear so like a PP I believe that to be the best indicator.

Drinking more water definitely improves my skin, I don't need someone on MN saying it's not scientifically possible as I have concrete evidence for me that it does help. It also stops me getting headaches.

I don't think there is a set amount. Between 1 and 2 litres is good for me. I used to drink even more but then I found I couldn't be without water for very long so I felt it had a negative effect.

GP also said you should drink enough water regularly that you don't actually feel thirsty. If you feel thirsty you are dehydrated. Obviously when you are exercising etc then this is different.

cardibach · 07/02/2019 12:15

Sweaty is right. If your pee is pale yellow you aren’t dehydrated, won’t damage your kidneys and don’t need to drink more. Obviously you can if you want to, but it isn’t necessary for health.

Ginkythefangedhellpigofdoom · 07/02/2019 12:17

That's not to say though that if you want more though you shouldn't have it!

All I'm saying is if your pee is a good colour then you don't need to force yourself to down extra litres of water if you don't want it.

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