The amount of water you should drink daily depends on various factors like age, gender, activity level, and climate. General recommendations for adults are:
- Men should aim for about 3.7 liters (around 13 cups) of total water intake per day, including all beverages and water-rich foods.
- Women should aim for about 2.7 liters (around 9 cups) daily.
- Pregnant women need about 80 ounces (10 cups).
- Breastfeeding women need about 104 ounces (13 cups).
This includes all fluids, not just plain water. Physical activity, hot weather, pregnancy, and breastfeeding increase water needs. The common advice to drink eight 8-ounce glasses a day is a simplified guideline but not based on solid science. Thirst is a good indicator of when to drink. For a more personalized estimate, one formula is about 35 milliliters of water per kilogram of body weight per day. For example, a 70-kg person might aim for approximately 2.45 liters daily. Be careful not to drink excessive amounts in a short period as it can lead to water intoxication, but typically you would have to consume much more than average recommendations to reach that risk. In summary:
- Men: ~13 cups (3.7 liters)
- Women: ~9 cups (2.7 liters)
- Pregnant: ~10 cups (2.4 liters)
- Breastfeeding: ~13 cups (3.1 liters)
All fluids count, including water, other beverages, and water-rich foods.
