8 Science-Based Health Benefits Of Drinking Sufficient Water

Our bodies are made up of 60% water. We all know that water is very much essential for life. It is recommended to drink eight-ounce glasses of water per day as per the 8×8 rule. Staying hydrated is important as the water hydrates your cells and supports them to function properly. Dehydration can affect you in a variety of ways, from shrinking your brain tissue to slowing down your metabolism. So, pick up a glass of water to drink and learn why more water is needed in day-to-day life.

8 Health Benefits of Drinking Adequate Water:

Below are 8 evidence-based health benefits of drinking sufficient water.

1. Water can help to maximize physical performance: If we do not stay hydrated, our physical performance can suffer, particularly during the intense exercise. Dehydration can have a noticeable effect if you lose as little as 2% content of your body, however, it is not uncommon for athletes to lose up to 6% to 10% of their body water weight via sweat. It has been shown that optimal hydration prevents this from happening and can even reduce the oxidative stress that occurs during high-intensity exercise. Your muscle is about 75% to 80% of water. So, drink sufficient water daily to keep your body healthy. 

2. Hydration has a major effect on brain function and energy levels: The hydration status has a strong influence on your brain. Energy is an integral part that determines the performance of various functions and operations within the body. Energy also performs brain functions and develops the level of fitness and physical stamina. On the other hand, water balances the body’s fluids, hormones, and other elements that are crucial in maintaining brain health. The brain’s sound health will boost its functions, performance, and activity. Mild dehydration can impair the energy and mood levels and can lead to a significant reduction in memory and brain performances. In the studies, it had been observed that 1.36% of fluid loss in young women after exercise impaired both the mood and concentration and increased the frequency of headache. Another study showed that fluid loss in young men was detrimental to the working memory and increased feelings of fatigue and anxiety.
3. Drinking water helps in preventing and treating headaches: Dehydration can trigger headaches and migraines in some people. Several studies have shown that water can relieve a headache in those who are dehydrated. However, it depends on the type of headache. Though drinking water cannot control the frequency of a headache, it reduces the duration and intensity to an extent.
4. Drinking more water may help relieve constipation: Water helps to dissolve fats and soluble fiber. If you don’t drink enough water, the colon will pull water from the stools, thereby increasing your risk of constipation. Constipation is a common problem characterized by infrequent bowel movements and difficulty in passing the stool. Increasing the intake of fluid is often recommended as a part of the treatment for constipation, and there is some evidence to support this. Low consumption of water appears to be risk factors for constipation in both the young and elderly. If you regularly drink nearly a gallon of water a day, you will never experience constipation as well as difficulty in passing the stools. Carbonized water is the best for treating constipation and preventing it.

5. Drinking more water can help in weight loss: Continuous drinking of a huge amount of water will help you lose weight quickly. If you increase the rate of metabolism, you will quickly lose weight. In some studies, it has been found that drinking half a liter of water happens to increase the metabolism by 24% to 30% for up to one and a half hours which means drinking 2 liters of water daily can fasten your total energy consumption by up to 96 calories per day. Drinking water half an hour before a meal is the most effective, as it can make you feel fuller so that you eat fewer calories. In some studies, it has been found that people who drank half a liter of water before meals lost 44% more weight over 12 weeks. Drinking water is a healthy and best solution to lose weight effortlessly. It’s been shown that drinking cold water reduces your body temperature that forces your body to work harder to raise your temperature to what it should be normally. You’re going to burn more calories and burn more fat in the process; that makes the consumption of water one of the easiest and cheapest ways to lose weight.
6. Drinking water can prevent kidney stones: Urinary stones are painful clumps of mineral crystals that form in the urinary system. The most common form is kidney stones. Higher fluid intake increases the volume of urine passing through the kidneys, and it dilutes the concentration of minerals and can prevent the recurrence of kidney stones in a person who had a history of the stones. Water may also help in preventing the initial formation of the stones.
7. Water helps in preventing hangovers: Alcohol is a diuretic so it makes you lose more water than its intake. This can lead to dehydration. Although dehydration is not the main cause of hangovers, it can cause symptoms, such as thirst, fatigue, headache, and dry mouth. A good way to reduce hangovers is to drink a glass of water between the alcoholic drinks and to have ample of water before going to bed.
8. Water helps in clearing the skin by flushing out toxins: Water helps in making your skin soft and healthy. If you drink enough water, it leads to a healthy lifestyle and the signs of aging can be kept at bay. The toxins in the body can cause acne and breakouts, thereby damaging our skin. Since water enables flush out the toxins in your body, simply staying hydrated can lessen the risk of pimples.

Water is the perfect beverage to stay healthy and hydrated. It does not contain any extra calories, as compared to the caffeinated and aerated beverages. Water prevents many health-related complications. So, drink clean purified water from a high-quality water filter or boiled water daily.