How much water should I be drinking?
Dr Chris van Tullekan answers that perennial question: how much water should I really be drinking?
There's a popular myth that we should all drink 8 glasses of liquid a day - and some even say that this excludes all caffeinated and alcoholic drinks - but actually there’s very little evidence for this at all.
Our bodies have a very good system of keeping us well hydrated, and how much we need to drink is very much determined by the temperature, what we’re doing, and what we’re eating.
We get a lot of liquid from our food, and research shows that just because a drink has caffeine in it, or even a little alcohol, it doesn’t stop our bodies from using the water in it.
People often say that by the time you’re thirsty it's too late, you’re already dehydrated, but there's no evidence for that at all.
Drink when you're thirsty and don't worry about counting the glasses of water.
