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Water: The Drink of Life

April 5, 2004

Water is the most abundant substance in the human body. Like air, you can’t live without it.

New recommendations on water intake were recently released by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science. According to this report, studies have found that most healthy adults are adequately hydrated. General recommendations were set at approximately 11 cups of total water from all beverages and food, for women and 16 cups for men.

About 80 percent of people’s daily water intake comes from drinking water and other beverages—including caffeinated beverages—and the other 20 percent comes from water contained in food. 

Since current intake is adequate, the expert panel recommends that thirst be the guide for fluid intake. However, they also caution that individuals who are physically active or live in hot climates may need to drink more.

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