What researchers discovered about hydration

The researchers found that people with levels:

• In the high normal or above were more likely to show signs of faster biological aging based on metabolic and cardiovascular health, lung function, and inflammation.
• Above 142 were more likely to be biologically older than their chronological age. They also had a substantially increased risk of developing chronic health conditions, such as heart failure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, and dementia
• Between 144 and 146 had a 21% increased risk of premature aging

Those with levels between 138 and 140 were at the lowest risk of developing chronic disease.

What is dehydration?

“Dehydration, just as the name implies, is a condition that occurs from either inadequate water intake, excessive water loss, or most commonly, both,” says Dr. M. Ramin Modabber, an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles and the medical director and chief medical officer at Amgen Tour of California.

There are various degrees of dehydration ranging from mild to severe. Signs and symptoms vary based on the degree of water loss.

• Common signs of mild dehydration include thirst and dry mouth, which can progress to moderate dehydration characterized by decreased or darker urine, headaches, and muscle cramps.

• Severe dehydration symptoms include the inability to sweat or urinate and can be accompanied by dizziness, confusion, or fainting. This can be dangerous as vital organs can lose the ability to function normally.

“Whether it’s a cycling race or other strenuous activity you’re engaging in, being aware of the ways dehydration can strike and head it off at the pass are some of your best tools to stay healthy and active any time of year,” Modabber told Healthline.

There isn’t a “one size fits all” answer to how much fluid you should drink daily. Activity levels, medications, sweat production, health status, and temperature, especially when exercising, all affect how much fluid your body needs.

“Per the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NAS)… the recommended guideline for adults is 125 ounces for men and 91 ounces for women per day,” says Dr. Neal Patel, DO, a family medicine specialist with Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange County, California. “This is based on gender. Someone with diarrhea or increased sweating due to high temperatures is at increased risk of dehydration and needs to consume additional fluids.”

“How much fluids someone needs is sometimes based on weight. Some calculations show that people should drink half their body weight in water,” he noted. “For example, if someone weighs 200 kg, they should consume 100 ounces of water daily. People also consume about 20 percent of their liquid from foods.”