Why does drinking lots of water help

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How to get your child to put away toys. Is a common pain reliever safe during pregnancy? Can vaping help you quit smoking? How much water should you drink? March 25, Print This Page Click to Print. Staying Healthy. Children's Health. Free Healthbeat Signup Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox! Sign Up. Close Thanks for visiting. Besides being an important part of the fluids in your body, water is needed by each cell to work.

Your body doesn't get water only from drinking water. Any fluid you drink will contain water, but water and milk are the best choices. Lots of foods contain water too. Fruit contains quite a bit of water, which you could probably tell if you've ever bitten into a peach or plum and felt the juices dripping down your chin. Vegetables also contain a lot of water — think of slicing into a fat tomato or crunching into a crisp stalk of celery. Because water is so important, you might wonder if you're drinking enough.

There is no magic amount of water that kids need to drink every day. The amount kids need depends on their age, body size, health, and activity level, plus the weather temperature and humidity levels.

Usually, kids drink something with meals and should definitely drink when they're thirsty. But if you're sick, or it's warm out or you're exercising, you'll need more. This was also noted in a study in which diet drinks were swapped for water. The results showed this may lead to greater reduction in weight and improved insulin resistance. There has been a lot of research into the effects of hydration or dehydration in athletes, and the results all pretty much conclude that dehydration not only affects sports performance but also physiological function too.

There is some evidence that fizzy water may be of particular benefit too. Poor hydration may increase the risk of developing, or the recurrence of kidney stones, in some individuals. Studies have also shown that drinking adequate amounts of water may reduce the risk of bladder infections and urinary tract infections, including cystitis , in women. Tap water in the UK which complies with legal quality standards is safe for everyone to drink.

However, if you are preparing a feed for a baby you should be sure to use unsoftened mains water. The NHS recommends that the average adult consume glasses or cups of hydrating fluid each day. This includes lower fat milks, and low sugar or sugar-free drinks, tea and coffee.

However, this may vary dependent on your age, gender and activity levels. For example, you may need more water if you are exercising or when the weather is hot.

Nicola Shubrook is a nutritional therapist and works with both private clients and the corporate sector. Find out more at urbanwellness. Sugary drinks: Regular sodas, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened waters, and sweetened coffee and tea beverages, contain calories but little nutritional value pdf icon external icon.

Learn how to rethink your drink. Alcoholic drinks: If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Caffeinated drinks: moderate caffeine consumption up to mg per day can be a part of a healthy diet pdf icon external icon. Sports drinks: these are flavored beverages that often contain carbohydrates, minerals, electrolytes, and sometimes vitamins external icon.

The average person should drink water, not sports drinks, to rehydrate. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.