Who should be concerned about dehydration?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 28-year-old female. Over the past few weeks, I have been making a conscious effort to increase my water intake. I have been drinking around four to five liters of water per day. I have been feeling nauseous and experiencing headaches, and my hands and feet have been swollen. I have also noticed a decrease in my urine output, and the color is quite pale. At the same time, I am also concerned about the possibility of dehydration.

Could you please advise me on the appropriate amount of water I should be consuming daily?
Are there any specific signs or symptoms I should watch out for to identify water intoxication or dehydration?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

The recommended total daily fluid intake of 101 ounces for men and 74 ounces for women is more than adequate. Higher fluid intake does not have any convincing health benefits, except perhaps in preventing (recurrent) kidney stones.

When we are hydrated, our cells function optimally, our digestive system works very well, and we can remove these aging toxins easily. Drinking three to four liters of water per day can and will change your life.

You can have large amounts of water at least an hour before and after meal times, but not during the meals. Having too much water near your meal times can dilute the digestive acids and mess up the proper digestion of foods. If you must drink, then you can take a sip or two at most during your meals.

A healthy adult needs around 1.2 ounces of water each day per kilogram of body weight. At least according to the general guidelines from scientific organizations. A person weighing 110 pounds requires 33.8 ounces, 132 pounds 71 ounces, 154 pounds 81.1 ounces, and 176 pounds 94.6 ounces.

Sometimes dehydration occurs for simple reasons: you do not drink enough because you are sick or busy, or because you lack access to safe drinking water when you are traveling, hiking, or camping. Other dehydration causes include diarrhea and vomiting.

If urine output is low, it needs to be examined.

I hope I have answered your question.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards.