Can You Drink 30 Glasses of Water a Day?

In 2004, the National Academy of Medicine recommended that women aged 19-30 should consume around 2.7 liters per day and men of the same age should consume around 3.7 liters per day. Some people still follow the 8×8 rule, which recommends drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day.

While technically yes, you can drink 30 glasses of water if you have the capacity, doing so could have adverse effects on your health. Consuming approximately 7-8 liters of water per day, in addition to water from food and skin absorption, will put your body into a state of dehydrated over stimulus. Your body will attempt to excrete the excess water through urine, leading to the loss of essential salts, electrolytes, and micro-nutrients.

The Risks of Water Overintake

Drinking 30 or more glasses of water can be likened to a self-imposed punishment. Even trying to drink 20 glasses of water in a single day would mean spending the entire day in the washroom. Water is crucial for hydration, but like with everything, excess is not good. Excessive water can flush vital nutrients out of your body.

Calculating Your Daily Water Requirement

Certain steps can help you determine a healthier, more personalized daily water intake:

Step 1: Check Your Weight in Kilograms

This formula calculates your water requirement based on your weight because a 45 kg person doesn't require the same amount of water as an 85 kg person.

Step 2: Divide Your Weight by 30

Divide your weight (in kilograms) by 30. The answer is the number of liters you should be drinking per day. For example, if you weigh 60 kg, you should drink 2 liters of water per day. If you weigh 80 kg, you should drink 2.6 liters (2 liters and 600 ml) of water per day.

Step 3: Add More Water for Physical Activity

If you exercise, you might lose a lot of water through sweat. For every half hour of exercise, add 0.35 liters (350 ml) to your daily requirement. So, if you exercise for an hour every day, add 0.7 liters (700 ml) of water to your daily water intake.

Step 4: Consider the Water in Your Food

You don't need to drink all of your water in liquid form because your food contains water too. In fact, approximately 20-25% of your daily water intake comes from the food you eat. The following chart shows the water content in common fruits and vegetables (water weight column, where 1 gram of water 1 ml of water). For example, an apple contains 116 grams of water, so you can drink 116 ml (0.116 liters) less water that day.

While you may not be able to add up the amount of water in your fruits and vegetables every day, this is just to give you a general idea.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your water intake is appropriate for your body's needs. Excessive water intake can lead to health risks such as hyponatremia, which can cause confusion, seizures, and in extreme cases, death. Always aim for a balanced approach to hydration as recommended by health professionals.