Drink 8 Glasses A Day? The FINAL Answer

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted October 5, 2023

If I had a dollar for every time someone has asked me, “Do I need to drink eight glasses of water a day?” … well, I’d be a very wealthy man indeed.

After all, we’ve heard this advice most of our lives. It’s only natural to wonder if it’s true.

And my response might surprise you.

The answer to that “eight glasses” question is “No.”

And the reason why is simple. Our water needs are NOT the same, and they change.

A short person living in Alaska during the winter who sits in front of the television all day will have entirely different water requirements than a tall person living in Florida who works outside for eight hours a day.

Plus, your water needs CHANGE depending on your current weight, how much you exercise, the outside temperature, your age, and many other factors.

And here’s the thing. You can’t simply trust your thirst to determine whether you’ve been drinking enough H2O. Especially if you’ve reached your senior years.

You see, your risk of dehydration skyrockets as you get older.

This is because our kidneys don’t hold water as well as we age. Plus, many of the medications we take as seniors can cause us to become dehydrated.

Drugs like diuretics, laxatives, and blood pressure meds draw water out of the body. And certain conditions that become more common as we age, like diabetes, can cause you to lose more water.

But that’s not all. Mother Nature has one last trick she likes to pull. The thirst sensors in our brains  don’t work as well as younger people’s. So, it’s easy to accidentally not drink enough water.

To AVOID dehydration, the first thing to consider is how often you urinate. You should be going at least every two hours. If you aren’t, you likely need to drink more.

But if you’re taking a diuretic or blood pressure pill, you’ll likely be wearing a hole in the rug running back and forth to the bathroom. In that case, keep an eye on the color of your urine.

It should be a light straw color—not necessarily clear, but NOT bright yellow. If it’s bright yellow you’re probably falling short and need to drink more water.

(But remember that some supplements, such as those with B vitamins, can cause your urine to become more yellow.)

Generally, the goal should be to down at least one liter of water daily (between 4 and 5 cups). But if you’re sweating a lot or peeing often, you should drink MORE, whether you’re feeling particularly parched or not.

P.S. Having trouble drinking enough water? Try THIS easy and delicious trick.

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

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