Eight Glasses of Water: Evidence all wet

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Reported April 9, 2008

Eight Glasses of Water: Evidence all wet

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- It’s recommended most people drink eight glasses of eight ounces of water a day. But a new study finds there isn’t much research to support this recommendation.

Drinking enough water is touted to be helpful for everything from clearing toxins and keeping organs healthy to warding off weight gain and improving skin tone. But does the research back these claims? Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania found there is a definite lack of research to support or deny these claims.

Study authors reviewed published clinical studies that focused on drinking water. They found there is solid evidence that people in hot, dry climates as well as athletes and those with certain diseases have an increased need for water. However, they report the average, healthy individual does not benefit from drinking eight glasses of water a day. Researchers say it’s not even clear where this recommendation came from.

Researchers say the studies revealed increased water consumption does not improve kidney function or other organ function. They found there is no research to back the theory that drinking water will make people feel full and curb their appetite. They say there are no studies showing a clinical benefit to one’s skin from drinking water. There is also no solid evidence that drinking water can reduce headaches due to water deprivation. Researchers say what they found instead was a lack of evidence for or against drinking eight glasses of water a day.

SOURCE: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, published online April 2, 2008Planning your summer road trip? Check out AOL Travel Guides.