Drinking an adequate amount of fluids daily is beneficial to the human body due to many reasons, which include regulating body temperatures. Furthermore, people consume liquids to deliver nutrients to the body cells and make organs function appropriately (Zhang et al., 2018). Therefore, to remain sufficiently hydrated, individuals should drink eight 8-oz. glasses of water daily, take electrolyte-enhanced fluids if they exercise, and drink bottled water instead of tap water.
The belief that people should drink eight 8-oz. glasses of water daily is true because failing to consume adequate liquids dehydrates individuals’ bodies, however, drinking too much water can be dangerous as well. Experts assert that “both excessive and insufficient fluid intakes have negative impacts on health” (Zhang et al., 2018, p. 78). Although inadequately hydrated people are most likely to experience skin problems, too much fluid in the blood dilutes electrolytes such as sodium, therefore, it affects brain cells and threatens individuals’ lives. Thus, body cells require enough liquids to function appropriately.
Moreover, experts encourage people to drink bottled water instead of tap water. Leveque and Burns (2018) assert that consuming bottled water is important when individuals are not sure of the tap water’s quality. Consequently, water producers should manufacture and deliver the product in hygienic conditions to ensure that the fluids are safe. Another reason why people should drink bottled water is its pleasant taste. Therefore, manufacturers should put the right flavors into water and handle the fluids properly to assure their clients of good health.
Another recommendation regarding water consumption is taking water with electrolytes when going to the gym. Those who perform strenuous activities require drinking an adequate amount of sports liquids because people sweat and lose essential nutrients such as sodium and (Baker et al., 2019). Bodies with inadequate sodium develop a poor liquid balance, which results in muscle cramps, and those who miss potassium fail to regulate blood pressure properly. Therefore, water with the appropriate combination of electrolytes is highly beneficial to the human body for its optimal functioning.
To maintain a healthy and sufficiently hydrated body, people should drink an adequate amount of water containing the appropriate minerals daily. For this reason, bottled water is better than tap water as it is of higher quality. Furthermore, those who exercise should drink electrolyte-enhanced water because sweating makes their bodies lose essential nutrients such as sodium. However, people must be careful not to over-hydrate their bodies because this can result in serious health hazards.
References
Baker, L. B., De Chavez, P. J. D., Ungaro, C. T., Sopena, B. C., Nuccio, R. P., Reimel, A. J., & Barnes, K. A. (2019). Exercise intensity effects on total sweat electrolyte losses and regional vs. whole-body sweat [Na+], [Cl-], and [K+]. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 119(2), 361-375. Web.
Leveque, J. G., & Burns, R. C. (2018). Drinking water in West Virginia (USA): Tap water or bottled water–What is the right choice for college students? Journal of Water and Health, 16(5), 827-838. Web.
Zhang, N., Morin, C., Guelinckx, I., Moreno, L. A., Kavouras, S. A., Gandy, J., Martinez, H., Salas-Salvado, J., & Ma, G. (2018). Fluid intake in urban China: Results of the 2016 liq. in 7 national cross-sectional surveys. European Journal of Nutrition, 57(3), 77-88.