How to calculate how much water you need a day

Water might be more boring to drink than soft drinks or juice, but it's absolutely vital to your health - especially during hot weather.

Humans can die faster from dehydration than lack of food, and while that's not likely in developed countries, it tells you a lot about how important it is to stay hydrated.

Water helps with everything from regulating your digestion, to supporting brain function and keeping skin and hair hydrated.

Pretty magic for a few hydrogen and oxygen atoms.

But despite the oft-repeated adage of "eight glasses a day," there's no clear and commonly accepted directive as to how much water each person should drink.

A good estimate comes from a research centre, the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, which recommends that men should drink 13 cups a day on average, while women should drink nine.

To calculate an intake more suitably specific to you, they also suggest trying this formula - which you may well need a calculator for...

• Divide your weight (in pounds) by 2.2.
• Multiply that by your age.
• Divide that by 28.3, which will give you the total number of ounces you should drink.
• Divide that by eight, and you'll get the number of cups.

Happy chugging!

HT MailOnline

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