THE SANE VIEW
The idea that we should drink two litres of water a day has become a widely accepted health maxim. But is there any scientific basis for this advice? Certainly the media is awash with positive messages about water. Headlines suggest that drinking vast amounts “can take 10 years off your face” by plumping out wrinkles, and can also help with weight loss and flushing out toxins. Water is portrayed as a panacea, but the truth is not so simple.
Water accounts for around 60 per cent of your body weight (depending on age and gender) and performs crucial functions, such as carrying nutrients to vital organs and keeping joints lubricated. So it’s essential to stay hydrated by replacing the body’s normal water losses (through respiration, sweating and excretion). But according to scientists, we actually don’t need to chug down two litres of the clear stuff each day to do this.