How much water should you drink?

The recommended amount of water to be drunk per day varies from person to person, depending on factors such as how active they are and how much they sweat. There is no universally agreed upon amount of water that must be consumed daily, but there is a general level of consensus as to what a healthy amount is. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), an adequate intake for men is approximately 13 cups (3 liters) a day. For women, an adequate intake is around 9 cups (2.2 liters).

Many people will have heard the phrase, "drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day," which works out at around 1.9 liters and is close to the IOM's recommendation for women. Drinking "8 by 8" is an easy-to-remember amount that can put people on the right track regarding water consumption. Remember, all non-alcoholic fluid counts towards this recommendation.

Water also helps dissolve minerals and nutrients so that they are more accessible to the body, as well as helping transport waste products out of the body. It is these two functions that make water so vital to the kidneys.