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Short answer How much water you actually need Common questions Related questions SourcesMost healthy adults do well with roughly 6 to 8 cups of plain water a day, since food and other drinks supply the rest of the fluid you need.
Total fluid targets often quoted are about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) a day for women and about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) for men, but that total includes water from food, coffee, tea, milk, and soup, so what you actually drink is less. Your needs go up with hot weather, exercise, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. The simplest check is your body: drink when you are thirsty, and aim for urine that is pale yellow rather than dark. Spreading water across the day works better than drinking a large amount at once. If you have heart failure, kidney disease, or take a diuretic, your clinician may set a specific fluid limit that overrides these general numbers.
How much water you actually need
Common questions
how much water a day should you drink
There is no single number that fits everyone. A common guide is about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of total fluid a day for women and about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) for men, but that includes water from food and all beverages, so the amount you drink is lower, often around 6 to 8 cups. Heat, exercise, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, pregnancy, and breastfeeding raise your needs. Pale yellow urine and no constant thirst usually mean you are getting enough. Some conditions, such as heart failure and kidney disease, call for a fluid limit set by your clinician, so ask before making a big change. Drinking very large amounts far beyond thirst can lower your blood sodium and is not safer.