Quick Answers
The amount of water you should drink per day depends on your weight. Here are some general recommendations:
- If you weigh 110 pounds, drink at least 45 ounces (5.6 cups) of water per day.
- If you weigh 150 pounds, drink at least 60 ounces (7.5 cups) of water per day.
- If you weigh 200 pounds, drink at least 80 ounces (10 cups) of water per day.
These are minimum recommendations. You may need more water if you exercise vigorously or sweat a lot. The best way to tell if you’re drinking enough is to check your urine – it should be light yellow or nearly clear. Dark yellow urine is a sign you need more fluids.
Why Water Intake Depends on Body Weight
The amount of water you need is correlated to your body weight because your body mass is mostly made up of water. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Newborns’ bodies are 75% water.
- Children are 65% water.
- Adult males are 60% water.
- Adult females are 55% water.
- Elderly people are 50% water.
So the more you weigh as an adult, the more fluid your body contains and needs to function properly.
Your body is constantly losing water throughout the day through sweat, urine, bowel movements and even breathing. You have to continually replace these fluids in order to:
- Transport nutrients and oxygen to cells
- Protect organs and tissues
- Lubricate joints
- Regulate body temperature
- Remove waste and toxins
When you’re deficient in water, normal body functions suffer. So drinking enough water for your weight is crucial.
The 60% Water Rule
As a simple rule of thumb, you should drink about 1 milliliter of water per calorie you consume each day.
For example, if you eat 2,000 calories per day, you should aim for 2,000 ml of water (about 67 ounces or 8 cups).
This “60% rule” is easy to remember and applies to most people, except for children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, who need additional fluids.
So in general, the more calories or food you consume, the higher your fluid needs. Keep in mind that water content varies by foods – fruits and vegetables are high in water, while processed snacks and baked goods contain little.
Recommended Intake by Weight
Most health authorities provide general guidelines for water intake based on your gender and activity level. But your weight also makes a big difference.
Here are some examples of recommended water intake per day based specifically on body weight:
For Women
| Weight | Water Intake (Cups) | Water Intake (Ounces) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 lbs | 5 cups | 40 oz |
| 120 lbs | 6 cups | 48 oz |
| 140 lbs | 7 cups | 56 oz |
| 160 lbs | 8 cups | 64 oz |
| 180 lbs | 9 cups | 72 oz |
For Men
| Weight | Water Intake (Cups) | Water Intake (Ounces) |
|---|---|---|
| 120 lbs | 6 cups | 48 oz |
| 150 lbs | 7.5 cups | 60 oz |
| 180 lbs | 9 cups | 72 oz |
| 210 lbs | 10.5 cups | 84 oz |
| 240 lbs | 12 cups | 96 oz |
These recommendations are based on the average water needs of sedentary adults. Active individuals or athletes require more – about 16-28 ounces for every hour of strenuous exercise.
Adjusting for Individual Needs
While these recommended water intakes per day according to weight provide a helpful starting point, your individual needs may vary based on:
- Age: Older adults may need to drink more water because kidney function and thirst signals tend to decrease with age.
- Pregnancy & Breastfeeding: Pregnant women need extra fluids to support increased blood volume. Breastfeeding mothers need additional water to compensate for producing breast milk.
- Environment & Activity Level: Hot climates, strenuous exercise, and heavy sweating necessitate higher water intake to replace lost fluids.
- Health Conditions: Certain diseases like diabetes insipidus or kidney stones require increased water consumption.
- Medications: Some drugs like diuretics tend to dehydrate the body.
Monitor your urine color, drink when thirsty, and weigh yourself before and after intense activity to help gauge and adjust your personal fluid needs.
Tips for Drinking More Water
Here are some simple tips to help you drink enough water per day based on your weight:
- Carry a refillable water bottle with you throughout the day.
- Set reminders on your phone, watch or computer to drink water hourly.
- Infuse your water with fruit or herbal flavors if you don’t like plain water.
- Opt for water over sugary drinks like juices, soda, and sports drinks.
- Drink a glass of water before meals to aid digestion.
- Choose water when eating out – skip the sugary drinks.
- Freeze some freezer safe water bottles and use them as ice packs later.
- Drink sparkling water or infused water for variety.
Getting into the habit of drinking water regularly throughout the day makes it easy to stay hydrated.
Signs of Dehydration
Pay attention to signals from your body indicating you’re dehydrated and need to drink more fluids, such as:
- Thirst
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Muscle cramps
- Headaches
- Dark yellow or orange urine
- Rapid heart rate
- Minimal need to urinate
- Confusion
Mild dehydration can be remedied by drinking water. But severe dehydration is a medical emergency requiring IV fluids. Seek help if you experience rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, sunken eyes, cool skin, or little or no urination along with the above dehydration symptoms.
Health Benefits of Proper Hydration
Drinking enough water every day according to your weight provides many important health benefits:
- Boosts Energy & Cognitive Function: Water gives you a mental and physical energy boost by delivering oxygen and nutrients to the brain and body.
- Promotes Weight Loss: Water helps increase feelings of fullness and boosts metabolism slightly to help with fat loss.
- Flushes Out Toxins: Adequate water intake supports kidney function to excrete waste products and excess salt.
- Maintains Regularity: Water adds fluid to the intestines and softens stools to prevent constipation.
- Optimizes Workout Performance: Proper hydration prevents overheating and muscle cramps to help you power through exercise.
- Supports Healthy Skin: Water moisturizes skin cells and increases elasticity to maintain a youthful, wrinkle-free complexion.
- Reduces Disease Risk: Drinking enough fluids may lower the risk of bladder, colon and breast cancers, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
By tailoring your water intake to your body weight each day, you’ll enjoy all these benefits and more.
Water Overdose Dangers
It is possible, though rare, to drink too much water. Consuming excessive amounts puts you at risk of potentially fatal water intoxication or hyponatremia.
This condition occurs when the sodium in blood becomes dangerously diluted from taking in too much fluid. It’s most common among endurance athletes who drink only water during prolonged intense exercise.
Symptoms of hyponatremia include:
- Headache
- Nausea & vomiting
- Muscle cramps & weakness
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Seizures
- Unconsciousness
- Coma
To avoid overhydration:
- Don’t guzzle gallons of water rapidly.
- Avoid excess water intake when taking certain medications like MDMA or ecstasy.
- Monitor water loss during intense endurance exercise by weighing yourself.
- Drink sports drinks instead of only water when doing prolonged vigorous activity.
Unless you’re an extreme athlete or have a specific medical condition causing excessive thirst, it’s very hard to accidentally drink too much water. But it’s still smart to keep an eye on your fluid intake.
The Bottom Line
How much water you need depends largely on your body weight. Most adults should aim for:
- Around 1 milliliter (0.03 oz) per calorie consumed
- Roughly 8 cups (64 oz) for a sedentary lifestyle
- An extra 8-16 oz per hour of exercise
Use your weight as a starting point to determine adequate water intake. Then adjust based on your activity level, sweat response, medications, health conditions, and urine color. Getting enough fluids every day provides energy, promotes weight loss, removes waste, and supports overall health.
