How Much Water Do You Really Need This Summer? A St. Cloud Doctor Weighs In

(KNSI) – With the heat set to return to central Minnesota and a calendar packed with parades, picnics and boat rides, hydration is on a lot of minds.

But how much water is the right amount, and is it possible to drink too much? KNSI put those questions to Dr. George Morris, sports medicine medical director at CentraCare in St. Cloud. Morris says there is no single number that fits everyone.

The familiar guideline of eight glasses a day is a fine starting point, but he says total fluid matters more than what comes from a glass. Most people should aim for about two to two and a half liters of liquid a day, with a good share of that coming from food. He says fruits, vegetables and even protein sources like meat and beans carry water the body absorbs, and those foods deliver a bonus of micronutrients and electrolytes that plain water cannot.

More water is not automatically better. Morris pointed to what can happen when someone drinks far more than they need. “If you drink in too much straight water, pure water, then you can dilute everything else and you end up with low electrolyte or low sodium levels, which is risky.”

That condition has a name, hyponatremia, and it is the reason Morris warns against chugging large amounts before a workout or a long day outside.

Morris also pushed back on a popular weight-loss formula that calls for one ounce of water per two pounds of body weight, noting that for someone who weighs 180 pounds, that is 90 ounces a day and likely more than needed on a routine basis.

He says plain water is fine for everyday sipping, but heavier activity changes the equation. “Especially if you’re exercising or sweating heavily out in the sun on a long day, on a picnic or a boat ride, or even at a local parade of having some electrolytes in your water is a great idea.”

Morris noted the World Health Organization even publishes a do-it-yourself recipe using a little salt, sugar and baking soda, though a commercially available electrolyte mix works just as well. For longer efforts like a bike ride, a run or a softball tournament, he suggests adding about a cup of water for every 45 minutes of activity.

Wondering whether you are getting enough? Morris offered a simple at-home gauge. “You want your urine to be really very light yellow or even clear. That means you’re getting enough water and your body is filtering it quite effectively.”

Dark or concentrated urine, he says, is a clear signal to drink more.
A few groups need extra care. Young children, older adults and pregnant women should all pay closer attention, with the elderly at higher risk for both low sodium and putting too much strain on the heart.

As for the rest of us, Morris says the goal is simple, drink steadily through the day, lean on water and food over sugary or caffeinated drinks, and let your body, and the color of your urine, tell you when it needs more.

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