This Is Exactly How Much Water You Should Drink Every Day, According to Experts

Whoever you are, one thing is true: over half your body is water. According to the US Geological Survey's Water Science School (USGS), up to 60 percent of the human body is water—some of your vital organs are practically oceanic. With that, it's key to consistently replenish that water. But what for? And how much water should you actually drink daily?

To maintain function throughout the body, from skin to muscles to mind, you need to consume a certain amount of water every day. This provides a stunning range of benefits, including:

· Improves digestion

· Regulates body temperature

· Allows the brain to produce key hormones and neurotransmitters

· Acts as a shock absorber for the brain and spinal cord

· Allows cells to grow and reproduce

· Helps deliver oxygen throughout the body

For athletes, numerous items on that list are tied to better performance. For example, body temperature regulation keeps you from overheating during exercise by sweating. That shock absorber effect ensures your brain and spine are protected during even an intensive HIIT session. And water transports nutrients to your muscles' cells while removing waste to provide efficiency that translates into strength gains.

The key is to consume enough water each day in the form of food, beverages and plain water to get all of these advantages. Let's dig into the specifics.

Although there are some factors that increase your hydration needs—more on those next—if you're just doing everyday activities, the recommendation is about 11.5 cups of water daily for women and about 15.5 cups for men, according to Kelsey Sackmann, R.D., of Kelsey and Cooper's Kitchen in New Jersey, US.

"It's very important to drink consistently throughout the day", she says, which means that trying to fit all of your hydration into one or two guzzling sessions will probably backfire. Getting too much water—a condition called hyponatraemia, when the sodium in your body is too diluted—isn't common, but there is an increased risk if you chug a gallon at a time. Also, your body can only absorb so much at once, so you might be throwing off your electrolyte balance for nothing.

A better strategy, says Sackmann, is to hydrate first thing in the morning, with and between meals, and especially if you feel thirsty.

There are times when hydration is obvious, like when you're thirsty or during any of the times that Sackmann recommends above. But what about other hydration needs? Consider modifying your total fluid intake based on these four factors:

Plain water will always be the go-to when it comes to hydration, but while it's a default, that doesn't mean it's your only option. In fact, there are several choices that can help in the effort:

· Herbal tea

· Zero-sugar sports drinks

· Plant-based milk

· Dairy milk

· Fruit

· Vegetables

There's been some debate over whether coffee and other caffeinated beverages count towards your hydration goals, since they've been put under the dehydration column for years. But it turns out that may be misguided. A 2014 study in the journal PLoS One found no evidence of dehydration with moderate daily coffee intake, even with regular exercise, and that it may even have similar hydrating qualities to water.

With alcohol, however, there's no debate. Research suggests alcohol increases risk of dehydration because it's a diuretic, which means you have greater urine output that is difficult to replenish while you're having cocktails. That means if you're planning on having a drink or two in the evening, be sure to boost your hydration beforehand, sip on water between drinks and replenish the next day, Sackmann suggests.

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Apart from alcohol, fluids from food and non-water beverage sources represent about 20 percent of your hydration needs. Sackmann says the best sources to replace electrolytes and hydrate naturally are bananas, potatoes, watermelon, spinach, blueberries, broccoli and grapefruit.

Another good choice for athletes is chocolate milk, she adds, especially after a workout. A 2018 meta-analysis in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the beverage provided similar or superior results compared with other recovery drinks.

Hydration doesn't need to feel like doing algebra. Sackmann suggests just being more aware of getting water and replenishing foods throughout the day, and to increase that effort based on how much you exercise.

For more expert-backed nutrition advice, be sure to download the Nike Training Club App!