Myth 1: Drinking 8 glasses of water

Part of my mission for this blog is to uncover and shed some light on some of  the myths out there that relates to hair care practices.  So the first myth I'll be looking at is the popular notion behind drinking 8 glasses/cups of water each day. I will be tackling this myth from two different perspectives, the first perspective would be my personal views and opinion about this myth while the other would be based on my research findings.

Why I think you don't need to drink 8 glasses of water daily
Reason 1: I have read and even heard many hair vloggers and bloggers promote the idea that drinking 8 glasses of water everyday will help hydrate our dry hair. I never understood this concept because I could never relate how our internal body mechanism could somehow have an effect on hair that is far outside our body. Also bear in mind that once our hair grows out of our scalp, it immediately becomes vulnerable to environmental factors and human manipulation, and so our internal bodily functions won't help much with the health of the hair. 
External care will be needed to ensure a healthy hair, hence the reason why we have a multi-billion dollar hair care industry. The improved hair condition women who drink more water tend to experience is often a result  of combined hair care practices which they apply to their hair. This means that you could drinks galons of water daily, but if you don't moisturize your hair often and apply other best hair care practices, your hair will still remain dry!

*Source*

Reason 2: The fact that you need to run to the bathroom few minutes after drinking the excess water is a signal that your body doesn't need that glass of water at that particular time. 

Reason 3: A reasonable question most people often don't ask before jumping on the band wagon is about the size of the glass, since the size of the cup you use will determine how much water you're actually drinking daily. During my research, I found that the recommended glass is 8 ounces, hence the 8x8 rule, which means 8 ounces of water 8 times a day.

Reason 4: I've also noticed that many don't question the "one size fits all" concept of this myth. Would a  man and a woman have to drink the same 8 glasses? Would your size, age and weight determine how much you should drink? How about one's physical activity level? health issues? climate?  So you see, there isn't a standard recommendation for every individual. 

Functions of Water in the body. *Source*

So, what does the Scientific community have to say about this myth?
The Mayo clinic as well as many other scientific sources have not found any scientific evidence to support this popular myth. Also, the origin of this notion remains a mystery till today. 
According to the Mayo clinic, the adequate daily intake for a man living in a temperate climate should be around 3 liters of beverage  and 2.2 liters of beverage for women. 

However, increased intake will be needed if you fall under any one of these 4 categories.
1. The type and duration of your exercise and how much you sweat during a work out will dictate how much extra water is needed.

2. You will need to drink more water if you live in a hot and humid climate, high altitude area and in heated indoors (during the winter season).

3. If you have a fever or diarrhea, increased hydration will be needed to restore your internal fluid balance. However, reduced liquid intake may be recommended to you by your doctor if you have a liver or kidney related disease which impairs proper excretion of water. 

4. Pregnant or breast-feeding: The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 2.3 liters (about 10 cups) of fluids daily and women who breast-feed consume 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids a day.



Aside from water, how else can I get the recommended daily fluid intake  into my body? 
Water can come from sources such as coffee, tea, milk, soda, juice, fruits, vegetables and other foods. This means you could take only a few glasses of water daily and be assured that everything else you ate or drank on that day will fill in any gap. For best sources of liquid, clear water would be the best source since it's caffeine and sugar free. Nutrition experts also recommend drinking water after every meal and between meals.


Are there side effects to drinking too much water?
Yes, because too much of anything can be very bad for you.  The medical condition that could arise as a result  is called hyponatremia. This occurs when the kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water, resulting in low sodium levels in the blood. Marathon runners and other endurance athletes who drink large amounts of water are at higher risk. Health effects resulting from excess water intake is rare though, so you don't have much to worry about this.

How would I know if my body needs more water?
You will feel thirsty :)

Key Point: The vast majority of healthy people meet their daily hydration needs by just letting thirst be their guide, so it's possible that you are already drinking the recommended daily fluid intake without trying. 

Scientific Sources

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12376390 
2. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=eight-glasses-water-per-day
3. http://www.mindthesciencegap.org/2012/10/22/you-need-to-drink-8-glasses-of-water-a-day-a-history-lesson/
4. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283