Drunk enough today?

Water not only quenches thirst ...

Sufficient water is not only essential for our body, it also strengthens our immune system and helps us in the healing process if we still get sick.

How much water should you drink per day?

Depending on their age, adolescents and adults should consume between 30 and 40 ml of water per kilogram of body weight per day. It is said that an adult should drink about 1.5 liters of water a day. How much water we really need depends on many factors. Because when it is very hot or extremely cold, our body needs more water. Even when we are sick, our need for drinking water can be increased. This applies, for example, if we have a fever, vomiting or diarrhea. Sports or physical work also mean that we need more water.

How much fluid we need also depends on our diet. Anyone who eats a lot of fruit, vegetables and soups also absorbs fluids through solid food and accordingly has to drink less.

How much water do we use per day?

A four-person household needs an average of around 200 cubic meters of drinking water per year. Around 130 liters of water are used per person every day - if you include companies, it is 260 liters - but only two percent of this is used as drinking water.

When is too much water too much?

In fact, you can drink too much water. Drinking too much water in a short period of time can lead to so-called hyponatremia, also known as water poisoning.

The danger is not in the amount of liquid, but in the composition. Anyone who takes in five or more liters in a few hours changes the salt balance in the body. Hyponatremia can also be translated as “low sodium”. When this happens, too much water enters the body's cells. Edema develops. This is swelling caused by water retention. This edema can be life-threatening, especially in the brain.

Symptoms of water poisoning are drowsiness, nausea, headache or even seizures. Water poisoning can be avoided by listening to your thirst first and foremost. If you have to drink a lot of water after physical exertion or because of illness, isotonic drinks or water enriched with minerals are recommended.