Studies suggest that you can be healthier and live longer by drinking enough water
“The results suggest that proper hydration may slow down ageing and prolong a disease-free life”
Natalia Dmitrieva, author of the study and researcher at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
It’s a fact that some people age quicker than others and develop diseases earlier in life. This has become an increasing problem as the population ages and more people suffer from chronic diseases, which impairs their quality of life and comes at a huge cost to society. However, new data indicates that one of the many factors of this societal problem may be both easier and cheaper to solve than previously thought – simply drinking more water.
Older populations = more age-related diseases
As we get older, the risk of age-related diseases such as heart disease, dementia, and cancer increases. This is due, among other things, to the fact that the body becomes more vulnerable with age. According to the findings in a new study from the National Institute of Health (NIH), drinking water can lead to a longer and healthier life.
The NIH investigated whether having an optimal fluid balance could slow down ageing. Previous studies in mice have shown that the lifelong restriction of access to water shortened lifespan. The researchers performed a cohort analysis of biological data for more than 15,000 individuals and 25 years follow-up and looked at the relationship between their biological age and their fluid balance.
The results indicated that those with higher levels of serum sodium – a sign of fluid imbalance – were at increased risk of ageing faster, developing chronic diseases, and dying prematurely. According to the study, people with the highest levels of serum sodium were nearly 40 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, stroke, dementia, diabetes, and lung disease.
However, there are some weaknesses in the study, so more research is needed to understand the underlying factors regarding fluid balance and ageing. Nevertheless, you can keep drinking water in the meantime.
Preventative measures are important
Prevention is always better than cure, as the saying goes. And in this context, by ensuring that we maintain a proper fluid balance, we could prevent many diseases and improve our general health. This applies to older people in particular. Older people have a higher fluid requirement than younger people, which causes problems because older people don’t feel thirsty in the same way. The advice to drink water even if you’re not thirsty applies not just to the elderly, as the ability to feel thirst begins to disappear already in our 50s.
Healthier life and better quality of life for the individual
The new NIH study suggests that well-hydrated adults are biologically younger and develop fewer chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and lung disease. They also live longer than those who don’t drink enough water.
Having a correct fluid balance has many positive effects in addition to helping to reduce the risk of disease. By drinking enough water, you can maintain your concentration and reduce your risk of headaches, for example.
Three concrete tips for a better fluid balance
Drink at regular intervals and try flavouring the water with a sprig of thyme, a few blueberries, or a couple of cucumber slices.
Drink more in the morning to reduce the risk of having an excessive need to urinate in the evening.
Keep the water in a bottle or carafe so that you can clearly see how much you’ve drunk.
My advice
I usually advise that the amount of water you need to drink is individual and influenced by factors such as how much you sweat and move, your state of health, and the climate you live in. You also need to consider how much liquid you’re getting through your consumption of fruit and vegetables, for example. Remember that drinking too much water can also be bad for you. A good rule of thumb is to check the colour of your urine, which should be light yellow. If it’s dark yellow with a strong smell, it’s a sign that you should drink more. For most people, drinking around eight glasses of water per day is sufficient. The problem is that many of us drink nowhere near this much.
