How much water do you drink daily?

[cleverscreenname]

I'm thinking that many mustachians are more active than the general population, so I'm curious what your water intake averages, and any positive or negative impacts it has had on your body.

For me, with 16.9oz bottles, I would say an average of 15 daily and my job is perhaps just 20% of the activeness of a fast food worker. (similar while not working, workouts kind of rare.)
On days with full activity matching a fast food worker, I estimate 25 bottles.

I don't aspire to drink at this rate, simply my mouth usually feels dry. Water is my only beverage, except for 1 or occasionally 2 beers a day.

I sleep partly on the floor on a sleeping bag while on back and stomach, and on a firm bed for side sleeping, at least 3 different positions per night. I get up an average of 5x to pee and drink a little more, and my best record is nights I've gotten up just once. It's been decades since I slept for more than say, 5 hours. Age group: 30-40. Slightly tall, average ideal weight.

Oh, and I drink straight from the tap, those bottles are reused so I can drink it nice and cold from the frig.

[MrGreen]

When I was younger and involved in CrossFit I was drinking a gallon a day. You really drink 2-3.5 gallons of water a day? That's an incredible amount of water. And I thought I was peeing a lot with a gallon.

[Telecaster]

It is my hope and belief that over millions of years of evolution my body can tell me accurately how much water I need.  So I drink until I'm not thirsty.   I don't quite understand why I should measure much I drink because I believe my thirst reflex is the only important indicator.  Maybe I'm wrong. 

[Omy]

When I was a young adult, I didn't drink much at all - maybe a bottle a day? I've always avoided soda and coffee, and I don't drink a lot of alcohol. I drank when I was thirsty but almost never had to pee. I later determined that I was probably fairly dehydrated during my early adult years. In my 40s, I started forcing myself to drink a lot more (2-3 bottles a day) and noticed fewer headaches. In my 50s I started getting kidney stones and was advised to pick up my water intake further and I now try to drink 4 bottles a day. That seems to have helped keep kidney stones under control. I pee very regularly, and sometimes get up once in the night to pee.

There's no way I could consume 2 or 3 gallons a day. I'd spend my whole day in the bathroom.

[cupcakery]

I normally drink 3-4 - 16oz bottles of water daily, plus 2 cups of tea.  Sometimes I'll add in a cup of coffee.  I don't feel well if I drink more than that.

[GilesMM]

Sounds like you have a drinking problem.


I don't drink any unless exercising outside.  A coffee in the morning.  A glass of water at lunch. Beer or wine with dinner.

[ChickenStash]

I average around 3L a day, maybe 4-5 if I'm sweating a lot. I've had dehydration issues (ER visit, not recommeneded) in the past and I suspect my thirst reflex is a bit out of whack so I aim to overshoot a bit for safety.

Multiple gallons, though... no thanks. I not sure how I'd get anything done besides going to the bathroom.

Have you been checked for diabetes insipidus for the thirst or something for dry mouth?

[Sibley]

OP, you should see a doctor. That is a REALLY unusual amount of water, and could be a symptom of a medical issue.

[Metalcat]

OP, you should see a doctor. That is a REALLY unusual amount of water, and could be a symptom of a medical issue.

I 100% agree with this, this is not medically normal, especially getting up at night to pee.

Have you talked to a doctor about this??

[Scandium]

Sounds like you have a drinking problem.


I don't drink any unless exercising outside.  A coffee in the morning.  A glass of water at lunch. Beer or wine with dinner.

Ouch, I get a headache just reading that! If I don't think some water in the morning I for sure get migraine-like headache later (a friend gets migraine, so I just go by his description. I'm not diagnosed). But if it works for you *shrug

I think the medical advice is "drink water if you're thirsty". The whole X number of 8 oz glasses is bunk, with no scientific backing.

I don't really keep track. An 8 oz glass in the morning and dinner, maybe one in the evening? 32 oz bottle at my desk at lunch. So about a 56-64 oz per day? 1.6-1.9 L. If exercise at least another 24 oz bottle > ~80 oz/2.4L+
OP's water intake sounds crazy. First I'd suggest accurately tracking, count could be off.

[lifeandlimb]

Wow. I agree, this sounds like the symptom of a medical problem (especially the feeling of thirst as dry mouth).

I may have 2L/day when I'm indoors/not moving. I look for clear-ish pee and clearheadedness each day as positive signs. Most grown people I know will drink maybe 4L/day on an active hot day (I'm talking moving hard outside all day, in the woods or in the direct sun). My biggest active friend at roughly 250lb has used up 6L water container on his absolute hardest-trying days.

As a comparison, you're saying you average 7L on a typical, non-exerting day. Asking a doctor this question during a check-up may be in order.

[wenchsenior]

OP, you should see a doctor. That is a REALLY unusual amount of water, and could be a symptom of a medical issue.

I 100% agree with this, this is not medically normal, especially getting up at night to pee.

Have you talked to a doctor about this??

Agree.

[HPstache]

I feel like I had a friend who did these same things and found out it was early signs of diabetes... I might be getting my stories mixed up though.  Talk to a doctor for sure.

[Metalcat]

I feel like I had a friend who did these same things and found out it was early signs of diabetes... I might be getting my stories mixed up though.  Talk to a doctor for sure.

Yeah, I think most MDs would think of diabetes upon hearing this. Also probably diabetes insipidus, which has similar urination and thirst symptoms, which is why it's called "diabetes" even though it is completely unrelated to diabetes and not similar in any way, shape or form except for the peeing and thirst. Then there's kidney disease too.

Peeing is pretty critical for the function of a lot of systems, so a lot of problems can cause peeing and thirst.

[yachi]

This thread makes me think of the Jennifer Strange case.  She died from drinking too much water on a radio show.  Nurses were calling into the station telling them how dangerous the stunt was, but apparently the station was found not guilty in the resulting court case.  https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna16614865

[HPstache]

This thread makes me think of the Jennifer Strange case.  She died from drinking too much water on a radio show.  Nurses were calling into the station telling them how dangerous the stunt was, but apparently the station was found not guilty in the resulting court case.  https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna16614865

I totally remember this when I was in college as this was a local station... such a sad story

[Dreamer40]

Oh wow that’s a lot of water. Definitely talk about it with your doctor.

I drink a few pint glasses of water a day. I don’t measure. At least one glass during my workout and in the morning before/with breakfast. Probably 2-3 more throughout the day, just grabbing sips as I walk past my glass. Another with dinner/hanging out in the evening. And that’s probably it. Maybe an alcohol drink in the evening and a single shot of espresso in the morning. I’ll drink more if I’m going for a hike.

[reeshau]

I usually follow my body, and drink when thirsty.

I was pulling weeds all morning today in SE Texas summer heat, though, and I just downed 6 glasses.

[GuitarStv]

Quantity of water that you drink is very variable, and should depend on the amount of food you eat, temperatures around you, how much you sweat, what you weigh, and exercise.  The best way to check if you're properly hydrated that I'm aware of is to look at the colour of your urine.  It should be clear or very light yellow.  If it's strongly coloured, you're probably not getting enough.

I average about 2.5-3L a day if I'm not getting any exercise.  A couple hours wrestling in the heat or cycling in the sun and it can easily double.

[ixtap]

Dang, I thought I drank a lot! I do drink more than most, but if I drank over a gallon without electrolytes, I would feel just as crappy as if I were dehydrated. I judge by thirst and pee color: clear means back off, a strong color means drink more. Headache usually means add electrolytes.

[Metalcat]

Quantity of water that you drink is very variable, and should depend on the amount of food you eat, temperatures around you, how much you sweat, what you weigh, and exercise.  The best way to check if you're properly hydrated that I'm aware of is to look at the colour of your urine.  It should be clear or very light yellow.  If it's strongly coloured, you're probably not getting enough.

I average about 2.5-3L a day if I'm not getting any exercise.  A couple hours wrestling in the heat or cycling in the sun and it can easily double.

OP is drinking 8-12L daily and still feeling actively thirsty and waking up multiple times to pee and drink more.

We're well past colour of pee territory here. Healthy kidneys can handle more than that but the pattern of peeing and thirst is concerning.

[GuitarStv]

Quantity of water that you drink is very variable, and should depend on the amount of food you eat, temperatures around you, how much you sweat, what you weigh, and exercise.  The best way to check if you're properly hydrated that I'm aware of is to look at the colour of your urine.  It should be clear or very light yellow.  If it's strongly coloured, you're probably not getting enough.

I average about 2.5-3L a day if I'm not getting any exercise.  A couple hours wrestling in the heat or cycling in the sun and it can easily double.

OP is drinking 8-12L daily and still feeling actively thirsty and waking up multiple times to pee and drink more.

We're well past colour of pee territory here. Healthy kidneys can handle more than that but the pattern of peeing and thirst is concerning.

Oh, holy shit!  I misread the amounts listed.  12 L of water in a day is an awful lot.

[yachi]

Oh, holy shit!  I misread the amounts listed.  12 L of water in a day is an awful lot.

Yes, there we go.  I'm surprised more people aren't sounding the alarm on OP needing medical care.

Just to clarify and highlight:

OP:

• Drinks 2 gallons (7.5 Liters) daily while, essentially sedentary
• Drinks 3.3 gallons (12.5 Liters) daily while lightly active
• Wakes up at least once every hour at night to pee and drink more water
• OP only drinks when thirsty/dry mouth

@cleverscreenname  are you on any medication that has dry mouth as a side effect?  If so, you may want to check with your doctor for suggestions to keep your mouth moist while not washing out your body's electrolytes or swelling your brain.

I'd also suggest you check your homes humidity level too.  If you have a really dry building environment (from overusing a dehumidifier, or overusing the AC in a dry location), you could suffer physical effects.
Speaking of nighttime, if you're more of a mouthbreather when you sleep, you might benefit from a dehumidifier where you sleep to keep you from drying out. 

[Adventine]

"Normal" water intake will also vary wildly depending on how much time someone spends outdoors and in what kind of temperatures.


It definitely seems excessive to drink 2-3 gallons of water a day and getting up every hour at night to pee. At that point, it's a real drag on quality of life.

[HPstache]

Oh, holy shit!  I misread the amounts listed.  12 L of water in a day is an awful lot.

I'm surprised more people aren't sounding the alarm on OP needing medical care.

I think like 6 people have mentioned it

[cleverscreenname]

When I was younger and involved in CrossFit I was drinking a gallon a day. You really drink 2-3.5 gallons of water a day? That's an incredible amount of water. And I thought I was peeing a lot with a gallon.

I enjoy it much more when it's cold, but I drink it room-temperature if necessary. Unfortunately, I have to? eat like a pig (a vice I enjoy) to balance it out with enough sodium so I don't get sick. Which makes me worry about my blood vessels... I believe I've felt the effects of hyponatremia many times before, particularly when I feel like food poisoning or something and spend a day or 2 not eating.

[cleverscreenname]

In my 50s I started getting kidney stones and was advised to pick up my water intake further and I now try to drink 4 bottles a day. That seems to have helped keep kidney stones under control.

Thanks for the info, and hopefully that's one benefit I can look forward to, because people say kidney stones are more painful than childbirth.

[Metalcat]

When I was younger and involved in CrossFit I was drinking a gallon a day. You really drink 2-3.5 gallons of water a day? That's an incredible amount of water. And I thought I was peeing a lot with a gallon.

I enjoy it much more when it's cold, but I drink it room-temperature if necessary. Unfortunately, I have to? eat like a pig (a vice I enjoy) to balance it out with enough sodium so I don't get sick. Which makes me worry about my blood vessels... I believe I've felt the effects of hyponatremia many times before, particularly when I feel like food poisoning or something and spend a day or 2 not eating.

Have you talked to a doctor about any of this??

[cleverscreenname]

OP, you should see a doctor. That is a REALLY unusual amount of water, and could be a symptom of a medical issue.

I 100% agree with this, this is not medically normal, especially getting up at night to pee.

Have you talked to a doctor about this??

I've talked a little about it, casually, I probably didn't include amounts or sound concerned enough. I've gone most of my life without insurance, and I haven't had a Primary Care Physician since I was a kid. I just picked up insurance and a PCP for the first time earlier this year, so she doesn't have any records to compare to, and she doesn't seem alarmed considering my average body type. My grandmother had diabetes, but that's the only one in my family tree.

Oh, a big thing I forgot to mention earlier, I drank disgusting amounts of Mountain Dew Code Red as a teenager. It was my every-drink, and I almost never drank water. I would get excited when it was on sale, and stock up, and I had a job to buy them. I remember once when it was $0.66 for a 2 liter, I went to multiple stores and had 45 two liter bottles stored under my bed. I hope it wasn't an early death sentence.

[cleverscreenname]

OP's water intake sounds crazy. First I'd suggest accurately tracking, count could be off.

Fair point, but I think I'm pretty close, when I leave for work in the morning I take those 16.9oz bottles with a cold pack (4 in a small cooler or 8 in a medium cooler depending on my work load), and I refill them all a few times.

I may have 2L/day when I'm indoors/not moving. I look for clear-ish pee and clearheadedness each day as positive signs. Most grown people I know will drink maybe 4L/day on an active hot day (I'm talking moving hard outside all day, in the woods or in the direct sun). My biggest active friend at roughly 250lb has used up 6L water container on his absolute hardest-trying days.

Thanks for the comparison point, my pee is always crystal clear except for the rare ocassion of getting sick and thirst goes away.

diabetes insipidus

I'm going to google this right now

[cleverscreenname]

Drinks 3.3 gallons (12.5 Liters) daily while lightly active

@cleverscreenname  are you on any medication that has dry mouth as a side effect?  If so, you may want to check with your doctor for suggestions to keep your mouth moist while not washing out your body's electrolytes or swelling your brain.

I'd also suggest you check your homes humidity level too.  If you have a really dry building environment (from overusing a dehumidifier, or overusing the AC in a dry location), you could suffer physical effects.
Speaking of nighttime, if you're more of a mouthbreather when you sleep, you might benefit from a dehumidifier where you sleep to keep you from drying out.

Smart thinking yachi. I want to change that lightly active to moderately active, so I don't sound so wimpy!
I do drink less in the winter, it decreases maybe 25%. Our house is electric-only with baseboard heat, and I've seen 15% humidity at times. The other seasons we open the windows most of the time. No trees shadowing the house, at least it's a metal roof. We shut them all and use air conditioning 10% of the time, but usually not while sleeping.

I snore light a freight train, it runs in my family. People have encouraged my dad to try a c-pap machine and a sleep study. I like that idea of finding something to moisten my mouth without drinking, perhaps my saliva production is incorrect? Winter mucus production is quite high, my friend tells me I blow my nose more often than anyone he knows.

Oh, and no medication ever in my life. Typically no over-the-counter stuff either, aside from a one-time nasal spray? Never painkillers, cold/cough meds, etc.

or swelling your brain.

My memory is pitiful. I forget most everything I hear, but if I write something down I can remember it. Even without reading it later! Just the act of writing or typing somehow commits it to memory.

I apologize if I worried anyone by starting this thread, that wasn't my intention. I tend to shy away from attention. Nonetheless, all of your insights are valuable.

[Metalcat]

OP, you should see a doctor. That is a REALLY unusual amount of water, and could be a symptom of a medical issue.

I 100% agree with this, this is not medically normal, especially getting up at night to pee.

Have you talked to a doctor about this??

I've talked a little about it, casually, I probably didn't include amounts or sound concerned enough. I've gone most of my life without insurance, and I haven't had a Primary Care Physician since I was a kid. I just picked up insurance and a PCP for the first time earlier this year, so she doesn't have any records to compare to, and she doesn't seem alarmed considering my average body type. My grandmother had diabetes, but that's the only one in my family tree.

Oh, a big thing I forgot to mention earlier, I drank disgusting amounts of Mountain Dew Code Red as a teenager. It was my every-drink, and I almost never drank water. I would get excited when it was on sale, and stock up, and I had a job to buy them. I remember once when it was $0.66 for a 2 liter, I went to multiple stores and had 45 two liter bottles stored under my bed. I hope it wasn't an early death sentence.

I would definitely tell your doctor and be specific about how often you wake up to pee, how much you drink, what specific symptoms make you feel like you need to drink, and how long it has been this way. Also if you have any history of concussions. Take notes, log details for a week, and give accurate reports of how much you drink and how often you wake up.

It could be something that's just treated with symptom management or it could be something that could maim or kill you if left untreated for too long.

Here's hoping it's something minor like diabetes insipidus, which rarely hurts anyone as long as you keep drinking enough water. But it's definitely not nothing, so go get that figured out.

[curious_george]

I only drink water, and have a 1 liter bottle I carry around.

How much I drink totally depends on what I'm doing, how much fruit I have eaten, and how much ice I eat (I have always enjoyed eating ice throughout my life, especially before bed).

If I am sedantary that day - it might just be one liter, all day.

If I am biking for 30-40 miles outside in the heat, it might be 3-4 liters or more.

Totally depends on what I'm doing.

[yachi]

I snore light a freight train, it runs in my family. People have encouraged my dad to try a c-pap machine and a sleep study. I like that idea of finding something to moisten my mouth without drinking, perhaps my saliva production is incorrect? Winter mucus production is quite high, my friend tells me I blow my nose more often than anyone he knows.

I was going to mention something about c-pap machines.  Mine has a heated water compartment, and adjustable humidity level.  During the winter (our low-humidity season) I sometimes get a dry mouth if I forget to refill it.  When I use the humidifier part, it's very comfortable.  My dad used to snore a lot too, and he was instead treated for allergies that prevented him from breathing through his nose when he sleeps.  According to my mom he doesn't have issues anymore.

I think your on to something with considering the dry mouth and snoring together.

[sonofsven]

Usually 2-3 pints of just water, plus a pint or two of herbal tea.
If I'm working in the heat, sweating a lot, then I can easily double that amount. I work in construction.
I keep glass bottles from purchased kombucha (GT brand) for my work water bottles.
I also think you're drinking way too much water.

[cleverscreenname]

That's a great idea, I should switch to glass bottles as well for better health compared to drinking from plastic, which also tastes inferior.

[Sibley]

That's a great idea, I should switch to glass bottles as well for better health compared to drinking from plastic, which also tastes inferior.

Honestly, biggest bang for your buck right now is a blunt, detailed conversation with your doctor, detailing EXACTLY how much you're drinking so you can get tested for diabetes and anything else your doctor thinks appropriate. It's not going to matter if you're drinking from a plastic water bottle if you drop dead from an untreated, serious condition.

I get the lack of insurance. I'm glad you have insurance now. Call and make an appointment tomorrow.

[cleverscreenname]

I am going to, and I will report my progress back here

[ixtap]

I am a klutz so glass bottles never appealed to me. We have been using metal bottles since yonks. The one I am using today is over a decade old.

[Cassie]

When I moved to Reno 26 years ago my water intake really increased probably due to the low humidity. I have been tested for diabetes. For the past 19 years I have been on 2 medications that cause dry mouth. I drink water constantly and usually pee every hour or two. At night I wake up every 2-3 hours to pee and then only take a sip of water to wet my mouth. I have never kept track of how much I drink in a day. I have noticed when I have friends over I probably drink 3 glasses for their one.

[ysette9]

I got into the habit of having a big water bottle with me at my desk, and I’d drink all day. Because that is what you are supposed to do or something. At least that is the propaganda I always imbibed.

Somewhere along the way the liquid consumption combined with regular exercise combined goodness-knows-what was too much for my body. I had depleted my potassium. I didn’t realize it until I fainted in public, smashed my head open, and had to go to the ER to get stitched back together again.

I am now trying to retrain myself to drink when I am thirsty and only when I am thirsty.

I have young kids who only drink when they are thirsty. It is fascinating to see how much less they drink, even adjusting for differences in body size. I try to keep that in mind as I re-learn to listen to my body.

***
As a kid I had a friend with type I diabetes. She said she figured out what was going on because she was drinking so much water. Dane for a friend whose kid developed diabetes. They took him in when he started peeing the bed at night again after being potty trained at night.

That said, I get up to pee at night. A good night is once, twice is typical, bad nights have 3-5 times. My sister is the same. My aunt is the same. I think our bodies just don’t do the bladder circadian rhythm well/at all.

Once while backpacking it was pouring rain so I knew I wouldn’t be able to easily get up in the middle of the night to pee. So o stopped all liquid intake at 16:00 and went to bed at 21:00. I still woke up with a bladder urgently talking to me. I had to just lie there and suffer and wait to go back to sleep. Clearly it was a body regulation thing and not tied to how much liquid I actually drank.

[ysette9]

On thé clear pee-hydration thing: I learned recently that it has been debunked. The only way to know if someone is dehydrated or not is to do a blood test.

https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/health/medical-myths/medical-myths-your-urine-should-be-almost-clear?amp=1

[ysette9]

I am going to, and I will report my progress back here

Glad to hear. Good luck

[2Birds1Stone]

1.5-2 gallons a day in warm climates, 1.25-1.5 gallons in cold weather.

[ATtiny85]

I am not sure, I also never directly measure. But I make hydration a priority, so I suspect I am in the about a gallon a day camp not counting activity hydration. I only have a single kidney, so I take care to keep that sucker saturated.

I carry a normal bike style water bottle in my hand on any run that goes over 30 minutes during the summer and it is drained without fail. For long runs (one hour and up) I carry a bottle in a carrier and plan my routes so I can refill every 45 minutes or so, especially in the summer.

While hiking, I carry a 3L bladder and it will be drained in a five hour hike. For longer hikes without a refill stop I also carry one or two water bottles.

Back when I did long distance triathlons, for long bikes I would normally carry all my water with me in the form of bottles in a small pack that I could swap out or refill. I recall having >4L on board at the start of a six hour ride.

[cleverscreenname]

I am going to, and I will report my progress back here

Appointment thursday.

[cleverscreenname]

I am a klutz so glass bottles never appealed to me. We have been using metal bottles since yonks. The one I am using today is over a decade old.

That's also a great idea, but I was worried it would influence the taste of the water.

So how do I multi-quote into one post? It's just a button on TMC, but here do I have to copy,paste,re-edit the post? I've noticed people make theirs look so eloquent.

[RWD]

So how do I multi-quote into one post? It's just a button on TMC, but here do I have to copy,paste,re-edit the post? I've noticed people make theirs look so eloquent.

Start a reply (either with the reply button or quote button). Click in the text box where you would like the additional quote inserted. Scroll down to the additional post you want quoted and click "Insert Quote."

[yachi]

This article came across my news feed today:  https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/i-drinking-10-litres-water-30487550

The man in the article was drinking a similar quantity of water as OP.  The doctor's check for diabetes came back negative, and he ended up having a tumor pressing against his pituitary gland, causing him to always be thirsty.

[cleverscreenname]

I also tested negative for diabetes last year so I will bring up that tumor story at my appointment