Study Debunks Value of Guzzling Water

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The notion that guzzling gl***es of water to flood yourself with good health is all wet, researchers said on Wednesday. People in hot, dry climates and athletes have an increased need for water, and people with certain diseases do better with increased fluid intake, they found. But for average healthy people, more water does not seem to mean better health. The article published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, is the latest to undercut the recommendations advanced by some experts to drink eight gl***es of 8 ounces of water a day. Dr. Heinz Valtin of Dartmouth Medical School in 2002 also put those recommendations to the test, finding them to be more urban myth than medical dogma and lacking in scientific basis. There are"four major myths" regarding claims of a benefit for extra water drinking: that it leads to more toxin excretion, improves skin tone, makes one less hungry and reduces headache frequency. The bottom line was that there was no real good science -- or much science at all -- behind these claims, that they represent probably folklore. As far as facilitating toxin excretion - that was not verified by any sort of scientific study. "The kidneys clear toxins. This is what the kidneys do. They do it very effectively. And they do it independently of how much water you take in. When you take in a lot of water, all you do is put out more urine but not more toxins in the urine.No studies showed any benefit to skin tone as a result of increased water intake. They also found evidence lacking that drinking water wards off headaches. As far as lots of water serving to limit appetite, therewas no consistent evidence, adding it was "a little unclear exactly whether that was true. "What no one looked at is whether anyone really loses weight over the long haul if they go under this regimen of drinking lots of water. While it may not help a person to drink lots of water, it may not harm them much either. If someone enjoys it, wonderful, keep doing it. They're not doing anything that's going to hurt them.