Recommended Water Consumption

Water is the most abundant substance in your body. The body of the average adult consists of about 60 percent water, although specific amounts depend on age, gender and amount of muscle tissue. To maintain the balance of water in your body, it is important to consume adequate amounts of water on a daily basis.

Water Balance

Water balance occurs when the amount of water you consume is equal to the amount of water that you lose daily. Most of your daily water consumption comes from beverages, although some water intake comes from the foods that you eat. You excrete water from your body through four different organs: your kidneys, intestinal tract, lungs and skin. The kidneys excrete water through your urine, the intestinal tract excretes water in the stool, the lungs excrete water through respiration and the skin excretes water through evaporation.

Daily Requirements

The amount of water needed to maintain water balance varies among individuals. Your water recommendations vary based on your activity level, your diet and the temperature. The current recommendations for water are based on the average water intake of healthy Americans. According to Joan Salge Blake, author of "Nutrition and You," healthy women consume approximately 9 cups of water daily, whereas healthy men consume 13 cups daily. A cup is defined as 8 oz. Although food intake contributes to the amount of water you consume, it is not considered in these recommendations.

Dehydration

If you do not consume enough water on a daily basis or you have a condition that causes an increase in water loss, you may become dehydrated. Your thirst signal indicates that you are dehydrated. If not corrected, dehydration can cause weight loss, dizziness and confusion. Mild dehydration is not usually a concern for relatively healthy individuals, but can be life-threatening for elderly adults, young children and people who are extremely physically active. You can survive only a few days without water, but you can survive for weeks without food.

Hyponatremia

In most healthy individuals, high water intake is usually offset by increased urine output. Excessive water consumption, also referred to as over hydration, may lead to a life-threatening condition called hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is characterized by decreased concentrations of sodium in the blood. Hyponatremia can lead to severe swelling of the brain and death.