Humans and every other living being need water for survival. While you may be able to get by without food for a few weeks, you would live only a matter of days without water. How many liters of water you should drink each day will depend on your size, amount of physical activity and the weather, explains MedlinePlus, a website published by the National Institutes of Health.
Function
Water performs a variety of jobs to keep body your functioning properly. Water acts as a lubricant and is necessary for saliva production; water is needed to produce perspiration, which is needed to regulate body temperature; water also carries nutrients, washes away waste products and other toxins and controls blood volume. People who are lean generally have more water than those with more body fat because fat tissue houses little, if any, water.
Recommendations
Eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day, or 1.9 liters, is generally recommended for healthy adults assuming they don't live in extreme weather conditions such as hot, humid or dry climates. High temperatures and steamy conditions can cause you to sweat, requiring additional intake of fluid. Heated indoor air also can deplete your skin of moisture during the winter months. Men should consume about 3 liters or 13 cups of total liquids a day including water, while women should aim for 9 cups or 2.2. liters of total beverages daily, explains the Mayo Clinic.
Expelling 1.5. liters, or a little over 6 cups, of slightly yellow or colorless urine a day is a good sign you're probably drinking enough water. Keep in mind that your body needs water regularly throughout the day whether or not you feel thirsty.
Physical Activity and Other Variables
Drink an additional 500ml, or .5 liters or the equivalent of 2 cups of water, after engaging in short bursts of exercise that cause you to sweat. Prolonged intense exercise over an hour may require even more replacement water, explains the Mayo Clinic. Drink a glass or two of water during the hour before exercise and continue to drink water when you are finished exercising.
Illnesses that deplete your body of fluids due to fever, diarrhea or vomiting also demand that you drink more water. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding also need to increase their daily fluid intake to stay well-hydrated.
Considerations
Too much of a good thing is possible albeit rare in healthy adults. Drinking too much water can lead to a condition called hyponatremia, explains the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Hyponatremia occurs when your kidneys can't keep up with excreting the excess water and the electrolyte or mineral content of the blood is watered down. The excess cellular fluid causes sodium levels to fall below normal. Marathon runners and other endurance athletes are most at risk of hyponatremia. Talk to your health care provider if you are concerned about your fluid intake.
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