www.lhj.com


We've long been told that drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day will not only keep us hydrated but also boost our immune system, help us lose weight and do wonders for our skin. But according to a new study, that "eight-by-eight rule" doesn't hold much water of its own.

Researchers at the University of New Mexico studied a group of 833 elderly adults to measure the relationship between dehydration levels and the amount of water consumed per day. The result: "We found no significant differences between those people who drank six glasses a day or more and those who drank less," says Robert Lindeman, M.D., professor emeritus of medicine at the university.

Lindeman's research echoes a number of other recent studies that show that we don't need to be making quite so many trips to the watercooler. A typical adult loses about a liter of fluid daily -- the equivalent of four 8-ounce glasses -- which we recoup from our food consumption, says Lindeman.

What's more, the notion that drinking lots of water will curb your appetite is also all washed up, says Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at Pennsylvania State University and co-author of The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan (Quill/Harper Collins, 2000). "However, foods that are made up mostly of water -- especially fruits and vegetables -- do help control hunger," she says.

So if the old advice is suddenly so hard to swallow, what's the best way to correct this drinking problem? "We all know what thirst feels like," says Rolls. "Let that be your guide."


The Caffeine Connection
Turns out your morning java isn't dehydrating after all. "While coffee, tea and caffeinated sodas are diuretics, you do retain a significant amount of the liquid contained in them," says Robert Barnett, co-author of The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan. In fact, a recent study conducted at the Center for Nutrition, in Omaha, Nebraska, found that routine coffee drinkers lose little, if any, fluid. --Christina Orlovsky