How much
2.0 Ltotal water a day for womenfrom food and drink (EFSA)
2.5 Ltotal water a day for menfrom food and drink (EFSA)
0.5–1 Lper hour of hard exercise, varies a lot
About a fifth of your water comes from food. Training, heat and humidity raise your needs, sometimes by litres on hot, long days.
Check yourself
Thirst and urine colour are simple everyday guides. Pale straw is the goal.
Around training
Do
- Drink with meals and keep a bottle in sight
- Add salt or electrolytes on long, sweaty sessions
- Weigh before and after long sessions to learn your sweat rate
Avoid
- Forcing litres when you aren’t thirsty
- Only drinking when very thirsty in heat
- Counting alcohol as hydration
Key takeaways
- Needs depend on size, training and weather
- Pale straw urine is a good everyday sign
- Electrolytes matter on long, hot sessions
General information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or take medication, check with a professional first. See the medical disclaimer.
Sources
- EFSA Panel. Scientific opinion on dietary reference values for water. EFSA Journal, 2010.
- Sawka MN et al. ACSM position stand: exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2007.