How Hydration Needs Change with Age
It’s important for people of all ages to stay hydrated, of course. But it can be easier to fall short on fluids as you get older.
As you age, your sense of thirst and appetite tends to decline. Changes in the fat and muscle makeup in your body can also increase your risk of dehydration. Many medications, like diuretics for example, can increase fluid loss too.
Being dehydrated could leave you feeling foggy-headed, sluggish, dizzy, or weak in the short term. Over time, it can increase the risk for urinary tract infections (UTIs), heat stroke, heart problems, kidney failure, and blood clot complications, the according to the National Council on Aging (NCOA).
So how much fluids do you actually need? The National Council on Aging recommends drinking one-third of your body weight in ounces of fluids. (A 150-pound person, for instance, should drink 50 ounces of water per day.) This is a general rule — it’s best to talk with your doctor about how much you should drink each day.
You can tell you’re getting your fill if your urine is clear or pale yellow, Kerkenbush says. If it’s a darker shade, that’s a sign you may need to up your H2O.
How Much Water You Need for Your Workout
During exercise, your body loses fluids through sweating and breathing — more than a quart in an hour, per the American Council on Exercise (ACE) . If you don’t replace that fluid by drinking water, you’ll quickly start to notice the effects.
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