Does someone keep telling you to drink more water? Watch this first. 

DATA:
"Adolph EF. The regulation of the water content of the human organism. J Physiol (London). 192155(1-2):114-32"

"Vivanti AP. Origins for the estimations of water requirements in adults. Eur J Clin Nutr. 201266(12):1282-9."

Timestamps 
0:00 8 glasses of water a day myth
0:30 The common thought 
0:47 Water myths  
3:35 Hyponatremia
4:10 How much water I drink 

Today we're going to talk about the "8 glasses of water a day" myth. I'm going to go through the 5 lies about drinking more water. Many people were taught to drink 8 glasses of water per day. But do you really need to do this?

Water myths:
1. 60% of the body is water—False 
2. The body doesn't know when it's thirsty—False 
3. Water flushes out fat—False
4. Water flushes out toxins—False 
5. Water helps dry skin—False

People that drink the most water are actually the most dehydrated because of the difference in electrolytes.

Hyponatremia is a condition where you can get really sick or even die because of drinking too much water.

I drink about 2-3 cups of water a day. Your body adjusts to maintain a natural balance. Just make sure only to drink when you're thirsty. 

Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:
Dr. Berg, age 57, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan, and is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.

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Disclaimer:
Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients so he can focus on educating people as a full time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, and prescription or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Thanks for watching! Drinking 8 glasses of water per day may not actually be the best thing for your health. I hope this helps you better understand why.


    63 replies to "Drink 8 Glasses of Water Per Day – BIG FAT LIE! – Dr. Berg"

    • Stacy B

      Good Lord, this makes total sense to me. I’ve fallen into the “drinking 8 glasses of H2O” trap, and I’m up all night using the bathroom. This info is going to help me get much more quality sleep. Thanks, Doc!

      • Cecilia'Carleen

        Lol 😆 me too

      • Mitch Miller

        @Stacy B
        . The problem of going to the john isn’t so much from how many ounce of water yoou are consuming, but when you finish drinking. If you finish most of your consumption by 6 p.m. and only have a few ounces to take pills, you will probably not have those nocturnal trips to make.

      • panama2468

        @rudy199 water should be the first thing you drink

      • Maguita Gaming

        LOL Me too xD If I drink water after 8pm I spend all night in the bathroom xD

      • capnic

        A possible sign of diabete. Check your glycemia, avoid caffeine consumption and don’t drink in the evening

    • Malcolm Henaughan

      I am almost 74, throughout my life I have eaten when hungry and drunk water when I was thirsty, seems to have worked pretty well for me..

      • little red rose

        Like the song says ~ “I’ll eat when I’m hungry, I’ll drink when I’m dry, and if the moonshine don’t get me, I’ll live ’til I die.”

      • tom stickel

        If you drink when thirsty , you are already dehydrated

      • Paul J

        Please don’t listen to this video. I really like a lot of this doctors videos but this video is complete off the wall. As we get older we cannot wait to get thirsty to drink water due to a delayed thirst response. I’ve had several patients who ended up hypotensive due to dehydration. Don’t be excessive but always make sure you’re hydrated. Pay attention to your urine color

      • Cool Waters

        @Mark robinson 😂😂😂😂

      • Cool Waters

        @Ouuu Wee 😂

    • Marc Bolinger

      Having had kidney stones twice in my life-Both urologists said to drink more water, I ignored the first, Finally at 32 I listened to the second (Who said 1/2 gallon of water a day can decrease 25% of all medical issues) I’ve not been sick in 4 years and never feel sluggish, I’m going with water is good

      • Alex Rodriquez

        @Nirak Hsuk Yes I found out about ACV about 15 years ago.

      • twochap

        I agree Marc. Drinking only when thirsty is a big mistake.

      • Colton Morrison

        @Hal Not drinking enough water can also lead to tiredness.

      • Angela Sims

        @Hagogs everyones body is different, big ones small ones fat ones thin ones 8 glasses for all? same as five a day fruit and veg. who decided that one? my doctor said i did not need to drink so much water. i drink more in summer than winter, each to their own.

      • Rich Brilli

        Totally agreed here! I just had my second kidney stone removed at 34. After multiple blood and urine tests, the doctors said I’m constantly dehydrated—the result of “only drinking when I’m thirsty,” which clearly is not enough. They said that drinking more water is the number one way to prevent kidney stone formation—it could reduce the probability by 50%! I think Dr. Berg’s comments here may apply to some, but if you’re incredibly active, I think this advice may change—I run, rock climb, lift weights, SUP, cycle, hike, and walk multiple times a week, and I’d really like to not have another kidney stone. So I basically have to drink a lot more than when my body tells me I’m thirsty… “food” for thought? 😛

    • jamsaw

      I used to drink all the water i could per day, probably a gallon or more. I ended up in the hospital for three days due mainly to low concentrations of salt. I was always told that you couldn’t drink too much water, the more the better. Well, this doctor knows what he’s talking about, and now so do we.

      • Suzanne Artemoff

        the same happened to me. i ended up in the hosital due to my sodium dropping too low too quickly, my brain swelled and i spent 3 days in the hospital and don’t remember a thing. if someone wasn’t there when i became unable to see, walk or talk, and called 911, i may not be here right now. i have fear or drinking water! i always carry electrolyte liquid concentrate with me to add to my water, or drink coconut water, so i hardly ever drink plain water anymore.

      • Ravage Panther

        @Suzanne Artemoff Well Coconut Water Has POTASSIUM , But Not So Much Sodium. So You Will Be Sodium Deficient Again If You Only Drink Coconut Water.
        Get Some Good Pink Himalayan Salt And Use It Sparingly ! That Will Add Sodium Into Your Diet And Other Trace Minerals.

    • DejaDrewit

      I’ve Always struggled drinking water throughout the day I can go hours without it . people are always telling me that I have to drink more water and I just couldn’t do it. Thanks Dr Berg! I dont feel bad about it anymore!

      • Bob Darrick

        @Miss Miami just drink tap water

      • Cheryl Forino

        I’m with you!! I’m always told I don’t drink enough water.

      • Mariana

        @Ginger Smith he didn’t say that…

      • Ginger Smith

        @Mariana my reply was directed to someone else’s comment, not Dr Berg!

      • Mariana

        @Ginger Smith lol. I see now! I don’t normally comment on YouTube. Maybe I should keep it that way 🙂

    • manto89 Rich

      Since I started drinking more water my skin has cleared and become smooth. I cut out all sugar drinks, processed foods etc. I been on a keto diet for 8 weeks and drinking plenty of water and honestly I haven’t felt this good. So I’m gonna continue to drink water cause it works for me.

      • N F

        It could be the cutting out of sugar / sugar drinks and processed foods. Those things may dehydrate you. Especially many processed foods that have a high salt/sodium content.

      • The whole food crusader

        If your having lots of fruit and veg you wont need all that water as thoes foods are loaded with water … its the people who eat meats and processed foods that need the extra water its logical

      • nayou317

        @Sparky you know if you are trying to convince people to drink more water you are doing a very poor job of it by insulting them. I’m a construction manager so i can guarantee you that i definitely don’t spend my days on the couch but i don’t feel the need to insult others because they have a different lifestyle, for whatever reason it is. Not necessary.

      • Your food is your medicine

        ❤️Eating and drinking should be on the scale of each to nourish, not satiate

      • Xavier F

        @radiojoehead Energy doesn’t come from water alone,energy comes when you body is balanced with nice sleep,daily exercise and a healthy diet that includes the right amount of water. It’s called the Triangle of God

    • Chillie25

      I’m so happy that you are dispelling this myth😊I knew this all along and never forced myself to drink water when not thirsty. I just drink when I’m thirsty and rarely drink anything other than water—okay coffee in the morning and that’s it😆

    • Mrs.RY Robinson

      I have been a water junkie for years. But I have had severed leg cramps in the evening oftentimes having to go to bed early. Since I have decreased my water to a few bottles a day for the past 5 days, I have not experienced any leg pains. Thank you Dr for sharing this info which changed my life.

    • ATLhawksfan!!

      I remember during basic training, my drill sergeant would always yell “drink water!” But there was one basic training site were a female soldier died from drinking too much water. The military had to do a study to find out the “right” amount of water to drink; the “right” amount of water was never figured out.

      • christopher B

        As.a veteran we must ask.why.the.drill Sargent was hollering ” drink more water” and ” beat the heat”!!!..It was because we where doing hours of strenuous activity in the heat and other crazy conditions. I myself passed out trying to drink more Gatorade instead of just water.. Use common sense people. MOST OF US…TBH NEED MORE WATER..AND LESS SOFT DRINKS ETC.

      • Miss Elle

        I totally get what you mean with the ” beat the heat drill sergeant

      • Angelina F

        He said “drink water”
        the Sargent request was water, not “alcohol”

      • Suzanne Artemoff

        because you need electrolytes, not just water. water flushes out all of the essential electroyltes, and an imbalance can be lethal. i almost died because my blood sodium levels dropped too much too quickly due to drinking too much water. i got a brain swell too, spent 3 days in the hospital and don’t remember a thing. it affected my ability to think and string sentences together for a few months afterwards, it was very scary. so i drink water with added concentrated electroytes or things like coconut water and celery and cucumber juice,

      • Breezy Bre

        Lol..our sergeants said, ” Dehydration is a self inflicted injury…get it in you.” Lol

    • Rachel Burkett

      The one thing I have always been told is the fact that drinking more water helps cleanse the body. So thanks for this CORRECT information.

    • Caroline Hernandez

      I tried to drink my glasses to lose weight and it actually helped me feel more bloated/puddgy and I couldn’t figure it out why but once I started drinking less water I started feeling better

      • Danielle Thomas

        This happened to me too

      • Subhradeep Kundu

        That’s because you are not drinking warm water at start of morning . Drink normal after 20-30 having food only upto 3-4 litres each day

    • Norma salgado

      Thank you Dr. Berg for this informative video. I personally could never achieve the 8 glass/day model prescribed by most “experts”. I have many relatives who lived into their 90’s and drank very little water. Growing up in the 1960’s and 70’s, bottled water didn’t even exist to my knowledge. We drank tap water and somehow survived. I pondered whether the bottled water industry had something to do with this push for drinking excessive amounts of water. Thanks again for being the voice of reason.

      • Jean Young Sing

        ..

      • Jean Young Sing

        .

      • Colton Morrison

        You’re drinking more because the bottled water doesn’t hydrate you enough as tapwater does because they remove every mineral in the water which is necessary.

      • Philosopherous

        Yeah, it would be incredible difficult for me to drink 8 glasses of water a day. I don’t know if I can force myself. I seem to naturally not require too much water

      • Your food is your medicine

        ❤️ fact. My grandmother, my father’s mother, lived for about 110 years, and she only went to a doctor once. I took her to a human doctor to have her tooth extracted only.

    • Mamo Kim

      Wow. I’ve been struggling for the past 12 years to drink half my weight in water and I have had serious water retention issues. I’m on keto now (for 3 years) and no longer fighting water retention (except when I slip during the holidays and have a bit more carbs than I should); but lately I have been having too much difficulty forcing myself to drink water. When I don’t drink the “recommended” daily allotment, I wake up feeling more refreshed, but puzzled by it. I’m not sure if you’re right, but I’m going to relax on my rigid water drinking regimen without fear now and see where it takes me. Wow. Mind blown.

      • Spencer 8501

        Salt and sugar attracts water. We need sufficient amount of sugar and salt for electrolytes. Balance is key.

    • Mohamed Jaber

      In this Crazy world, there are only a few honest Doctors and Dr. Berg is one of them.
      I will only drink water when I’m thirsty and only eat when I’m hungry.

      Thank you so much😊

    • El

      The amount of water or fluid we need depends on our electrolyte levels as Dr Berg says. You get thirsty when they’re too high, either by exercise or sweating etc. In Winter I barely drink any, just hot drinks only but in summer 2 – 4 litres or more depending on my activity level. If I drink only water then I mix it with a pinch of Himalayan salt and something else like coconut water, anything that has cellulose to increase it’s absorption.

      • MrStevie57

        Yeh,if it’s hot and you are exercising you should drink a lot of water I think.

      • miguelitoysarita

        @MrStevie57 yeah I agree just listen to our bodies

    • Cheryl Forino

      Love this video. I’ve never been big on drinking a lot of water. I’ve always had to force it. I drink only water, (coffee in morning and occasional herbal tea at night), and it’s when I’m thirsty. I think we need to “listen” to our bodies more and stop driving ourselves crazy with everything we hear.
      Thanks Dr. Berg.

      • Dr. Eric Berg DC

        Most welcome! Glad you found it informative.

    • Bee in the Body Torah Class

      I totally agree with this! My son was drinking tons of water at work when we had a heatwave and he dehydrated so much he had to be rushed to E R
      The Dr said he needed electrolytes so he started drinking gatorade

    • Alli Suter

      I love this content AND am curious why people say they feel SO much better when trying the “gallon of water” a day experiment. I teach nutrition and would really love to know how to answer this repetitive inquiry and often debate. Thank you Dr Berg! Your knowledge truly helps me help others 🙂

    • Grace Aswath

      A 4min video and I have learned so much than reading countless of health articles in google. I too am guilty of teaching the same stuff to my daughter! I think educators must learn from this channel too. A lot of the videos here are very helpful and explained in simplest manner. Thanks a lot!

    • Abu Yasin

      Very informative and explains what my body was telling me all along. I’m type 2 diabetic and drinking straight water never worked well for me. It always has to be something else in the water like herbal teas, coffee, mineral water. Straight water makes me feel light headed and weak when I force it. I feel just fine when I drink because I’m in the mood to do so. Listen to your body! Thanks Dr Berg
      PS cracks me up this video is so old and many of us still getting use out of it!

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