How Much Water Do You Really Need? What Hydration Looks Like

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

You hear the "rules" thrown around all the time: Drink eight glasses of water a day. Drink half your body weight in water a day. If you're already thirsty, it's too late, you're dehydrated.

And while you certainly know it's not pleasant to feel parched, staying hydrated is important for a host of other reasons. Water aids digestion, flushes out toxins, lubricates the joints and keeps your memory sharp. When you're dehydrated, your eyes, nose, mouth, skin and hair will also feel dry.

One way to keep on top of your hydration is to keep an eye on the color of your urine. Lawrence Armstrong, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist and professor at the University of Connecticut's Human Performance Laboratory, established a urine color chart to accurately depict levels of dehydration. While Armstrong does not allow online reproduction of the chart, as the colors may appear differently on different computer monitors, color printers and web sites, numerous other outlets, including the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, the New York Times and the Boy Scouts of America have since created their own digital versions of the color chart.

Our slideshow is based on the colors presented by the Boy Scouts of America. The goal is to produce urine the color of lemonade, ideally in the range of colors one through three. If your urine is in the range of colors four through eight, you need to drink more fluids and may need to consult your doctor.

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How Much Water Do You Really Need? What Hydration Looks Like

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