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Had enough to drink? Your body thanks you, as a long-term study shows

29.3.2023

Translation: machine translated

We often hear that drinking is important. As children from our parents and as adults from doctors. A study started 25 years ago has now come to a clear conclusion: water seems - surprise - to be essential for life.

Figures on the topic of water are currently causing quite a stir: according to the UN Report 2023, 26 per cent of all people have no access to clean drinking water. In March, the first major water summit since 1977 took place with over 10,000 representatives. The resulting water action plan comprises 698 objectives.

However, drinking water is not only a relevant topic at international level. Opinions and medical experts are divided on how much we should drink every day and what happens if we don't. The US health authority "National Institute of Health" recently completed a long-term study. The study analysed the health status of the participants over a period of 25 years in relation to (in)sufficient fluid intake.

The elixir of life: water

The researchers had around 11,000 test subjects aged between 45 and 66 at their disposal. The result was that long-term dehydration causes serum sodium levels to rise. This in turn can lead to increased cholesterol levels, blood pressure or blood sugar levels. People who permanently do not drink enough are more likely to develop chronic diseases and show signs of progressive ageing more often than those who are sufficiently hydrated.

Last but not least: Years of inadequate fluid intake increase the likelihood of dying at a younger age.

Drink with God, but drink!

Well, if that's not motivation to drink! It's much easier to reach for a bottle of water when you're facing (near) death, isn't it? Our Editor Anna Sandner has put together what happens when you drink enough fluids every day.editor Anna Sandner investigated in a 7-day self-experiment. There, she experienced the positive effects of drinking 2.5 litres of water a day for herself.

And if you're the not-drunk-enough type, the bottle from Hidratespark is just what you need. Because it can be connected to the corresponding app on your smartphone via Bluetooth and reminds you to drink with an LED.

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Of course, it's not just quantity that matters, but also quality. If you live in an area with very hard tap water that makes life difficult for you and your coffee machine, you might be interested in a water filter, such as the Marella from Brita. It comes with twelve replacement cartridges and tackles chlorine, copper, lead and flavour-disrupting substances in addition to limescale.