# Can I drink my daily water all at once? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 30, 2015, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433 "2015-08-30T22:13:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/1 "2015-08-30T22:13:04Z")
I am told that one should drink from 1/2 ounce to one ounce of water per pound of body weight a day. Okay. What I’m wondering is if it’s okay to drink it, well, not all at once, but maybe in two sittings. In other words, I don’t crave water, I seldom feel thirsty, and I’m just not going to carry a bottle of any fluid around and sip from it constantly. But I know I should rehydrate, so can I just chug down a quart at a time? Will it be less efficiently utilized that way or anything? ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/2 "2015-08-30T22:17:16Z")
I don’t think a quart would hurt much, but you can kill yourself from drinking too much water, just so you know…water toxicity. I think that’s only if you drink, like, gallons in a short amount of time, though. Quarts should be okay. Not sure if what you’re asking would work though, so I can’t answer it. I just wanted to make sure you knew about water toxicity. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/3 "2015-08-30T22:21:22Z")
It’s a myth that there’s any particular amount of water one should drink. (For example, the idea that one should drink eight eight-ounce glasses of water each day is nonsense.) See [this NYTimes article](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/25/upshot/no-you-do-not-have-to-drink-8-glasses-of-water-a-day.html?_r=0) or [this Snopes page](http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/8glasses.asp) for confirmation. The author points out that you can get water in other ways, such as other drinks, vegetables, fruit and other foods. Edited to add, the basic advice I’ve heard is drink water when you’re thirsty. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/4 "2015-08-30T22:24:36Z")
No. 1. You can tell your hydration status very easily. Look at the clarity of your urine. If it’s clear, it almost always mean you are drinking plenty of water. Ditto if it is only light yellow. I’m not a doctor and this measurement only applies if you are healthy and don’t have, say, kidney disease. 2. If you drink a big bolus of water right now, your kidneys will just accelerate their filtration rate, and you’ll dump it in an hour or two. This water you just peed out does you no good if 3 hours later you decide to do heavy labor outdoors and need water for coolant. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/5 "2015-08-30T22:34:00Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Edited to add, the basic advice I’ve heard is drink water when you’re thirsty. Bingo. > [@Habeed](#): > > No. > > 1. You can tell your hydration status very easily. Look at the clarity of your urine. If it’s clear, it almost always mean you are drinking plenty of water. Ditto if it is only light yellow. From what I’ve always heard, clear urine is actually not to be strived for, that can be an indication of too much water consumption. Pale/light yellow is what is supposedly best. IANAD and I don’t know tho. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/6 "2015-08-30T23:10:36Z")
From personal experience with chugging the majority of the days liquids in one sitting, you will end up urinating a lot of it out. At least I do. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/7 "2015-08-31T02:11:34Z")
Well, I know I’m chronically dehydrated because a) kidney stones, and b) the only fluids I drink are coffee, wine, and the occasional beer. So even though I seldom feel thirsty unless I’m working hard on a hot day, I probably should drink some water sometimes. 🙂 I think maybe I’ll try to go for a pint or so at a time. Thanks, everyone! ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/8 "2015-08-31T11:34:24Z")
Some soldiers had been suffering from a severe thirst (a drought ?) from exerting themselves for a long time in a heat wave (unusually high temperature for the local area…)… When they drunk water to re-hydrate, they managed to drink too much pure water… no electrolytes… The result can be as bad as triggering a heart attack. So that rules out post- drinking enough, and pre-emptive drinking. Certainly you can’t hope to per-emptively drink enough to replace sweat from exertion or hot conditions… it will just go to the bladder too fast. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/9 "2015-08-31T13:03:12Z")
The urine color (and smell) can also change due to food intake. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/10 "2015-08-31T13:14:10Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > Some soldiers had been suffering from a severe thirst (a drought ?) from exerting themselves for a long time in a heat wave (unusually high temperature for the local area…)… When they drunk water to re-hydrate, they managed to drink too much pure water… no electrolytes… The result can be as bad as triggering a heart attack. > > So that rules out post- drinking enough, and pre-emptive drinking. > > Certainly you can’t hope to per-emptively drink enough to replace sweat from exertion or hot conditions… it will just go to the bladder too fast. I presume you are referring to something like [this](http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/water-intoxication?page=1) People using a high consumption of water as an aid for a weight-loss diet, since it fills you temporarily without adding any calories, with the only side effect of visiting the toilet more frequently. There is no problem associated with a high water intake - besides the toilet visits, since your body can only hold so much water at any given time. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/11 "2015-08-31T13:29:56Z")
> [@Doughbag](#): > > The urine color (and smell) can also change due to food intake. Asparagus is very noticeable. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/12 "2015-08-31T13:37:12Z")
[Hyponatremia](http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/basics/definition/con-20031445) is the lack of electrolytes caused by over-consumption of water during/after exercise. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/13 "2015-08-31T14:01:18Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > [Hyponatremia](http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/basics/definition/con-20031445) is the lack of electrolytes caused by over-consumption of water during/after exercise. Not gonna have to worry that it will happen during a visit to the gym - you’d need to run a marathon or something exhausting as that. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/14 "2015-08-31T14:25:35Z")
> [@Isilder](#): > > Some soldiers had been suffering from a severe thirst (a drought ?) from exerting themselves for a long time in a heat wave (unusually high temperature for the local area…)… When they drunk water to re-hydrate, they managed to drink too much pure water… no electrolytes… The result can be as bad as triggering a heart attack. The University of Florida was concerned about a similar issue affecting its football team training in the hot, humid Florida climate. A team of professors at the university devised a solution that became the product [Gatorade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatorade#History). ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/15 "2015-08-31T17:39:27Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The University of Florida was concerned about a similar issue affecting its football team training in the hot, humid Florida climate. A team of professors at the university devised a solution that became the product [Gatorade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatorade#History). A product that is totally unnecessary for most people, even in hot humid climates, unless that are doing something pretty extreme. Like college or pro football practice. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/16 "2015-08-31T18:13:33Z")
> [@brujaja](#): > > Well, I know I’m chronically dehydrated because a) kidney stones, and b) the only fluids I drink are coffee, wine, and the occasional beer. So even though I seldom feel thirsty unless I’m working hard on a hot day, I probably should drink some water sometimes. 🙂 > > I think maybe I’ll try to go for a pint or so at a time. Thanks, everyone! A recommendation I heard as a kid that I still aim for is to drink 4-8 ounces of water just before you drink anything else. That way, you’re 1) drinking the other things primarily for the flavor and not just because you’re unconsciously thirsty and 2) getting some extra water throughout the day. Are you sure about the chronic dehydration though? Has a doctor told you that? As other posters have mentioned, there are a lot of misconceptions about just how much you need to drink. A gallon a day of total moisture may be a good target, but many foods are already 50% or more water. Kidney stones can result from the kinds of foods you eat, not just just how much water you drink. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/17 "2015-08-31T20:02:13Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > The University of Florida was concerned about a similar issue affecting its football team training in the hot, humid Florida climate. A team of professors at the university devised a solution that became the product [Gatorade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gatorade#History). > > A product that is totally unnecessary for most people, even in hot humid climates, unless that are doing something pretty extreme. Like college or pro football practice. Absolutely. People guzzle Gatorade after spending thirty minutes in an air-conditioned fitness center. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/18 "2015-08-31T21:54:04Z")
Personally, I find that Gatorade tastes terrible… unless I’ve been doing something to work up a major sweat, in which case I find it tastes pretty good. Which presumably means that my body knows what it needs, and is working as it ought to. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/19 "2015-08-31T23:21:35Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > A recommendation I heard as a kid that I still aim for is to drink 4-8 ounces of water just before you drink anything else. That way, you’re 1) drinking the other things primarily for the flavor and not just because you’re unconsciously thirsty and 2) getting some extra water throughout the day. > > Are you sure about the chronic dehydration though? Has a doctor told you that? As other posters have mentioned, there are a lot of misconceptions about just how much you need to drink. A gallon a day of total moisture may be a good target, but many foods are already 50% or more water. Kidney stones can result from the kinds of foods you eat, not just just how much water you drink. Having suffered from kidney stones myself, one thing Drs will tell you to do is drink a lot of water to keep larger stones from forming. And, having “enjoyed” larger kidney stones, I really gotta remember to do a better job at that. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-drink-my-daily-water-all-at-once/729433/20 "2015-08-31T23:53:22Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > From what I’ve always heard, clear urine is actually not to be strived for, that can be an indication of too much water consumption. Pale/light yellow is what is supposedly best. IANAD and I don’t know tho. The words “clear” and “colorless” are not synonyms. If your urine isn’t clear then you likely have problems (e.g. bladder infection) regardless of whether it colorless, light yellow, or dark.