How Much Water Should You Really Drink a Day? This Simple Chart Gives the Answer

Drinking the right amount of water every day is essential for our health. But do you really know how much you should be consuming?

Our bodies need water to function properly on a daily basis. Every day, we lose water through urination, sweating, and even breathing. It's therefore crucial to compensate for these losses by drinking enough water, especially during the summer when the body's needs are greatest.

But what is the ideal amount to drink each day? Everyone has heard this answer: 1.5 liters of water per day. It's easy to visualize since it represents the amount contained in a large bottle of water. However, it's a bit simplistic, even false, since it doesn't take many criteria into account.

What do scientists actually say? In France and many European countries, the official recommendation is to drink 30 ml of water per kilogram of body weight every day. This figure can be found in the latest reports from EFSA , the European Food Safety Authority. With this figure, this means that an adult weighing 50 kilograms should consume between 1500 and 2000 milliliters per day, while a person weighing 80 kg would need at least 2400 ml daily. Here's a table to help you get a clearer picture and find your own estimate:

Weight in kg	Amount of water per day in milliliters (including food)
40 kg	1500ml per day minimum and up to 2000ml, or between 1.5l and 2 liters per day
50kg	1500ml per day minimum and up to 2000ml, or between 1.5l and 2 liters per day
60kg	1800ml per day minimum and up to 2400ml, or between 1.8l and 2.4 liters per day
70kg	2100ml per day minimum and up to 2800ml, or between 2.1 and 2.8 liters per day
80kg	2400ml per day minimum and up to 3200ml, or between 2.4 and 3.2 liters per day
90kg	2760ml per day minimum and up to 3600ml, or between 2.7 and 3.6 liters per day
100kg	3000ml per day minimum and up to 4000ml, or between 3 and 4 liters per day
110kg	3300ml per day minimum and up to 4400ml, or between 3.3 and 4.4 liters per day
120kg	3600ml per day minimum and up to 4800ml, or between 3.3 and 4.4 liters per day

Does that seem like a lot to you? Yes, but be careful, these figures include all of your water consumption in a day, that is, what you drink but also what you swallow in water while eating. A high consumption of fruit can therefore help you reach this daily goal. Conversely, be wary of sugary drinks or stimulants. Coffee, for example, or even tea, are known for their strong diuretic properties. You will therefore eliminate more!

These figures are also averages that can vary depending on several factors such as age, level of physical activity, climate, or even health. The elderly, athletes, and the sick, for example, will have different, often higher, water needs. The same goes for young children. Don't hesitate to ask your doctor for advice.

Hydration is definitely not something to be taken lightly. Not drinking enough can have harmful consequences for the body. The body quickly sends signals: dry mouth, but also cramps, headaches, and fatigue. Even mild dehydration leads to a decline in physical and mental fitness. In the long term, chronic water deficiency can even lead to serious health problems such as kidney failure.