THE ESSENTIAL
- It is recommended to drink a minimum of 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day (for adults) and even before feeling thirsty, especially for the elderly, whose feeling of thirst is diminished.
- “A decrease in body water content is the most common factor that increases serum sodium, which is why proper hydration can slow the aging process and delay chronic diseases,” Natalia Dmitrieva points out.
- Although the researchers say their study does not prove a causal link between hydration and aging, it does provide some good information to help people live healthier lives.
Drinking more water every day could be the secret to aging slower and living longer. A new study from the American National Institutes of Health (NHI), published this Monday, January 2 in the journal eBioMedicinereveals that adults who stay well hydrated appear to be healthier, develop fewer chronic diseases, such as heart and lung disease, and have a better life expectancy than those who don’t get enough fluids.
Proper hydration can slow aging
“Findings suggest that proper hydration can slow aging and prolong a disease-free life”said the author of the study in a communiquéNatalia Dmitrieva, a researcher in the Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine Laboratory at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), which is part of the NIH.
Using health data collected from 11,255 adults over a 30-year period, researchers analyzed the links between serum sodium levels and various health indicators. Serum sodium increases when a person’s fluid intake decreases. Put simply, if you’re dehydrated, your serum sodium levels rise.
Scientists found that adults with serum sodium levels above the norm were more likely to develop chronic diseases and show signs of advanced biological aging than those with serum sodium levels in the average ranges. Adults with higher levels were also more likely to die at younger ages.
50% chance of aging faster when you don’t hydrate enough
Researchers say high serum sodium levels are between 135 and 146 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). People in this range showed signs of aging faster than those who regularly drank more water and had lower serum sodium levels.
For participants with a serum sodium level above 142 mEq/L, they were 10-15% more likely to be biologically older than their calendar age (their actual date of birth) than those with levels between 137 and 142 mEq/L. Those who had a serum sodium level above 144 mEq/L had a 50% chance of aging faster.
Regarding participants with serum sodium levels between 144.5 and 146 mEq/L, they had a 21% higher risk of premature death. For anyone above 142 mEq/L, the risk of developing heart disease, suffering a stroke, or having atrial fibrillation and peripheral arterial disease was 64% higher. These people also had a higher risk of developing chronic lung disease, diabetes and dementia.
Hydration: recommendations from researchers
Researchers recommend that women consume between six and nine cups of fluid per day, or 1.5 to 2.2 liters. For men, the number is eight to 12 cups (2-3 liters). The authors of the study speak of “liquid” because hydration is not just drinking water. “Liquids” include, in addition to water, juices, milk or hydration from food such as that from vegetables and fruits with a high water content.
Indeed, we absorb a lot of liquids through our diet. For example, a plate of 150 grams of pasta cooked in boiling water gives us about 300 milliliters. However, researchers regret that half of the world’s population is not properly hydrated.