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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Hannah Devlin Science correspondent

Eight glasses of water a day excessive for most people, study suggests

Research suggests that people have a wide range of water intake needs.
Research suggests that people have a wide range of water intake needs. Photograph: laflor/Getty Images/iStockphoto

A recommendation to drink eight glasses of water a day is likely to be excessive for most people, according to scientists.

The suggestion has become accepted wisdom and often appears in health guidance. The latest work, however, the most rigorous study to date on water turnover, reveals that people have a wide range of water intakes. Many people only require about 1.5 to 1.8 litres a day, lower than the two litres typically recommended, the research suggests.

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