You’re attuned to the importance of hydration—go a few days without water, and you’ll perish. Up to 60% of you is water, a substance critical to countless bodily functions from oxygen delivery and cell reproduction, to joint lubrication and temperature regulation. But aside from merely keeping you alive, water can improve key aspects of your health, new research suggests.
Drinking enough water daily can help you lose weight and prevent kidney stones, according to an analysis led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). What’s more, adequate hydration can prevent migraines, headaches, and urinary tract infections (UTIs); and control diabetes, blood glucose levels, and low blood pressure. The team’s systematic review of 18 randomized controlled trials was published Nov. 25 in the journal JAMA Network Open.
