SAN FRANCISCO, California — More than getting enough food for nourishment, experts advise that drinking plenty of water is good for human health.

However, a new study goes into more specific detail about all the various benefits that come along by staying hydrated so much so that many of us might not be aware of just how many benefits of drinking ample water daily.

Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) reviewed 18 previous studies, with a median average of 48 participants and majority of the case assessments showed many advantages in drinking lots of water.

Until now, research into high levels of water consumption—more than eight glasses a day, for example—has not really come to firm conclusions on the health benefits, with results varying due to factors like sex, age, and environment.

But what the latest study shows is that there's more to drinking lots of water than simply feeling refreshed.
According to UCSF urologist Benjamin Breyer, "the amount of rigorous research conducted on the consumption of water turned out to be limited, yet in some specific areas, there was a statistically significant benefit."

To date, this is the first study assessing the benefits of water consumption on clinical outcomes broadly and it is important to note that the benefits of drinking a lot of water were not always clear in the studies that scientists have analyzed here—in fact, only 10 out of the 18 previous pieces of research showed definite, measurable positives.

Still, researchers found that the most significant benefits associated with drinking more water were reducing the risk of kidney stones and assisting in weight loss. Individual studies also showed more water consumption was linked to preventing migraines and urinary tract infections as well as in controlling diabetes and low blood pressure.

Though none of the studies reviewed were rigorous enough in their methods to prove causal relationships, they do give us, experts said, an indication of the varied areas of health where drinking more water can be good for one's health.

In actuality, science is more definitive when it comes to what happens to the human body when it doesn't get enough water. This often results in dehydration that has been linked to shorter lifespans and an increased risk of numerous chronic illnesses.

" We use water to keep ourselves cool and eliminate waste, and that loss needs to be continually topped up," Breyer noted.

Based on a report from the World Health Organization (WHO), around 3.2 liters per day of water are recommended for men (roughly 14 cups) and 2.7 liters per day for women (11 cups). However, if one lives in a temperate climate, this will vary depending on one's own body and environment.

As always, it would be best to consult with a doctor or other trustworthy sources of health information about whether or not changes in food and drink intake might be good in particular. As a previous study put it, listening to your body is a good idea, too.

In ending, Breyer reminded that "(people) ought to know that dehydration is detrimental, particularly in someone with a history of kidney stones or urinary infections."

But he also stressed that "on the other hand, someone who suffers from frequent urination at times may benefit from drinking less" and this is because "there isn't really a one-size fits all approach for water consumption."