Active people need more water than inactive people. A reduction in as little as four to five percent body water can result in a drop in physical performance as great as twenty to thirty percent. It is recommended that you consume plenty of water on a daily basis, twenty minutes before exercise and following high carbohydrate meals. The average person losses approximately 2.5 percent of total body water per day.

According to a study completed in April 2002, researchers at Loma Linda University found that people who drank five eight-ounce glasses of water per day were about half as likely to die of coronary heart disease as those who drank two glasses or less.

In addition to the recommended daily water intake, it is recommended that you drink 16 ounces of water for every pound of weight lost during strenuous exercise.

Use this form to determine how much water you should be consuming daily: