Everything about your water balance
What hydration means, how to read your level and which drinks really help.
Your water balance
Every day you lose about 2.5 litres of water – through breath, skin, urine and digestion. Around one litre comes back through food; the rest you need to drink. When it evens out, your water balance is healthy.
What is hydration, actually?
Hydration describes how well your body is supplied with fluid. Well hydrated means your cells, blood and tissue have enough water to work reliably.
How to read your hydration level
The simplest test is the colour of your urine. Pale yellow is ideal – the darker it gets, the more urgently you should drink.
How much fluid do you need?
The key factors – exactly the ones our calculator asks about:
The right drinks
General information, not medical advice. If you have heart or kidney disease, are pregnant or have a prescribed fluid intake, follow your doctor’s advice.