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💪 Why You May Want To Put The Water Bottle Down

THE health and wellness newsletter

Author

James Kratch
April 04, 2024

Welcome back to Optimize Me — the health and wellness newsletter for evidence-based advice on how to 🥦 eat better, 🏋️ workout smarter, and 🧑‍💻 be more productive.

In today’s send we talk about when water becomes too much, give a study a skeptical read for pet owners, examine new research about pancreatic cancer causes, and get the 411 on whether we should be concerned about bird flu.

Let’s get to it.

💪 When to say H-2-no

Water is everywhere. It makes up 70% of the Earth, about 6-% of us and has become a popular cure-all for fatigue, healthy skin, weight loss and many other things. People are consuming more water than ever before, bottled water sales outpace soda and other drinks. The hydration movement has also been paired with conservation, encouraging people to always carry reusable bottles with them — the bigger, the better.

The unofficial rule of thumb used by many: You need eight glasses of water a day, totaling about two liters, aside from any other liquids. 

But research indicates that is far more than we need, and some of the prescribed benefits of such high intake may not bear out.

Some key things to note:

  • A recent BBC report posited the 8x8 rule is a misunderstanding of a World War II-era U.S. government nutrition guideline that called for men to intake about 2.5 liters of liquid a day and two for women. But that included almost all drinks as well as fruit and vegetable consumption.

  • Also noted by the BBC: More recent research (albeit in 1974) reinforced 6-8 glasses of water daily, but also said other drinks could count toward that total. Food consumption accounts for about 20% of a person's daily liquid intake.

  • Water makes up about 2/3rds of the human body. The effects of dehydration can begin when we lose 1-2% of our water, and the brain will detect thirst in healthy people. While some argue thirst is not triggered until you are already dehydrated, many health experts push back and believe your body can determine and signal when and how much water or liquid it needs. People also often vastly overestimate how much water they lose by sweating.

  • There will always be instances where you must be mindful about hydration -- exercise, environment, illness, and when women are pregnant or breastfeeding -- but for the most part, your bodily instincts should be trusted (and no, the color of your pee is not a foolproof measuring stick).

As for the health benefits prescribed to water intake:

  • There is little evidence backing up assertions that hydration benefits skin health. It does not hurt, obviously, but the impact appears neutral.

  • Hydration positively impacts brain function and benefits aging, including chronic conditions. But that is more of a statement about the adverse effects of dehydration. Hydration can also assist with kidney and urinary issues.

  • Studies on hydration and weight loss have found more positive connections. One study hypothesized people are more active when adequately hydrated; water's impact may be more indirect when used as a replacement for sugary drinks. Hydration-connected weight loss is more common in older people than younger people.

  • Yes, you can drink too much water. Excess water impacts kidney function, overwhelming the body's ability to discharge it. That can dilute the electrolyte content of your blood, leading to a potentially life-threatening condition called hyponatremia. But that only comes with extreme water intake.

OK ... so if 8x8 is likely more than is needed, what is the right amount of water intake? There is no one-size-fits-all rule. Some people need four glasses daily, others adhere to the conventional wisdom and need eight. One study even concluded men should approach four liters of water daily while women should aim for close to three. It all depends on the individual. But 1.5 to 1.8 liters of liquids daily is likely more than enough for most folks. Just listen to your body.

🛌 Ruff sleep?

A team of researchers says sleeping with your pet is bad for sleep quality, especially if it is a dog. But you do not necessarily need to send Fido to the couch quite yet.

  • Over 1.5K Americans participated in the Trinity College study via questionnaire. About half reported co-sleeping with a pet, either in the same bed or same room.

  • The researchers' analysis concluded co-sleeping participants had poorer sleep quality and more insomnia symptoms than those who did not co-sleep. 

  • The researchers found dogs had a negative impact on sleep while no evidence of impact was found with cats.

There are some reasons to pump the brakes here, though. For starters: The researchers found a whopping 93% of participants who co-slept with pets believed they had a positive or neutral impact on their sleep quality, despite the findings. Some other things to keep in mind:

  • There is some thought pets can disrupt sleep patterns in their owners while in close proximity, but evidence is limited and contradictory -- one study found dogs influence human sleep movement, but humans are typically unaware.

  • The study did not identify whether co-sleepers are also co-sleeping with other people, like a newborn in a crib or a (snoring) spouse. The science of sleep impact while sharing a bed with another person is more established. There was no indication the size of a pet was accounted for, i.e. a cat versus a small dog versus a medium or large dog.

  • Previous studies concluded humans maintain good sleep quality with dogs in the room, although it can be slightly diminished when they are in bed. Another study found cats are more disruptive and often match human sleeping partners.

  • Sleeping with pets can bring comfort and a sense of security; co-sleeping has also been found as beneficial for people with chronic pain.

The bottom line: Sleeping with pets is a personal decision, and the impact of sleeping with a pet seems to vary by person. It is an issue for some and not a problem for others. Keeping doing what works for you.

🦾 Pesticides and pancreatic cancer

A pair of studies in France found sustained pesticide exposure is linked to an increased risk for pancreatic cancer.

  • Pancreatic cancer is the 10th-most diagnosed cancer in the U.S., but the third-leading cause of cancer death. It is on pace to be No. 2 by 2030, as the disease is often undetected until later stages and has a 13% five-year survival rate.

  • One of the studies dealt with banned pesticides that remain present in air and soil (similar to other studies). The other probed pesticides still in use today, including glysophate (Roundup), mancozeb (an anti-fungal treatment for crops) and sulfur in spray form.

  • The study was confined to France, which is Europe's largest pesticide user. A cause-effect connection was not confirmed, researchers said, but an increased risk of about 50% was found in people who had cumulative exposure to the still-permitted pesticides after accounting for other health factors.

This is not the first study to investigate occupational pesticide exposure and cancer; another French study from 2021 found links to an increased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and prostate cancer, among other pathologies. It is accepted science that pancreatic cancer is caused by gene mutations after a person is born, and they can be catalyzed by chemical exposure, like using tobacco. 

  • A study conducted last year found people with 20-plus years of exposured to some chemical agents had a 39% higher risk for pancreatic cancer, with an 11% increased risk for 11-20 years of exposure and 4% for 1-10 years.

  • The analysis found chemicals used in industrial settings, to clean medical devices and created by combustion significantly increased risk. But again, no direct correlation was established.

  • Studies have also failed to find the limited connection between long-term chemical exposure and increased risk of pancreatic cancer, so the jury remains out.

Researchers say more investigation is needed. But what makes this most-recent study stand out is that it involved common pesticides still in use today, including some that are available and used non-commercially. As the weather turns and we head into spring and summer, it is a reminder to take precaution as you care for crops, plants and your lawn or work in fields that use pesticides or other chemicals.

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