Research Shows The Fascinating Link Between Hydration & Longevity

How many times have you pledged to start drinking more water? If it winds up on your New Year's resolutions list year after year, you're not alone. For many, it seems like no matter how many new and improved reusable water bottles you purchase, the habit just never sticks.

To make that habit more of a priority, you might want to zero in on your intention—have you ever asked yourself why you want to drink more water? There are plenty of reasons to start, whether it's dewy skin, increased energy, or reduced brain fog.

However, research presents a much more convincing argument. 

The link between dehydration & mortality

Not entirely surprisingly, research published in the journal eBioMedicine reveals drinking enough water is associated with a significantly lower risk of developing chronic diseases and a lower risk of premature death. What's more, a lack of proper hydration is now linked to an older biological age, the study notes. 

And this wasn't just a small study: Over 25 years, around 15,000 people ages 45 to 65 participated in regular clinical exams to measure their serum sodium levels (which can reflect internal hydration). When serum sodium levels are higher, that demonstrates less water intake. 

According to the study, "People whose middle-age serum sodium exceeds 142 mmol/l have increased risk to be biologically older, develop chronic diseases, and die at younger age." In fact, those participants with a higher biological age had a 64% higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart failure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, and dementia.

While the study did not include exactly how much water the participants drank, the thesis is clear: The more hydrated you are, the more likely you are to live a longer, healthier life overall. 

How to actually get enough hydration

All of this to say: If you've needed another reason to drink more water, living longer provides pretty good grounds.

In terms of how much water you need, well, it's impossible to give everyone the exact same rule of thumb. But in general, experts recommend drinking half of your weight in ounces. (So, for example, someone who weighs 150 pounds would want to drink around 75 ounces of water, which is about 9 cups.)

But even if you're already filling your cup every day, there's more you can do to increase internal hydration: You could also try hyaluronic acid supplements. See, as you age, your natural reserve of HA diminishes over time. As naturopathic doctor Nigma Talib, N.D., previously explained, by the time you reach your 40s, you have around 50% of the HA you had during your younger years.

Think of it as one way to keep your body healthy and hydrated, in addition to increasing water intake. If you're interested, here's our curated list of the best 13 hyaluronic acid supplements on the market to guide your search. 

The takeaway

It's no secret that drinking water is a very good thing, but now research backs up the dramatic influence adequate hydration has on the whole body.