Do you get better skin if you drink a lot of water? A dermatologist agrees with the myth and explains what happens in the body.
Water is considered the source of life; after all, we humans are largely made up of it. The skin also needs fluid to function. Daniela Hartmann, senior physician in dermatology at the Munich Clinic, explains to the Süddeutsche Zeitung how important it is to drink enough water if you want to have healthy, beautiful skin.
Why drinking lots of water keeps skin young
According to dermatologist Hartmann, the statement that drinking a lot leads to more beautiful skin is actually true. Adequate water content in the skin is important to keep it healthy and young. Drinking a lot improves blood circulation in the skin, which is essential for a good metabolism. This in turn activates the regeneration and renewal of skin cells and thus has a positive effect on the complexion.
Conversely, it is often observed that skin and lips become cracked if there is too little liquid, says Hartmann. If you have cracked skin, you should ask yourself the question: Have I drunk enough today?
How much water should you drink?
It is widely believed that you should drink two to three liters of water a day. But according to the German Nutrition Society (DGE), these values refer to the total water intake that an adult person needs. However, according to the DGE, people with “need-based energy intake and average living conditions” consume up to a liter of liquid every day through solid food alone. Humans also produce around 300 milliliters each day through metabolic processes. The DGE therefore recommends drinking around 1.5 liters of water or other unsweetened drinks every day to cover the remaining needs.
A 2022 study comes to a similar conclusion. According to her, most people only need 1.5 to 1.8 liters per day.
But be careful: it is also possible to drink too much water.
How much water is too much?
Too much water is unhealthy and, in rare cases, can lead to water poisoning. According to the Austrian public health portal, the kidneys are overwhelmed and cerebral edema can develop. Such fluid buildup in the brain can lead to death. According to the Austrian government’s information portal, an adult weighing 70 kilograms is at risk of water poisoning if they drink around six liters per day in a short period of time or ten liters per day over a long period of time.
According to the Mayo Clinic, healthy, well-nourished adults rarely drink too much water. Only athletes occasionally overdo it when trying to compensate for water loss after long, intense training sessions. So caution is advised here.
If you want to keep your skin hydrated, you should make sure to drink enough, but not excessively, to avoid negative consequences.
If you have dry skin: use moisturizer instead of showering
As Hartmann tells the Süddeutsche Zeitung, many people have the impulse to shower when their skin is dry. But the expert advises against trying to add moisture to the skin in this way: “The top layers of skin form a water-repellent shell, which is a kind of protective layer. If this shell breaks and we shower afterwards, this can even further damage the skin’s protective layer.”
If you have dry skin, in addition to drinking enough water, you can also use a good moisturizer. This doesn’t have to be particularly expensive, but it should have a high water content and be unscented. “Such hydrophilic creams can moisturize and repair the top layer of skin,” explains Hartmann.
Read more on Techzle\.com:
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