Originally Posted by boris
Re: What should i eat/do to reduce the wrinkles/dry skin
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The actual amount of liquid water (from drinks) that an individual needs depends on their age, gender, physical activity, physiological condition or illness and the temperature and humidity of their physical environment. A healthy individual may have slightly lower or somewhat higher water intakes without harm by varying their urine output. The recommended amounts are somewhat higher (1.0-1.5 mL/kcal) than the average intakes, being about 3.0 L for men and 2.2 L for women (rising to 2.3 L if pregnant or 3.1 L if lactating) [962]l. These higher levels of water intake seem to reduce the occurrences of kidney stones, gall stones and some cancers and may be otherwise beneficial
It is also a commonly known fact that if you wait until you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Therefore it is recommended that you drink smaller, yet frequent amounts of water or other fluids (these include coffee and sports drinks as the diuretic effect of coffee has been proven to be negligible, but side effects from excess caffeine consumption usually outweigh the benefits of drinking coffee as a source of hydration).
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In a recent study, evidence indicated that consuming a moderate level of caffeine results in a mild increase of urine production. Although this diuresis may or may not be significantly greater than a control fluid with no caffeine, there is no evidence to suggest that moderate caffeine intake
(_456 mg) induces chronic dehydration or negatively affects exercise performance, temperature regulation, or circulatory strain in a hot environment (3).
So kids, I really should have qualified that drinking 1.5 litres of water can also be inclusive of coffee, coke or other caffeinated beverages that are often considered to have a diuretic effect. Read though that I am not suggesting you live off a diet consisting solely of these products.
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In 2005, the Dietary Reference Intake guideline for water was published. The Adequate Intake (AI) for total water intake in young men and women (ages 19 to 30 years) is 3.7 L and 2.7 L per day, respectively. Fluids (drinking water and beverages) provided 3.0 L (101 fluid oz; _13 cups) and 2.2 L (74 fluid oz; _9 cups) per day for 19- to 30-year-old men and women, respectively.
This source comes from the American Dietetic Association, Volume 9 Issue 11. I can’t post a direct link because I’ve sourced it through CSU’s database and only CSU students have access, but now that you have the volume and the issue you could probably find it hosted somewhere else.
Other reasons for adequate hydration include;
- adequate hydration is important and may improve the results of antimicrobial therapy in UTI (European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2003) 57, Suppl 2, S52–S58)
Not being adequately hydrated also has adverse psychosomatic affects. Let me again reiterate that waiting until you are thirsty means that the process of dehydration has already began. It is irresponsible to promote the idea that it’s fine to only drink when thirsty.
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Mental and psychomotor processing deterioration and the dynamics of its onset during dehydration are of great practical importance but are still not completely understood. Deteriorated mental and psychomotor processing could endanger performance of tasks that require high precision, are performed under forced regime and rhythm, permit no mistakes, or involve sophisticated, expensive, or dangerous equipment. (Croat Med J. 2006 December; 47(6): 855–861. )
I also stumbled upon this little study, read the entire slab right to the end.
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It is generally stated that drinking plenty of water has a positive influence on skin condition. However, there is no published scientific study that has investigated this matter. The aim of our exploratory `before-after' study was to evaluate the in vivo influence of drinking more than 2 L of mineral water or ordinary tap water per day on skin physiology. Ninety-three healthy subjects were included in our prospective study. After an initial run-in phase of 2 weeks to monitor individual drinking habits, subjects had to drink 2.25 L day−1 of either mineral water (n = 53) or tap water (n = 40) for 4 weeks. Bioengineering in vivo measurements on the volar forearm included sonographic evaluation of skin thickness and density, determination of skin surface pH, assessment of skin surface morphology, and measurement of finger circumference. Eighty-six subjects completed the study. In the mineral water group measurements revealed a statistically significant decrease in skin density. Skin thickness increased slightly, albeit not at a statistically significant level. However, when separately analysing those individuals from the mineral water group, who had routinely drunken comparably little before the start of the study, their skin thickness increased at a statistically significant level. Skin surface pH remained almost unchanged in the physiologically optimal range. In the tap water group, skin density increased significantly, while skin thickness decreased significantly. Skin surface pH decreased at a statistically significant level. While in the mineral water group finger circumference decreased significantly, measurements in the tap water group revealed a statistically significant increase. Objective skin surface morphology did not change in any group. In summary, drinking more than 2 L of water per day can have a significant impact on skin physiology. The exact effects within the skin seem to differ depending on the nature of the water ingested. Randomized, controlled, double-blind follow-up trials are warranted to confirm the findings of our exploratory pilot study.( International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 29(2):131-138 )
- Being dehydrated can change the appearance of your skin. In mild dehydration your skin may appear flushed, dry and loose with a loss of elasticity and may look older than it is.
So I would say that in conclusion, it is completely realistic to believe that drinking 1.5 litres of water (or the amounts recommended) does have an affect on your skin and your overall health, and that these Mickey Mouse studies re: 8x8 haven’t come up with anything that I think overrules these studies.