Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.


One way to stay cool as the weather heats up is to drink plenty of fluids. But you also have to get rid of those fluids. This week on Health Watch we'll be talking about fluids and the way your body gets rid of them.

How much fluid do you need to drink? Dr. Philippe Zimmern, a urologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, says he's asked that question by patients every day. They worry that they're damaging their kidneys by not drinking enough water, or that they're drinking too much because they have to go to the bathroom so often.

Most people need six to eight glasses of water a day, or about 64 ounces. If you're exercising strenuously or in high temperatures, or if you're in a situation where you're sweating a lot, you may need more.

Next: What goes in must go out.

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^{May 2006}

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