We all know that drinking water is good for us. If you are feeling tired, have some water. Have a dry skin? Have some water. Have a dry throat? Have some water. It is almost like water is the fix to all our issues. May be it is, but not always. So, are we sometimes drinking more water than necessary? What happens then?

Many say that there is an 8x8 rule one must follow when it comes to drinking water.

What is the 8x8 drinking water rule?

Many believe that in the 8x8 rule, eight 240ml glasses of water per day adds up to almost 2 liters. However, it is not in the guidelines in both the UK and the EU health advisory. None of them recommends this specific amount.

So, where did it origin from?

The origins of this rule seem to come from misinterpreted advice given decades ago. In 1945, a US advisory board suggested adults should consume one milliliter of fluid per calorie of food, totaling about two liters for women and 2.5 liters for men. Importantly, this included all drinks and even water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables.

A later book in 1974 recommended six to eight glasses of water daily but also noted that coffee, tea, and even beer could count towards hydration. Yet, the idea of drinking two liters of plain water daily took hold and has persisted ever since.

How Much Water Do We Really Need?

As per experts, drinking 8 glasses of water a day may be unnecessary and the research estimates that the actual requirement is around 1.5 to 1.8 liters per day. This not only includes water, but all kinds of fluids from all sources that we may consume in a day.

Also, studies show that instead of following a rigid routine, what is best is to focus on factors like temperature, physical activity and health conditions for your water intake. Those in hot and humid climate, high altitudes or pregnant or breastfeeding, and athletes may require more water. Whereas those in cooler areas, with a more sedentary lifestyle won't. However, for the average person, thirst is a more reliable guide than any fixed rule.

ALSO READ: What Happens When You Drink Too Much Water?

Science of Hydration and Dangers Of Over hydration:

Water is necessary to transport nutrients, control temperature, and keep organs functioning. We lose water through sweat, urine, and respiration, so staying hydrated is critical. However, dehydration develops only when the body loses 1-2% of its total water content.

A widespread myth is that feeling thirsty indicates that you are already severely dehydrated. Experts argue that thirst is an excellent evolutionary mechanism that ensures us drink when we need to. The body also produces hormones that aid in water conservation when necessary.

Drinking More Water Than Needed:

While drinking too much water is generally harmless, it can cause hyponatremia, a condition in which salt levels in the blood become dangerously low. This can result in brain enlargement, disorientation, convulsions, and, in extreme cases, death.

There have been reports of athletes overhydrating during endurance races, resulting in significant difficulties. Experts caution that simply following hydration myths might be dangerous, stating that thirst remains the greatest signal of when to drink.

Many people think that controlling blood sugar is just about avoiding sugary foods or cutting back on carbohydrates. Sure, what you eat is important but so is when you eat, especially if you have diabetes, prediabetes or insulin resistance.

Why Morning May Be A Better Time To Eat

Your body has an internal clock called the circadian rhythm. And, this impacts your sleep, digestion, hormone release and how your body metabolises energy. The stomach, intestine, liver, pancreas, muscles and fat tissue all work in coordination with this rhythm. In simple terms, the body is generally more prepared to digest and use food during the earlier part of the day.

Hormones also follow a daily pattern. Cortisol, for instance, is naturally more active in the morning, while growth hormone has greater activity at night and in the early hours of the day. Since the body is metabolically more active in the morning, it is often able to handle glucose and protein more efficiently at this time.

This is why having a balanced breakfast at a reasonable time, preferably before 9 am where possible, can be helpful for glycaemic control. It does not mean that breakfast has to be large or heavy. It means that the first meal of the day should be nutritious and should not be delayed unnecessarily.

Also read: Why Sustainable Weight Loss Requires More Than Cutting Calories?

How Skipping Breakfast Can Affect Blood Sugar

Eating early also prevents the long gap without food that can lead to tiredness, excessive hunger and overeating later in the day. By not eating breakfast, a person may be starving by lunchtime and may eat larger portions or foods high in refined carbohydrates. It can cause larger fluctuations in blood sugar.

Those with diabetes who are on insulin or other glucose-lowering medications in particular should eat regular meals. Skipping or delaying food can sometimes lead to hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar. So, this may cause sweating, shakiness, dizziness, weakness or sudden hunger. In response, a person may overeat, which can then lead to a sharp rise in blood sugar and make overall control more difficult.

Also read: Study Links Lower Protein Intake To Healthy Ageing; Expert Explains Who Should & Shouldn't Cut Back

Should Dinner Be Your Lightest Meal?

The old saying, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper,” still has relevance. It does not mean overeating at breakfast. Rather, it reminds us not to make dinner the heaviest meal of the day, especially when it is eaten late.

A good breakfast can include protein, fibre and a moderate amount of carbohydrates. Eggs, curd, paneer, dal, sprouts, vegetables, nuts and whole grains are practical options. Timely eating, along with balanced meals, regular activity, prescribed medicines and medical follow up, can go a long way in improving blood sugar control.

The mukbangs, it a giant burrito in 5 bites, rock–paper–scissors “run and eat” challenge may look like harmless fun on Instagram, but medically, it’s a messy combination of speed, adrenaline and food. Your body simply isn’t built to sprint one second and swallow food the next, and that’s exactly why doctors are raising alarms.

When Running And Eating Collide

When you suddenly take off running, your system shifts into “performance mode.” Blood flow is pushed toward your muscles, your breathing gets heavier, and your heart rate shoots up. In that state, the body is not prioritising digestion, it’s prioritising oxygen and movement. If you try to eat immediately afterwards, your swallowing reflex is out of sync, your breathing is irregular, and your diaphragm is still working overtime. That makes choking far more likely than people realise, even with small bites.

What Happens To Your Digestion After Intense Exercise

Then there’s the digestive side. Eating right after a sprint forces the stomach to start working while the body is still in high-alert mode. This can lead to sudden acidity, cramps, indigestion, or even vomiting. Some people experience a sharp head rush or dizziness because the nervous system gets confused between “cool down” and “start digesting.” It’s a physiologically chaotic moment and food doesn’t belong in it.

Also read: Can Drinking Coffee Make You Leaner, Healthier? Study Decodes The Link

Another concern is behavioural. These challenges make speed-eating and chaotic eating patterns look entertaining. Young people often imitate trends without understanding the risks, and this normalises the idea that food is something to be shoved in quickly or eaten competitively. Over time, this can dull the body’s natural hunger and fullness cues.

The Social Media Trend May Be Fun, But Your Body Pays The Price

By Dr Chetan Kalal, DM Hepatologist and Liver Transplant Specialist, Saifee Hospital, Mumbai

Coffee is one of the world’s most widely consumed beverages and has been linked to various health benefits, including a lower risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, the biological mechanisms behind these benefits remain unclear.

Now, a Finnish study suggests that people who regularly drink coffee may have healthier body composition and metabolic markers.

The study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, also found distinct associations between coffee consumption and sex hormones in men and women.

What Did The Study Find?

Researchers from the University of Oulu in Finland analyzed data from 2,264 participants, all aged 46, from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. They examined how coffee consumption was associated with circulating metabolites, cardiometabolic risk markers and sex hormones.

Coffee Linked To Leaner Body Profiles

Compared with people who drank less coffee, those who consumed more had:

• Lower total body fat
• Lower visceral fat
• Greater skeletal muscle mass

These biomarkers have previously been linked to insulin resistance and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes when chronically elevated.

Coffee And Sex Hormones

The strongest sex-specific associations were observed in men. Among men, higher coffee consumption was linked to:

• A more favorable glucose-insulin profile
• Higher concentrations of total and bioavailable testosterone
• Increased levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)
• At the same time, free testosterone and the free androgen index were modestly lower.

What Could Explain The Link?

The researchers stated that hormonal pathways may partly explain the relationship between coffee consumption and metabolic health.

“What stood out in our findings was a distinct hormonal signature that didn't disappear even after we took into account BMI and lifestyle factors, with several of these associations differing between men and women,” said lead author Luca Verroest, a doctoral researcher at the University of Oulu.

More Research Is Needed

However, the findings do not prove that drinking coffee directly makes people leaner or healthier. The study was observational, meaning it identified associations between coffee consumption and metabolic measures rather than establishing cause and effect.

Further research is needed to determine whether coffee itself contributes to these differences in body composition and metabolic health.

How Much Coffee Is Good For You?

According to a recent scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA), published in the peer-reviewed journal Circulation, for most healthy adults, drinking up to five cups of black caffeinated coffee a day — providing up to 400 mg of caffeine — is considered safe and may even benefit heart health.

However, the statement noted that how coffee is brewed could make a difference, not just for its taste but also for cholesterol levels.

A review of the latest evidence on caffeine and cardiovascular health found that brewing methods matter because some types of coffee contain compounds that can raise LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol.

The review also found that drinking three to five 8-ounce cups of regular black coffee daily was associated with a lower risk of:

Heart disease

Stroke

Heart failure

Type 2 diabetes

Some abnormal heart rhythms.