If you want bad advice, listen to a modern NFL player. Colin Kaepernick and his merry band of supporters will gleefully tell you about the merits of engaging in pointless social protests. Patriots superstar Tom Brady is now advising people to drink so much water they could die.
The “health” tip appears in Brady’s new book, “The TB12 Method.” He confidently tells people to down half their body weight in ounces every day. He himself reportedly guzzles 37 glasses a day.
“Drink at least one-half of your body weight in ounces of water every day,” Brady writes. “That’s the minimum. Ideally, you’ll drink more than that, and with added electrolytes, too.”
What works for a professional quarterback probably won’t work for you. “For the average healthy adult I recommend eight cups of water a day,” said Alyson Fendrick, registered dietitian. “However… Athletes need two cups prior to workout then one and a half cups every 20 minutes during a workout.”
Doctors say that someone could die from drinking so much water. Overhydration, or hyponatremia, occurs when the cells are flush with water and the body is low in sodium. The cells absorb the liquid and puff up, causing harmful swelling.
“Increase your water intake by 2 to 4 glasses a day and you will be better hydrated, your skin may look less wrinkled, and you’ll likely feel better…but I’d avoid trying to become a human aquarium,” Nutritionist Ariane Resnick cautioned.
Brady couches his excessive hydration theory with a lot of unverified “facts”. He attributes his phenomenal health to his constant guzzling. Keeping his body flush with water isn’t harming him because he’s constantly exercising. However, his water intake probably has little to do with whether or not he gets a sunburn or how supple his muscles are.
(Source: The Daily Meal, New York Daily News)