Hydration is the name of the game – nowadays hardly anyone should leave the house without a reusable water bottle and there’s a lot of talk about hydration and de-hydration, and health, and what to do, and what NOT to do… We fact-checked some popular hydration (mis)beliefs.

Models swear that all they do for their good looks is to “drink gallons of water and sleep a lot”. And students leave the classroom at least once an hour, to go to the bathroom and to refill the water bottle. The awareness to keep ourselves hydrated is good news. But some of the ‘facts’ circulating about our H2O-intake are pure myths. While water is amazing and awesome, it won’t solve all of your problems; it doesn’t do magic.

Will I lose weight drinking more?

Drinking water won’t flush away the extra pounds. The rule “no pain no gain” still holds true. But yes, when working out and sweating to get back in shape, it is important to drink a lot.

Does my body re-hydrate faster with sport-drinks?

If you work out in a non-excessive manner, say up to one hour, there’s no need to opt for special sport-drinks. Water will do the hydration-trick perfectly.

Should I stop drinking coffee because it de-hydrates the body?

It is a common belief that coffee and tea don’t count as hydrating agents – well, that’s not true. Caffeine might be a diuretic, but caffeinated beverages still do have a net-hydrating effect; water might be the most effective hydration supplier, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t have your morning coffee without feeling bad about it.

Does food count as hydration?

Yes! Also foods add to our hydration-count. It also contains (more or less) water and makes up about 20% of our total water intake. Just to name a few, melons, grapes and also some vegetables contain a lot of water and will help to keep you hydrated.

So how do I keep hydrated?

All in all, there’s no need to torture yourself to pour down these eight glasses of water every day (just another myth). Our body has mechanisms in place which will make it perfectly clear when you’re dehydrated: you’re thirsty. And if you listen to these signals and drink plenty whenever your body reminds you of it, you’re going to be perfectly fine and healthy.

Feel free to forward any other questions about proper hydration that you might have, and we’ll make sure to get you one-and-for-all-time expert answers! For the time being, take a look at the wide selection of bottles (including a line of new products coming now in 2020), water bladders for your backpack, and hydration packs ideal for any outdoor activities.