It used to be that if you wanted to drink a gallon of water a day, you’d have to rinse out an old milk jug and reuse it. Nowadays, you can buy an actual gallon-size water bottle that looks aesthetically pleasing and supports an all-day hydration goal.

This water bottle glow-up may be partially fueled by the many videos on TikTok and Instagram  of people showcasing their daily hydration habits. Aside from social media, the concept of drinking a gallon of water a day has been particularly popular within the bodybuilding community. This hydration trend isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as drinking enough water is crucial for keeping your body and mind functioning at its best. But the amount of H2O you should drink every day is also personal.

So, should you really aim to drink a gallon of water every day? We turned to nutrition experts for answers. Here’s everything you need to know.

Should You Drink a Gallon of Water a Day?

In short, not necessarily. “Not everyone needs to drink a gallon of water a day,” says Anthea Levi, RD, a registered dietitian and founder of ALIVE+WELL Nutrition. 

The gallon benchmark is not a one-size-fits-all rule, and individual hydration needs can vary based on things like your age, body size, activity level, and where you live. So while the idea of drinking a gallon of water a day has been popularized as a general hydration guideline, it may not be necessary or suitable for everyone.

“Giving a hard goal of a gallon of water a day can help people aim high, and it has the advantage of being a concrete measurement that people recognize and can measure,” says Rachel Trotta, a NASM-certified personal trainer with a specialization in nutrition. “But since many people don’t need [that many] ounces of water, an easier (and more practical) strategy is to carry a reusable water bottle and to connect drinking water to certain routines,”  she says, such as working out or driving in your car.

So, is a gallon of water a day too much? For the average person, a good goal is to aim to drink about half of your body weight in ounces of water, Levi says. (For example, that’s 75 ounces of water for a 150-pound person.) For someone living in a larger body, a gallon of water (which equates to 128 ounces of water) may be recommended, “but it’s still not necessary across the board,” she adds.

More important than stacking up cups of water is listening to your body's signals of thirst—like dry mouth, headaches, and muscle cramps. Those little clues are your brain’s way of telling you that you’re dehydrated and not drinking enough water, Trotta says.

Is It Ever Dangerous to Drink a Gallon of Water a Day?

Drinking a gallon of water a day is unlikely to cause harm for most people. But drinking too much water in general can be risky, especially for those with certain health conditions like kidney disorders or heart problems, says Ellen Landes, RDN, a registered dietitian and owner of The Runner’s Dietitian. 

While hydration is key to your health, you also don't want to overdo it and drink too much water in a short period, notes the Cleveland Clinic. While it’s rare, overhydrating can come with some negative health effects. “The main concern is water intoxication or hyponatremia, which refers to dangerously low sodium levels in the body,” Levi says. This condition can cause nausea, vomiting, weakness, or even seizures or coma in extreme cases, she adds. 

On a practical level, you can avoid many of these issues by “drinking water gradually rather than chugging it, by responding to thirst instead of pushing yourself into a discomfort zone for an arbitrary water intake goal, and by using electrolyte replacement (especially sodium) for long-distance exercise,” Trotta says.

General Water Intake Recommendations

The significance of staying hydrated cannot be overstated. Water helps keep your body temperature just right, moves waste out of your body, and even ensures your joints and organs work smoothly, as the Mayo Clinic notes. And of course, you literally need water to survive. 

“The big problem we see is that people don’t drink enough water, and you desperately need hydration,” Trotta says. “Dehydration can affect you in many ways, making you feel tired, stressed, unproductive, or even hungry.”

So, how much water should you be drinking each day? There’s not one definitive answer to this question, as hydration needs vary from person to person. But there are a few common guidelines to get you started:

In other words, drinking a gallon of water a day makes sense for some people, but not everyone.

What’s more, your hydration needs go up when you work out, particularly in the heat or for long durations, Landes says. To determine how much fluid you need with exercise, she recommends doing a sweat test by weighing yourself naked before working out and again afterward, if you feel comfortable doing so. “The pounds lost are correlated with the amount of fluids lost through sweat,” she says. “You should aim to drink back 16–20 ounces of fluid per pound lost.”

But in general, if you (understandably) find it tricky to track your exact water intake, a practical way to stay on top of your hydration status day to day is by checking the color of your urine, Landes says. Aim for pale to light yellow, which is a good indicator that you're well-hydrated. Darker urine signals a need for more fluids.

What Factors Impact Your Water Intake?

No matter how many different daily water intake recommendations there are, the amount that’s right for you can change depending on personal factors. Here are a few considerations that can play into your unique water needs:

As always, listen to your body and talk to your health practitioner if you have any questions about the right water intake for you.

What About Water from Foods and Other Beverages?

The good news is you don’t have to rely entirely on your liquid intake to remain well-hydrated. Foods with high water content, like fruits, veggies, soups, and smoothies, are extremely hydrating on a day-to-day basis. “Even beverages that we think of as dehydrating, like tea or coffee or hot cocoa, can help with hydration,” Trotta says. That said, Landes notes it’s tricky to estimate the amount of water you get from your food, so know that it’s not an exact science. 

Regularly filling your plate with plenty of water-rich foods can make a big difference. According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), some excellent fruit and veggie choices include cucumbers (96 percent water), iceberg lettuce (also 96 percent water), celery (95 percent water), watermelon (92 percent water), and strawberries (91 percent water). Even foods that you might not typically think of as being “juicy” can support your daily hydration, such as broccoli (89 percent water), plain non-fat yogurt (87 percent water), and cooked chicken breast (65 percent water).

11 Benefits of Drinking Enough Water Each Day

Whether it’s drinking a gallon of water a day or another intake that works best for your body, there’s no denying that staying hydrated is crucial for health and exercise performance. Here are some benefits of staying sufficiently hydrated every day:

The Takeaway

Drinking a gallon of water a day has become a popular wellness goal. While staying hydrated is essential for your overall health, drinking a gallon of water a day may not be necessary or even suitable for everyone. The amount of water you drink every day depends on personal factors like your age, body weight, and activity level, but making sure you drink the proper amount of H2O for you is key to your health and wellbeing. As always, talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian if you have any questions about your hydration habits.