Research Links Poor Hydration To Increased Mortality Risk & Chronic Disease

How many times have you pledged to start drinking more water? If it winds up on your New Year's resolutions list year after year, you're not alone. For many, it seems like no matter how many new and improved reusable water bottles you purchase, the habit just never sticks.

Not entirely surprisingly, research published in the journal eBioMedicine1 reveals drinking enough water is associated with a significantly lower risk of developing chronic diseases and a lower risk of premature death. What's more, a lack of proper hydration is now linked to an older biological age, the study notes. 

And this wasn't just a small study: Over 25 years, around 15,000 people ages 45 to 65 participated in regular clinical exams to measure their serum sodium levels (which can reflect internal hydration). When serum sodium levels are higher, that demonstrates less water intake. 

According to the study, "People whose middle-age serum sodium exceeds 142 mmol/l have increased risk to be biologically older, develop chronic diseases, and die at younger age." In fact, those participants with a higher biological age had a 64% higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart failure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, and dementia.

All of this to say: If you've needed another reason to drink more water, living longer provides pretty good grounds.

In terms of how much water you need, well, it's impossible to give everyone the exact same rule of thumb. But in general, experts recommend drinking half of your weight in ounces. (So, for example, someone who weighs 150 pounds would want to drink around 75 ounces of water, which is about 9 cups.)

But even if you're already filling your cup every day, there's more you can do to increase internal hydration: You could also try hyaluronic acid supplements. See, as you age, your natural reserve of HA diminishes2 over time. As naturopathic doctor Nigma Talib, N.D., previously explained, by the time you reach your 40s, you have around 50% of the HA you had during your younger years.

While 50% of the body's total amount of hyaluronic acid resides in the skin3, it's also present in tissues, joints, and blood vessels; specifically, it plays a key role in helping joints feel lubricated4, supporting joint health as we age.