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You know you need to stay hydrated for body and mind — but why is it so important to get a certain amount?
Well, water makes up about 60 percent of the body, says New York City–based Jaclyn London, RD, head of nutrition and wellness at WW, and data from the U.S. Geological Survey, a government agency, backs that up.
Because it’s such a big part of your makeup, water is involved in a multitude of functions, says Ryan Andrews, RD, principle nutritionist and adviser at Precision Nutrition in Norwalk, Connecticut. For example, water dissolves and transports other substances around the body, assists in metabolic reactions, lubricates tissues like eyes and joints, regulates body temperature, provides minerals, and acts as a building material for cells.