People who drink more water appear to live longer: Study

People who drink more water appear to live longer and develop fewer chronic diseases, a study suggests.

Using health data gathered from 11,255 adults over 30 years, researchers analysed links between serum sodium levels - which go up when fluid intake goes down - and various indicators of health.

They found adults with serum sodium levels at the higher end of a normal range were more likely to develop chronic conditions and show signs of advanced biological ageing than those with levels in the medium ranges.

Adults with higher serum sodium levels were also more likely to die younger, the researchers said.

The peer-reviewed findings of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a US medical research agency, were published in the eBioMedicine journal on Monday.

"The results suggest that proper hydration may slow down ageing and prolong a disease-free life," said Natalia Dmitrieva, study author and researcher at the Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of NIH.

The authors did not define “proper hydration”, but according to NHS England people should have six to eight drinks a day, which can include water, lower-fat milks, tea and coffee.

In March, the scientists published a study which found links between higher ranges of normal serum sodium levels and increased risk of heart failure.

The Telegraph

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