The Hydration Myth - by Sam Badalian (Paperback)

About the Book

Listen to your body, not the hype.

Book Synopsis

Listen to your body, not the hype.

"Drink eight glasses of water a day. You'll be healthier." We've all heard this same message time and time again, taking it to be fact. But what if it isn't true? In a world where hydration has become a trend or a sign of purity, The Hydration Myth brings a science-backed look into drinking water, calling out its biggest myths.

As the chief of the Department of Women's Health at Bassett Healthcare Network and a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Dr. Badalian weaves science and personal accounts with his patients to call out a culture obsessed with constant hydration. In this book, you'll learn

-the signs of overhydration,

-how water bottles have become status symbols,

-the hidden dangers of IVs,

-water safety during pregnancy, and

-how to restore balance with your body and listen to its natural signals.

The Hydration Myth is a wake-up call to the beliefs we've blindly accepted, asking us to find the way back to trusting our bodies.

Review Quotes

"The Hydration Myth is a thoughtful and well-written examination of one of the most widely accepted beliefs in health and medicine. Beyond hydration itself, the book highlights an important broader lesson in medicine: More is not always better-and in some cases, can even be harmful. The discussion around overhydration serves as a powerful example of a principle that extends far beyond fluid intake to many aspects of healthcare, from antibiotic overuse to excessive diagnostic testing. Equally important is the book's exploration of how medical recommendations and 'rules' can originate from limited evidence, evolve over time, and eventually take on a life of their own, often detached from their original scientific basis. In that sense, this book is not only about hydration but also about the importance of questioning assumptions and continually re-examining accepted wisdom through the lens of evidence. This is a thought-provoking and timely read for both healthcare professionals and the general public."

-Shant Shekherdimian, MD, MPH, associate professor and pediatric surgeon at the University of California, Los Angeles

"Dr Badalian, with his years of experience and knowledge in the field, eloquently tackles a subject that is so basic yet undeniably indispensable for health and mankind. On the one hand, he masterfully weaves the story of how water with moderation is not only essential to quench our thirst but also to cleanse our body; on the other hand, he challenges the misconceptions of the benefits (or lack thereof) of consuming it in abundance. He engages the reader by using anecdotes from his clinical practice and supports them with scientific evidence from the literature to bring home the message of water consumption: when, what, why, and how much to drink!"

-Vatche Minassian, MD, MPH, division of urogynecology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and associate professor at Harvard Medical School

"Women these days carry around a two-liter bottle to keep themselves hydrated. One of the most common things that women carry these days, besides a purse, is a water bottle. Kidneys are an amazing organ. They can dilute the urine to fifty milliosmole and concentrate it to 1,200 milliosmole. A person can survive by drinking less than 500 milliliters of fluids a day. The body has intricate, sophisticated mechanisms to regulate hydration status through the thirst mechanism and the secretion of antidiuretic hormones to conserve water. The body keeps the serum osmolality within a very narrow range. People think they know more than what the body can do on its own. Dr. Badalian has described these intricate mechanisms very well and explained why we do not need to be obsessed with drinking water. He has used several clinical instances where it could be dangerous to drink too much water. I think this is a good read not only for the general public but also for healthcare professionals who are always asked these questions and who all provide their opinions, which are valued by their patients. One does not need to flush the kidneys with water, and cleansing the body is unnecessary."

-Salil Gupta, MD, board-certified nephrologist in Syracuse, New York