8 Benefits of Drinking Water You Might Not Know

It’s not often that something simple, cheap, science-backed and easily accessible trends on social media. Against the odds, #WaterTok is all the rage right now, and as a registered dietitian, I’m not mad about it. Yes, it annoys me that there are influencers trying to sell you expensive electrolyte powders that you don’t need. (Don’t even get me started on the fact that one of the most popular powders contains 1,000 milligrams of sodium, which is almost half the recommended daily limit for most people and totally unnecessary unless you’re extremely active or dangerously dehydrated.) But plenty of the health benefits being touted are actually true, and that’s worth raising a glass to.

If your algorithm has you curious about water, here’s what nutrition experts have to say about its health benefits.

It regulates your body temperature.

“Water is the body’s built-in cooling system,” says Erin Jowett, MS, RD, a dietitian and the owner of Integrative Weight and Wellness. “Through sweat and respiration, it dissipates heat and stabilizes your internal temperature — a critical function during exercise or heat exposure.” Water also plays a role in keeping you warm in cold weather, since hydration improves your circulation and keeps blood and warmth flowing throughout your body.

It plays a role in blood pressure regulation, which supports heart health.

“Water is your body’s liquid lifeline,” says Stacy Lofton, MS, RD, a sports dietitian and performance coach. “Proper hydration helps maintain healthy blood volume and fluidity, reducing strain on the heart by allowing it to pump blood more effectively.” Staying hydrated also helps your blood vessels expand and contract as needed to control your blood pressure. Dehydration, on the other hand, decreases the total volume of your blood, which makes your heart work harder and stresses your vascular system.

It supports digestion.

“Water is essential at every step of digestion, from producing saliva to breaking down food and absorbing nutrients,” says Katie Schimmelpfenning, RD, a dietitian and the founder of Eat Swim Win. “It also keeps things moving through your intestines and helps prevent constipation. Without enough fluid, digestion slows down and you’re more likely to feel bloated or backed up.”

It fights fatigue and keeps you energized.

Your mitochondria — the engines of your cells — require water to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is what powers your muscles. “Even mild dehydration can impair this process, leading to energy dips,” Jowett says.

Water also helps carry oxygen to your muscles and organs and balances electrolytes in your blood, both of which energize your body to do what it needs to. “Hydration isn’t just about quenching thirst; it is essential for sustained energy, sharp thinking and all-day endurance,” Lofton says.

It supports healthy hair growth.

No, chugging extra water won’t magically make your hair grow at hyper-speed. But staying hydrated does keep your hair healthy and growing. “Water hydrates the scalp and follicles, supporting healthy hair production,” says Marcie Vaske, MS, CNS, a certified nutrition specialist at the Oswald Digestive Clinic. “Water also helps our blood circulate effectively, delivering biotin, zinc, iron, protein and amino acids,” all important for the growth and maintenance of your hair.

It helps detox your body.

I’m not the biggest fan of the term “detox,” because it’s often used to sell some kind of unnecessary and unscientific supplement or cleanse that’s not worth your money. But the term definitely applies when we’re talking about water, which helps carry various waste and excess molecules to our kidneys to be filtered out and excreted through our urine. “Without enough water, the kidneys can’t filter waste efficiently,” says Amy Goldsmith, RDN, a dietitian and the owner of Kindred Nutrition & Kinetics. “Water also helps the kidneys function properly and helps to prevent kidney stones or urinary tract infections.”

It helps you build muscle.

If you think that you can get stronger just by sipping water at your desk all day, think again.

There’s a lot that goes into building muscle, including resistance training (to tax your muscles) and getting adequate calories and protein (to help them repair and ultimately strengthen after resistance training). But yes, drinking enough water is also important here.

“Water delivers amino acids to muscle fibers post-workout, balances electrolytes for strong, efficient contractions and helps flush out lactic acid to reduce soreness,” Lofton says. “It also keeps your body cool through thermoregulation, allowing you to train harder and longer without overheating.”

It lubricates your joints to keep them healthy.

“Think of water as WD-40 for your joints,” Lofton says. “Water helps your joints move smoothly by supporting the thick fluid that cushions and lubricates them.” On the flip side, being dehydrated can leave you feeling stiff and uncomfortable.

Getting enough water also supports the long-term health of your joints by delivering nutrients to your cartilage and carrying away any waste, which helps with joint repair and mobility, Lofton explains.

How much water do you need?

Ah, the age old question. While the eight-cups-a-day advice is outdated and not really all that research-backed, it’s a good place to start. Exactly how much water you need depends on all kinds of factors, so head to this much longer explainer to figure out your own water needs. And if you’re still not sure, ask a doctor or registered dietitian.