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Water may not be the most exciting beverage in a world of iced mocha cappuccinos, but you literally can’t live without it. So how much do you really need to drink in a day? Well, let’s dive into some numbers.

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The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine recommends the following for daily fluid intake:

Here’s the thing, though: Consider those numbers a starting point. “Your size, metabolism, location, diet, physical activity and health all factor into how much water you need,” says preventive medicine specialist Roxanne B. Sukol, MD.

And the fluid you consume doesn’t all come out of a glass. You can expect about 20% of your daily fluid intake to come from water that’s in food.

That’s a lot of information to gulp down all at once, right? Well, here’s a drip-by-drip accounting.

To determine how much water you need, Dr. Sukol suggests considering these four factors:

But water demands are also like the stock market, with daily fluctuations that depend on:

Even if you’re not thirsty, don’t assume you’re drinking enough water. Instead, take a peek at your urine, says Dr. Sukol. If it’s a pale yellow color, you’re right on track. If your urine is darker or has a strong odor, then you could probably use more fluids.

Other symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration might include:

More severe dehydration constitutes a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Severe dehydration can include the above symptoms as well as:

Water is sometimes considered a fourth macronutrient, joining the list with protein, fats and carbohydrates. It’s required for your body to function optimally. (Fast fact: Your body is 60% water.)

“That’s why you need to make sure that you’re drinking enough water,” explains Dr. Sukol. “It’s also why people who are too sick to drink tend to get into further trouble.”

Drinking water can help your:

There’s also research that consuming water may boost exercise performance, help with weight loss and reduce allergy and asthma symptoms.

The short answer is yes… but it’s hard to do. Hyponatremia, or low sodium, can be caused by a number of things — but one of them is when people drink too much water over a relatively short period of time.

“This condition can be quite serious but it is extremely rare,” says Dr. Sukol. “It’s pretty unusual that anyone would drink so much water that they would actually hurt themselves.”

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Find out how much water you should be drinking each day, the many health benefits of drinking enough and if you can overdo it.