The recommendations of the Food Safety Authority
di FC
Adapting the amount of water based on individual needs and environmental conditions is an effective way to contribute to overall and heart health. For this reason it is good to know and follow the recommendations of the EFSA (Food Safety Agency: www.efsa.europa.eu/it).
Drinking water is good for your heart. Hydration is essential for the general health of our body. The amount of water needed may vary based on several individual, environmental and lifestyle factors. The recommendations of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) provide useful guidance for determining the daily amount of water to intake.
In general, EFSA indicates that an adult should drink at least 2 liters of water per day, which corresponds to approximately 10 glasses considering an average table glass with a capacity of 200 milliliters. However, it is essential to consider that this quantity includes not only the water drunk directly but also that contained in foods and drinks of various kinds.
Specific recommendations for different age groups take into account rapidly changing physiological needs during growth and development. For example, newborns require an amount of water proportional to their body weight, while children and adolescents have different needs depending on age and gender.
Then there are environmental conditions that can increase the need for water, such as higher temperatures, as now happens in summer, and more intense and prolonged levels of physical and sporting activity. During the summer or in circumstances of increased sweating, it is necessary to increase water intake to maintain proper hydration.
Water plays a crucial role in heart and circulatory health, with several benefits linked to its adequate consumption. Water has positive effects on the heart by reducing blood viscosity, regulating the activities of cells and various organs.
People taking drugs for hypertension, in particular ACE inhibitors (e.g. "Ramipril or enalapril") or the more common "sartans" (e.g. Losartan, Valsartan, Candesartan, etc) must pay particular attention to blood pressure, especially during prolonged exposure to heat, which tends to be particularly low in the absence of adequate hydration. In case of abnormal values, it is advisable to consult your doctor for possible reductions in therapy, if the problem persists despite having taken an adequate amount of liquids.
In conclusion, following the EFSA guidelines and adapting the amount of water based on individual needs and environmental conditions is an effective way to ensure correct hydration and contribute to general health and that of the heart and other organs.