Water and other fluids
How much water and other fluids should I drink?
Symptoms like fatigue (extreme tiredness), light-headedness, dry mouth, a bad taste in the mouth, and nausea can be caused by dehydration (loss of fluid from the body). To help prevent these problems, survivors should try to take in enough fluids. This is especially important if you are losing fluid, such as through vomiting or diarrhea.
Healthy adult men need about 3.7 liters of water a day, while women need about 2.7 liters, but most of this fluid comes from foods. (Note: A liter is a little over a quart.)
If you are having trouble eating or drinking or are losing fluid (because of problems with vomiting or diarrhea, for instance), you may not be able to take in enough fluid. You should talk with your health care team because you might need to be treated with intravenous (IV) fluids.