Challenge to water advice

A British doctor has challenged advice that tells people to drink more water.

Official NHS advice to the public is to drink up to eight glasses of water a day.

And many schools require pupils to bring water bottles.

But Dr Margaret McCartney says there is no good evidence to support these claims.

She says some recommendations seem to come from organisations backed by bottled water companies.

The advice, which is given by NHS Choices, is "not only nonsense, but is thoroughly debunked nonsense," she writes in the British Medical Journal.

Dr McCartney, from Glasgow, Scotland, UK, says there might be unintended harm from persuading people to drink more water.

She writes: "It would seem, therefore, that water is not a simple solution to multiple health problems.

"There are many organisations with vested interests who would like to tell doctors and patients what to do. We should just say no."

British Medical Journal July 13 2011

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