荷兰科学家最新公布的一项研究结果显示，对于那些身体健康的老年人来说，每天增加大约1升的液体摄入量不会对其身体产生任何负面影响。

Increasing fluid intake by about a liter per day appears to have no negative effects in healthy older men, Dutch researchers report.

荷兰科学家最新公布的一项研究结果显示，对于那些身体健康的老年人来说，每天增加大约1升的液体摄入量不会对其身体产生任何负面影响。

据路透社4月6日报道，荷兰马斯特里赫特大学的马克·斯皮格特博士及其同事在《美国老年病学协会杂志》上撰文指出，那些年纪较大的人经常会出现身体脱水的现象，其中部分原因在于其自身对于口渴的感觉可能已经变得十分迟钝了。但是，老年人也很容易处于体内含水量超标的状态，因为他们的肾脏的工作效率已经趋于下降。过多的水分存留在人体内会使身体里的钠被大量稀释，而这可能会引发非常严重的后果。

研究人员对141名年龄在55岁到75岁之间的身体健康的老年人进行了一项研究，这些人被随机分为两部分，其中一组被建议每天比平时多喝1.5升水，而另一组则每天都会喝上一匙实为糖浆的无效对照剂。

为搞清增加每天液体摄入量到底会给老年人带来哪些影响，研究人员对收集上来的数据进行了仔细的分析。斯皮格特说：“因为当时尚未搞清每天多喝水会对老年人的身体带来何种影响，所以我们特地对此进行了分析。尽管此前在这方面缺乏足够多的证据，但还是有很多人做出了各种各样的假设，有人声称此举会对人体带来积极影响，而另外一些人则警告说要小心身体出现水分过多的现象。”

6个月后，那些多喝水的人已经能够将其每天的液体摄入量平均提高了大约1升。这两组接受测试者在血压、体内钠含量以及肾脏过滤速度方面均未出现明显差异。这些研究人员因此得出最终结论，认为老年人每天增加液体摄入量不会对他们的身体产生任何负面影响。

斯皮格特总结说：“那种担心多喝水会对身体健康造成损害的想法看上去似乎是毫无道理的。”但他同时表示：“这一研究结果并不意味着一个人可以敞开肚皮无节制地喝水。过量饮水，比如每天喝了10升都不止，那就一定是对身体有百害而无一利了。”

Drinking More Water Does No Harm in Elderly Men

Increasing fluid intake by about a liter per day appears to have no negative effects in healthy older men, Dutch researchers report.

Dr. Mark G. Spigt of Maastricht University and colleagues note in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society that older people are often dehydrated, partly because their sensation of thirst may be blunted. On the other hand, the elderly can easily become overly hydrated, because their kidneys tend to work less efficiently. Retaining excess water can dilute the level of sodium in the body, which can have serious consequences.

"We did this analysis," Spigt told Reuters Health, "because it was unknown whether it could do harm to hydrate elderly people. Despite the lack of evidence on this topic many people assume all kinds of effects; some claim positive effects, others warn against overhydration."

To investigate the general effects of increased fluid intake, the researchers examined data from a study involving 141 healthy men aged 55 to 75 years. In random order they were either advised to increase their water intake by a liter and a half per day, or were given a spoonful of a placebo syrup per day.

After 6 months, the men urged to drink more water had managed to boost their daily fluid intake by an average of about a liter per day. There were no significant differences between the two group in blood pressure, sodium level or the filtration rate of the their kidneys.

The researchers thus conclude that the advice to increase fluid intake had no negative effects.

Summing up, Spigt added, "It seems unreasonable to worry about the harmful effects of drinking extra water." However, he warned, "This does not mean that one cannot drink too much. Excessive intakes of water -- more than 10 liters -- can be harmful."