Adults who stay well-hydrated are healthier, develop fewer chronic conditions such as heart and lung disease, and live longer than those who may not get sufficient fluids, according to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study published in eBioMedicine.
In the study of 11,255 adults over a 30-year period, researchers analyzed links between serum sodium levels – which go up when fluid intake goes down – and various indicators of health. Researchers found that adults with higher serum sodium levels were more likely to develop chronic conditions and show signs of advanced biological aging than those with serum sodium levels in the medium ranges. Adults with higher levels were also more likely to die at a younger age.

About half of people worldwide don’t meet recommendations for daily total water intake, which often starts at six cups.

“Proper hydration may slow down aging and prolong a disease-free life,” said Natalia Dmitrieva, a study author and researcher for NIH, the nation’s medical research agency that’s part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.