Scientists have rained on the parade of health nuts everywhere by announcing that the old wive's tale saying eight glasses of water a day is better for your health may be just one big old myth. In fact, researchers say they don't even know where the rumor originated.

On the contrary, the review published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, indicates that no one study has conclusively proven that the average healthy human needs to down this much water every day. Reserch has not postively indicated that increased amounts of water benefit organs or curbs the appetite, thus assisting in keeping off excess weight. There is also no data to prove that dehydration can lead to headaches. The researchers say a lack of water can lead to stiffness of the skin, but no evidence has confirmed it will improve skin tone, another popular notion attributed to high water consumption.

Don't toss your (reusable) water bottle yet though; there is still evidence that people in warm, dry climates and athletes may need more water than the average person. According to evidence, salt and urea are also cleared from the body more easily by drinking water.

Dr. Dan Negoianu and Dr. Stanley Goldfarb are the researchers from the Renal, Electrolyte and Hyptertension Division at the University of Pennsylvania who made these conclusions, based on several studies conducted over an extended period of time. They don't say that drinking the typically-recommended eight glasses of water is definitely without benefits, but explain, "There is simply a lack of evidence in general."

So really what the doctors are saying is that drinking a lot of water might still be really good for you or it may provide no real benefits your health, but it could go either way. With recent reports that the U.S. water supply is contaminated with pharmaceuticals, the discovery that eight glasses of water per day may not be necessary might be like Christmas come early for concerned Americans.

» Telegraph