How much pure drinking water do you need daily? Are there health advantages to drinking purified mineral water? You'll find the answers next.

First, let's assume that you have a high quality multi-stage home water purifier that is certified to remove cysts, chlorine, THMs, lead, VOCs, MTBE, pesticides, herbicides and benzene. Because, that is the only way to be sure that you are getting purified drinking water.

If a system uses ion exchange to remove copper and lead, then it will replace them with potassium and sodium ions. Thus, you also have pure mineral drinking water.

The companies that supply bottled water would like for you to think that they offer a better choice. But, anything stored in plastic cannot be classified as pure drinking water, because it absorbs the taste, chemicals and odor of the plastic bottle.

Environmentalists would like for you to get your purified mineral drinking water from a home purifier and carry it with you in a reusable glass container. However, those bottles are a major source of pollution.

So, how much pure drinking water does a person need on a daily basis? According to the USDA's dietary reference guides, men over the age of 19 need at least 3.7 liters per day. Women over 19 need 2.7 liters per day.

Children of course need less. Pregnant women need about 3.0 liters per day. If you are breast feeding, you need about 3.8 liters per day.

About 20% of the total recommended water intake comes from foods. Fruits and vegetable, for example, contain a high level of water, and so contribute their share to proper hydration.

There is no set "upper limit", but the kidneys can only handle 24 ounces of water per hour. The cases of toxicity that resulted from drinking contests overtaxed the kidneys and led to heart failure. If the contestants had survived, they would have most likely suffered from kidney damage or failure.

Use thirst and body temperature to guide how much water you drink. The more you exercise the more pure drinking water you need.

If you exercise in a dry hot climate, you may need more pure drinking mineral water. Not only do you lose fluids through sweat, but you also lose electrolytes and minerals. That's an important reason that drinking distilled waters on a regular basis is not recommended. Distillation removes all minerals from water.

Recommendations vary for the correct amount of pure drinking water you need. Eight 8 ounce glasses per day is a common rule of thumb. To drink half your weight in ounces every day is another suggestion.

Weight is another factor. Heavier people will need more pure drinking mineral water, particularly if they are trying to lose that weight.

You do get necessary fluids from other beverages, but certain ingredients are also dehydrating. Caffeine, for example, has a dehydrating effect as it increases blood pressure and respiration.

Also, sugary beverages may increase your appetite and interfere with the brain's signal of "fullness". If you need to lose some weight, have an eight ounce glass of pure drinking mineral water 30 minutes before each meal and drink another glass with each meal.

That gives your 6 of the necessary 8. You should be able to fit two more in without too much trouble. Remember that pure drinking water is the best choice for rehydrating yourself.