The very simple habit that delays aging, according to the US National Institutes of Health

There is mounting evidence on the power of habits to achieve good health and delay aging. Among these findings is the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) publication of a very simple and accessible custom that would have major health effects.

According to this study, cited in the note of the Spanish edition of La Razónadults who try to stay well hydrated stay healthier, develop fewer chronic conditions and live longer than those who don’t drink enough fluids.

This conclusion was published in the journal eBioMedicine e it was based on data from 11,255 adults, analyzed over 30 years. For which blood sodium levels and other key health indicators were taken into account.

As La Razón’s note recounts, the study participants shared the results of their studies between the ages of 50 and 60 and between 70 and 90 years old.

To measure hydration and health status, the doctors involved took into account blood sodium levels and 15 health indicators associated with biological aging.

Using this data, they concluded that adults with higher normal blood sodium levels — a trait associated with lack of hydration — were more likely to show signs of faster biological aging.

Conversely, adults with the lowest sodium levels had the lowest risk of developing chronic disease.

“The results indicate that proper hydration can slow aging by prolonging and leading a disease-free life”said Natalia Dmitrieva, study author and researcher at the NIH’s Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine.

How much water to drink per day

The note La Razón mentions that the US National Academy of Medicine recommends a daily consumption of approximately 6 to 9 glasses (1.5 to 2.2 liters) of liquid for women and 8 to 12 glasses (2 to 3 liters) for men.

Dmitrieva also pointed out that natural juices, infusions and vegetables with a high water content also contribute to hydration.