Environmental Systems Distributing 's display of home and office drinking water filters and systems. While Americans may be awash in news about the benefits of consuming adequate amounts of water, most fall short of recommendations to drink eight 8-ounces servings a day, results of a new survey reveal. What's more, Americans drink an average of nearly 6 servings a day of caffeinated beverages such as coffee and soda. These drinks can cause the body to lose water, making proper hydration even more difficult to attain.
Severe dehydration can affect blood pressure, circulation, digestion and kidney function.
But on a daily basis, not getting enough water can cause fatigue, dry skin, headaches and constipation. The survey of more than 2,800 people living in 14 US cities was conducted by an independent research group for the International Bottled Water Association. One of these THMs is chloroform, a suspected cancer-causing agent. At low levels, reduced birth weight and premature birth, delayed mental and physical development, and impaired mental abilities in children in general, may result. At high levels of exposure, anemia, kidney damage, and mental retardation can occur.