Water-the miracle drug-Disputed!

Water: The Miracle Drug-Disputed!

Summary of Rumor: This email simply lists some hard-to-believe facts about water such as 75% of Americans being chronically dehydrated, water helping back and joint pain, dehydration contributing to memory problems, and water consumption reducing the risk of cancer.

The Truth: While TruthOrFiction.com cannot vouch for the accuracy of all of the sources of these statements, they have not been plucked out of thin air. This popularly circulated email about water sounds exaggerated and without foundation, but it is actually a summary of a magazine article that appeared in WOMEN'S WORLD magazine in July of 2000. Some of the article is based on the work of Dr. Feyedoon Batmanghelidj. Dr. Batmanghelidj is a London-educated physician who was a political prisoner in Iran in 1979 and whose job was to provide medical care for the thousands of prisoners who were awaiting trial or, in some cases, execution. It was there that he collected more than 3,000 case histories of people who he feels were remarkably helped by drinking increased amounts of water and whose variety of ailments he felt were related to dehydration. He is the author of a book titled Your Body's Many Cries for Water. The WOMEN'S WORLD article also draws upon research from the University of Utah, Connecticut, cardiologist Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., author of Optimum Health, the University of Washington, Baylor College of Medicine, and others. The cancer statistics are from Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and British researchers.

A real example of the story as it has been circulated:
WATER - We all know that water is important, but I've never seen it written down like this before. a. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half world pop.) b. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger. c. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%. d. One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a U-Washington study. e. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue. f. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers. g. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page. h. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.