荷蘭科學家最新公布的一項研究結果顯示，對于那些身體健康的老年人來說，每天增加大約1升的液體攝入量不會對其身體產生任何負面影響。

    Increasing fluid intake by about a liter per day appears to have no negative effects in healthy older men, Dutch researchers report.

    據路透社4月6日報道，荷蘭馬斯特里赫特大學的馬克？斯皮格特博士及其同事在《美國老年病學協會雜志》上撰文指出，那些年紀較大的人經常會出現身體脫水的現象，

    Dr. Mark G. Spigt of Maastricht University and colleagues note in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society that older people are often dehydrated,

    其中部分原因在于其自身對于口渴的感覺可能已經變得十分遲鈍了。但是，老年人也很容易處于體內含水量超標的狀態，因為他們的腎臟的工作效率已經趨于下降。

    partly because their sensation of thirst may be blunted. On the other hand, the elderly can easily become overly hydrated, because their kidneys tend to work less efficiently.

    過多的水分存留在人體內會使身體里的鈉被大量稀釋，而這可能會引發非常嚴重的后果。

    Retaining excess water can dilute the level of sodium in the body, which can have serious consequences.

    研究人員對141名年齡在55歲到75歲之間的身體健康的老年人進行了一項研究，這些人被隨機分為兩部分，

    To investigate the general effects of increased fluid intake, the researchers examined data from a study involving 141 healthy men aged 55 to 75 years.

    其中一組被建議每天比平時多喝1.5升水，而另一組則每天都會喝上一匙實為糖漿的無效對照劑。

    In random order they were either advised to increase their water intake by a liter and a half per day, or were given a spoonful of a placebo syrup per day.

    6個月后，那些多喝水的人已經能夠將其每天的液體攝入量平均提高了大約1升。

    After 6 months, the men urged to drink more water had managed to boost their daily fluid intake by an average of about a liter per day.

    這兩組接受測試者在血壓、體內鈉含量以及腎臟過濾速度方面均未出現明顯差異。這些研究人員因此得出最終結論，認為老年人每天增加液體攝入量不會對他們的身體產生任何負面影響。

    There were no significant differences between the two group in blood pressure, sodium level or the filtration rate of the their kidneys.

    斯皮格特總結說："那種擔心多喝水會對身體健康造成損害的想法看上去似乎是毫無道理的。"

    Summing up, Spigt added, "It seems unreasonable to worry about the harmful effects of drinking extra water."

    但他同時表示："這一研究結果并不意味著一個人可以敞開肚皮無節制地喝水。過量飲水，比如每天喝了10升都不止，那就一定是對身體有百害而無一利了。"

    However, he warned, "This does not mean that one cannot drink too much. Excessive intakes of water -- more than 10 liters -- can be harmful."