How Much Water Should You Drink to Support Healthy Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is influenced by many factors - diet, activity, stress, genetics, and medication among them - but hydration plays a supporting role that's easy to overlook.

When the body is dehydrated, blood volume drops and blood can become more concentrated, which can make the heart work harder to circulate it. Staying adequately hydrated helps maintain normal blood volume and supports the heart and blood vessels in functioning efficiently.

General guidance suggests most adults aim for roughly 8-10 cups (about 2-2.5 litres) of fluids a day, adjusted for body size, activity level, climate, and any medical conditions that affect fluid intake - some heart, kidney, and liver conditions require restricted fluid intake, so check with your doctor if this applies to you.

Fluid intake doesn't have to come only from plain water - water-rich foods like cucumber, watermelon, and citrus fruits, along with other beverages, all count toward daily hydration.

It's worth being clear: hydration supports healthy blood pressure, it doesn't treat hypertension on its own. If you have high blood pressure, hydration is a reasonable complement to - not a replacement for - the diet, exercise, and medical guidance your healthcare provider recommends.