A recent study published in Nutrients aimed to clarify recommended fluid intake for older people.

In this critical review, literature search was conducted for published articles and guidelines on fluid intake recommendations until April 2020, using PUBMED, Scopus, Cochrane and Google Scholar. The review focused on people over 65 years old at different care levels.

It was noted that the mean fluid intake ranged from 311-2390 mL/day. The findings showed that most international recommendations do not account for the physiology of ageing or health problems associated with older populations. 

It was recommended to follow guidelines of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). ESPEN is the only guideline which takes into account patients’ age; it is also based on EFSA recommendations. Here, all fluids consumed (ranging from food to fluids) is taken into consideration. If it is known that around 20% of all fluids consumed come from food, the result would effectively be – 1.6 L/day for females and 2.0 L/day for males. 

In inference, it was stated that the results would inform professionals about the required fluid intake for the elderly, and could contribute in avoiding the consequences of dehydration.

Source: Nutrients. 2020, 12, 3383; doi:10.3390/nu12113383