CLINICAL UPDATE CURRENT OPINION Impact of fluid intake in the prevention of urinary system diseases: a brief review

We are often told that we should be drinking more water, but the rationale for this remains unclear and no recommendations currently exist for a healthy fluid intake supported by rigorous scientific evidence. Crucially, the same lack of evidence precludes the claim that a high fluid intake has no clinical benefit. The aim of this study is to describe the mechanisms by which chronic low fluid intake may play a crucial role in the pathologies of four key diseases of the urinary system: urolithiasis, urinary tract infection, chronic kidney disease and bladder cancer. Although primary and secondary intervention studies evaluating the impact of fluid intake are lacking, published data from observational studies appears to suggest that chronic low fluid intake may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of these diseases.