荷兰科学家最新公布的一项研究结果显示，对于那些身体健康的老年人来说，每天增加大约1升的液体摄入量不会对其身体产生任何负面影响。

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

    据路透社4月6日报道，荷兰马斯特里赫特大学的马克？斯皮格特博士及其同事在《美国老年病学协会杂志》上撰文指出，那些年纪较大的人经常会出现身体脱水的现象，

    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对于口渴的感觉可能已经变得十分迟钝了。但是，老年人也很容易处于体内含水量超标的状态，因为他们的肾脏的工作效率已经趋于下降。

    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.

    过多的水分存留在人体内会使身体里的钠被大量稀释，而这可能会引发非常严重的后果。

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

    研究人员对141名年龄在55岁到75岁之间的身体健康的老年人进行了一项研究，这些人被随机分为两部分，

    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.

    其中一组被建议每天比平时多喝1.5升水，而另一组则每天都会喝上一匙实为糖浆的无效对照剂。

    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个月后，那些多喝水的人已经能够将其每天的液体摄入量平均提高了大约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.

    这两组接受测试者在血压、体内钠含量以及肾脏过滤速度方面均未出现明显差异。这些研究人员因此得出最终结论，认为老年人每天增加液体摄入量不会对他们的身体产生任何负面影响。

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

    斯皮格特总结说："那种担心多喝水会对身体健康造成损害的想法看上去似乎是毫无道理的。"

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

    但他同时表示："这一研究结果并不意味着一个人可以敞开肚皮无节制地喝水。过量饮水，比如每天喝了10升都不止，那就一定是对身体有百害而无一利了。"

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