- No products in the cart.
Can you drink too much water in one day? Can you drink too much water in one day?
23
Aug
We know we need it. Get lost in the desert for a day and you'll want to sell your soul to the devil for a glass of water.
Can we overindulge in water consumption? I mean, can you drink too much water in one day? The answer is yes. Even though water is life, too much can cause problems. Not just in an obvious way, like when Mother Nature conjures up floods or tsunamis. You can actually drink too much water. In extreme cases, drinking too much water can make someone sick. There are even records of some people who have died because they had drunk too much water.
Why drinking too much water can make you sick
First, we don't want to alarm anyone. It is unlikely that someone will lose their life from drinking excess water. Our bodies have different ways of telling us how much water we need. For example, drinking too much water can make us uncomfortable in many ways. Some research has shown that our swallowing reflex weakens once we have had enough to drink.
The swallowing reflex is triggered by the food bolus when it reaches the entrance to the oropharynx. It is involuntary and happens in seconds. It consists of the contraction of the pharyngeal muscles and those that project the tongue up and back.
Although the probability of dying from drinking too much water is very low, intoxication from drinking too much water can occur.
Reported cases of people who have died from drinking too much water have frequently involved people engaging in extreme resistance activities. This includes soldiers and athletes running marathons, for example.
People who participate in extreme activities are understandably anxious to avoid dehydration. Therefore, they can overshoot with their water consumption. Due to the symptoms of water intoxication are often similar to those of dehydration, well-meaning people have given poisoned victims more water, trying to make them feel better.
If water is vital to our survival, why drinking too much water can be harmful and life-threatening?
Water represents between half and two thirds of a person's weight. In body composition, water constitutes approximately 60% of our weight. Related Article: The water in body composition.
Turns out, it's all about sodium levels. Drinking too much water dilutes sodium levels in the blood. When it is a slight dilution, this can cause cramps, fatigue and mental confusion. When levels drop below 135 mmol / L, a condition called hyponatremia occurs.
Bad news! A hyponatremia diagnosis is definitely not a good thing. The condition causes fluids to move from the outside of the cells to the inside, causing the cells to swell. If the hyponatremia is severe, the person could experience brain swelling, seizures, coma, and death. In these cases, it can save someones life quickly to reach the emergency room where the nursing team or doctors will treat the hyponatremia with a simple solution of concentrated salt water. This can restore health.
How to avoid poisoning from drinking a lot of water?
If you do not exercise or have little physical activity a day, staying between two and three liters of daily water consumption is the recommended standard. As we mentioned earlier, hyponatremia induced by drinking too much water commonly affects people who perform feats of physical endurance. If you are in the military, live in the desert or a very hot place, or love endurance sports, water intoxication is something to be aware of. Otherwise, this should not be a cause for concern.
Stop drinking when your body tells you it has enough. Some early warning signs to consider in order to know if you are drinking more water than necessary:
● Urine color: this is probably the most important indicator. If your urine is very clear instead of pale yellow, it is a sign that you are overdoing it with water daily intake.
● Frequency to urinate: if you go to the bathroom to pee more than eight times a day it can also be a sign that you are ingesting more water than you need or of some other health condition. Consult your doctor.
● Muscle cramps more often than usual.
There is no need to be overly alarmed if you experience these three symptoms. However, you can visit your doctor and consider reducing your daily water consumption. Listen to your body, hydrate yourself and you shouldn't have any problems.
CONTINUE READING: Hydration in middle adulthood. 40 years old or more? You should care about this
We know we need it. Get lost in the desert for a day and you'll want to sell your soul to the devil for a glass of water.
Can we overindulge in water consumption? I mean, can you drink too much water in one day? The answer is yes. Even though water is life, too much can cause problems. Not just in an obvious way, like when Mother Nature conjures up floods or tsunamis. You can actually drink too much water. In extreme cases, drinking too much water can make someone sick. There are even records of some people who have died because they had drunk too much water.
Why drinking too much water can make you sick
First, we don't want to alarm anyone. It is unlikely that someone will lose their life from drinking excess water. Our bodies have different ways of telling us how much water we need. For example, drinking too much water can make us uncomfortable in many ways. Some research has shown that our swallowing reflex weakens once we have had enough to drink.
The swallowing reflex is triggered by the food bolus when it reaches the entrance to the oropharynx. It is involuntary and happens in seconds. It consists of the contraction of the pharyngeal muscles and those that project the tongue up and back.
Although the probability of dying from drinking too much water is very low, intoxication from drinking too much water can occur.
Reported cases of people who have died from drinking too much water have frequently involved people engaging in extreme resistance activities. This includes soldiers and athletes running marathons, for example.
People who participate in extreme activities are understandably anxious to avoid dehydration. Therefore, they can overshoot with their water consumption. Due to the symptoms of water intoxication are often similar to those of dehydration, well-meaning people have given poisoned victims more water, trying to make them feel better.
If water is vital to our survival, why drinking too much water can be harmful and life-threatening?
Water represents between half and two thirds of a person's weight. In body composition, water constitutes approximately 60% of our weight. Related Article: The water in body composition.
Turns out, it's all about sodium levels. Drinking too much water dilutes sodium levels in the blood. When it is a slight dilution, this can cause cramps, fatigue and mental confusion. When levels drop below 135 mmol / L, a condition called hyponatremia occurs.
Bad news! A hyponatremia diagnosis is definitely not a good thing. The condition causes fluids to move from the outside of the cells to the inside, causing the cells to swell. If the hyponatremia is severe, the person could experience brain swelling, seizures, coma, and death. In these cases, it can save someones life quickly to reach the emergency room where the nursing team or doctors will treat the hyponatremia with a simple solution of concentrated salt water. This can restore health.
How to avoid poisoning from drinking a lot of water?
If you do not exercise or have little physical activity a day, staying between two and three liters of daily water consumption is the recommended standard. As we mentioned earlier, hyponatremia induced by drinking too much water commonly affects people who perform feats of physical endurance. If you are in the military, live in the desert or a very hot place, or love endurance sports, water intoxication is something to be aware of. Otherwise, this should not be a cause for concern.
Stop drinking when your body tells you it has enough. Some early warning signs to consider in order to know if you are drinking more water than necessary:
● Urine color: this is probably the most important indicator. If your urine is very clear instead of pale yellow, it is a sign that you are overdoing it with water daily intake.
● Frequency to urinate: if you go to the bathroom to pee more than eight times a day it can also be a sign that you are ingesting more water than you need or of some other health condition. Consult your doctor.
● Muscle cramps more often than usual.
There is no need to be overly alarmed if you experience these three symptoms. However, you can visit your doctor and consider reducing your daily water consumption. Listen to your body, hydrate yourself and you shouldn't have any problems.
CONTINUE READING: Hydration in middle adulthood. 40 years old or more? You should care about this
