WE NEED WATER TO LIVE HEALTHY BUT HOW MUCH WE HAVE TO CONSUME AS IT IS DANGEROUS TO HAVE EXCESSIVE WATER?

We re habituated to hear… “drink plenty of water” or “take more fluids” when it could be dangerous sometimes, doctors have warned. It is strange but true that in normal circumstances, attempt to consume large amount of water results Water Intoxication. This may lead to debilitating health problems such as seizures, coma, and even death.

Water Intoxication also known as Water Poisoning or Hyperhydration, is a potentially fetal disturbance in brain functions that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is pushed outside safe limits by Overhydration.

A 2005 study in the New England Journal Of Medicine found that close to one-sixth of Marathon runners develop some degree of Hyponatremia or dilution of the blood caused by drinking too much water. Hyponatremia, means “insufficient salt in the blood”, means having a blood sodium concentration below 135 millimoles per liter. Severe cases of Hyponatremia lead to headache, fatigue, nausea, vomitting, frequent urination and mental disorientation.

When water is excessive, kidneys can not flush it out fast enough and the blood becomes waterlogged. Every hour, a healthy kidney at rest can excrete 800 to 1000 milliliters per hour without experiencing a net gain in water and therefore a  person can drink water at a rate of 800 to 1000 milliliters per hour…. Verbalis, The Chairman of Medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center, explains.

If the person is sweating while exercising, “you should balance what you are drinking with what you are sweating”, Verbalis advises. But measuring sweat output is not easy. So, Verbalis advises, “drink to your thirst. It’s the best indicator.”

Fortunately, Water Intoxication remains rare and is most commonly seen in inexperienced athletes. A 28 years California Woman died after competing in a radio station’s on-air water drinking contest. After consuming some 6 liters of water in three hours in the “Hold Your Wee For A Wii” contest, Jennifer Strange vomited, went home with a splitting headache and died in 2007.

In 2005, there was another tragic example of death by water, a fraternity hazing at California State University, Chico, left a 21 years young man dead after he was forced to drink excessive water between rounds of push-ups in a cold basement. There are many more examples of death by drinking excessive water at a time in this world.

As a priority, water is needed for most of the chemical reactions that occur in the body. If helps to get rid of waste products and toxins in the urine, transports nutrients and oxygen around the body in the blood, acts as a lubricant for joints and eyes, control our body temperature and protects our nerves. Staying well dehydrated is linked with better weight control, protect us from major health problems like constipation, certain cancers, heart disease, gallstones and urinary tract infections.

So we have to be careful to consume sufficient water but not excessive water.