Excess Water – A serious health hazard

What if someone told you that water can be a type of poison? Shocking isn’t it! How can ‘Water’, the source of life on earth, be a health hazard! In the right circumstances, water can be as dangerous as poison.

• Kidney
  

We all know that the excess water in our body is filtered from our bloodstreams via our kidneys. However, there’s a limit to the amount of water they can process – 800-1000 mL/hour. In case you’re able to consume more than that, it can be problematic. It is so because you’re drinking faster than your kidneys can process.

• Cells
  

When your kidneys are unable to process the extra water it ends up in your cells. Normally, your cells are surrounded by a carefully balanced solution of sodium and water. This solution flows in & out of the cells through tiny holes in their cellular membrane, balancing the concentration. Drinking too much water can dilute this sodium solution and force your cells to absorb more water to restore balance. This causes them to swell up.


According to doctors, such scenarios are regarded as Water Intoxication, and it is a huge problem. Owing to the flexible tissues, most of the cells can handle the swelling to a degree. However, it's an entirely new story for brain cells. The skull isn’t stretchy, it is made up of bone (as hard as a rock). So, the more swollen brain cells become, the more pressure they put in your head.



During the early stage, one might experience heaviness, confusion or drowsiness. But, as the pressure increases, you risk brain damage, coma and even death. The lifesaver water can become life taker in less than 10hours.



Did You Know?

A 64years old woman died the same evening after drinking between 30-40 glasses of water? A few army trainers suffered from vomiting and seizures after drinking 2-3L of water within an hour, after a hard training day?



Because of this, Marathon runners need to be more careful about their water intake. A study found that one out of six marathon runners, develops mild water intoxication. It is because they stress their body including the kidneys. Hence, they don’t excrete water as efficiently, causing it to back up into cells easily.



Beer drinkers beware, as rapid intake might lead to a similar situation (Potomania). Good news is that severe water intoxication is rare. It is more likely to happen with people with kidney issues.



How to be safe?

An average healthy adult need to drink about 3-4 L of water a day. This amount includes the water in your food and other drinks also. Hence, drink water whenever you’re thirsty and then stop