When it’s hot outside, people tend to reach for the water. But too much of a good thing can be a problem. It’s called water intoxication, and it’s making news. Recently, a young woman died from drinking too much water in a short amount of time, and a young boy was hospitalized after doing the same thing.
“Water intoxication comes from drinking too much water,” said Elizabeth Clay, a nurse practitioner with OSF HealthCare, “and it can lead to some severe symptoms, including a headache, disorientation, confusion, nausea, vomiting – it can even be fatal.”
Other serious symptoms include muscle weakness, increased blood pressure, and double vision.
“The amount of water a person should consume is going to be individualized,” Clay remarked. “But overall, your kidneys can only handle so much, and that’s between 0.8 and one liter. So, you really don’t want to be taking in more water than that per hour.”
Water intoxication can affect anyone, but it’s a problem especially common in people who participate in sporting events, military training, or working outside.
“Dehydration can play a major role in water intoxication because when a person feels they’re getting dehydrated, they may try to overcompensate and may drink too much water at one time, while your body can’t handle that,” she said. “You’ll start to get these symptoms whether it’s nausea, vomiting, confusion – just disruption of your brain activity – and that comes from depletion of sodium. Your cells inside your brain are holding on to that water, and it causes swelling inside your brain, which can lead to some serious complications.”
Clay suggests taking frequent swallows throughout the day rather than chugging a bottle of water at once. Also, eat a healthy diet to get the needed electrolytes and don’t drink just water. Sports drinks like Powerade and Gatorade, as well as coconut water and cow’s milk are full of electrolytes.
There are no guidelines as to how much water a person needs each day. Some people still follow the 8×8 rule, which recommends drinking eight, eight-ounce glasses of water a day. Still, it depends on certain factors like body weight, the amount of physical activity you get, and the climate where you live.
“If you can, stay indoors and out of the sun during this hot weather,” Clay noted. “But if you must be outside – if you’ve got training or some sort of physical activity maybe your job or work requires – you want to make sure you’re getting those electrolytes and the water you need. Just don’t overdo it.”
If you begin to experience symptoms after drinking too much water, call 9-1-1 immediately.