In the women’s press, on television and on social media, celebrities from the world of fitness, nutritionists and doctors are urging people to drink more water. The question is, how many liters should you drink? Is it even possible to overdose your water intake?
Hypotonic conductance, as a water overdose is called, can occur when you give your body so much liquid that your kidneys can’t cope. Although the problem of hypotonic conductance mainly affects athletes, there are also documented cases of other people who have overdosed their water intake.
One of them is a woman from the US who participated in a competition to consume as much water as possible. Unfortunately, as a result of a water-electrolyte imbalance and the inability of the kidneys to filter the fluids, the US resident died. The same was true for a 40-year-old British woman whose water overdose led to brain swelling. The woman consumed four liters of water in nearly two hours.
What are the first symptoms of an overdose?
The most common are weakness and nausea, which can lead to vomiting. The body will want to get rid of excess fluid from the body. Other symptoms include anorexia, seizures, anuria or scanty urine, as well as a slowing heart rate, muscle spasms, and uneven pupils. If you notice similar symptoms in yourself, see a doctor immediately, because procrastination can lead to damage to the central nervous system, acidosis, coma, and ultimately death.
Fluid intake is important for the functioning of the body, but as with everything, it should be done in moderation and with common sense. Women need about 2-2.7 liters of water per day, while men need 3-3.7 liters.
Main photo: Daria Shevtsova
