What Happens If you Drink Too Much Water

sidra_naz · September 14, 2021, 3:53pm

What happens if you drink too much water? If you drink too much water you can’t get rid of surplus water since your kidneys can’t handle it. Your blood’s sodium content is diluted. Hyponatremia is the medical term for this condition, which can be life-threatening.

drink too much water

What to do if you drink too much water?

Without water, life would be impossible. But only under the correct conditions. Water can be just as hazardous as any toxin if you let it get into your system. It’s possible that drinking too much water can have harmful effects on your health.

In your bloodstream, your kidneys remove waste and water that is too much for your body to handle. Nevertheless, they can only process 800 to 1,000 milliliters of water each hour. A person who drinks more than that without vomiting can get in trouble. For the simple reason that you’re consuming more fluid than your kidneys can handle. As a result, the surplus is stored in your cells.
There are microscopic holes in the cell membrane that allow sodium and water to flow into the cell and out of the cell, keeping sodium concentrations in and out of the cell balanced.
Too much water dilutes the salt solution and it’s no longer as effective as it once was. It’s too salty for my taste. To restore equilibrium, part of the excess water rushes into the cell and causes it to swell.
As water intoxication, the condition is serious. Even though soft, flexible tissue such as fat and muscle can stretch, most of your cells can tolerate the swelling.
As a result of their inability to effectively handle water, those with certain kidney conditions are also at risk.

Summary

Fortunately, there’s a simple technique to be safe that anyone can do. About 3 to 4 liters of water per day is needed by the average adult who is in good health. You should only drink when you’re thirsty because this can also come from food and other drinks.

Overhydration

Symptoms of Drinking too much Water

Overhydration symptoms can resemble those of dehydration. Too much water in your body means that your kidneys are unable to remove it. Eventually, it builds up in the body, causing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. All-day long, I had throbbing headaches.

Drinking too much Water is Impossible

We are often reminded by dietitians that drinking adequate amounts of water is essential for our bodies to function effectively and efficiently. But only if you don’t consume too much of it. Overhydration is just as harmful as dehydration, which is why most people watch for signs of dehydration.

A low sodium level in your bloodstream can cause water intoxication, also known as hyponatremia, which causes the inside of your cells to flood. Toxic water poisoning can cause significant health issues such as convulsions and coma.

Having a Water Bottle

You may be drinking too much water if you carry your water bottle around all day and refill it as soon as it runs out. As a result of constantly adding water to your body, your blood sodium levels may drop, causing the entire body to expand.

When your brain begins to enlarge, says Tamara Hew-Butler, Ph.D., a professor of exercise science at Oakland University in Rochester, MI, this can be very problematic. Dr. Hew-Butler says your brain can only enlarge by 8 to 10% before it pulls your brain stem out of the skull.

Despite not being Thirsty, you Sip Water

You can tell if your body genuinely needs extra water by noticing whether or not you feel thirsty at the moment or not. We’ve always lived in fear of scarcity, so our systems are programmed to battle dehydration, adds Hew-Butler.

Every animal has thirst as one of these mechanisms. We all have a thirst meter that tells us when we need more. In other words, “the more you drink, the thirstier you become.” Listed below are some surprising reasons why you’re always thirsty.

Drink Water until Urine is Clear

While drinking a healthy amount of water, your urine should be straw-colored to translucent yellow. If your ■■■ is completely colorless, you may be drinking too much water and aren’t getting enough nutrients. If your urine is completely colorless, you may be consuming too much water.

As a general guideline, eight to 10 glasses of drinking water daily seems to be the norm for the majority of us. According to the individual’s body size, weight, and exercise routines, this recommendation can vary widely. Here’s what your body looks like when you drink enough water.

You’re feeling Drained or Worn Out

As you drink water, your kidneys filter it and ensure that the fluid levels in your bloodstream remain balanced. An over-watered body stresses and fatigues its kidneys because of the extra effort they have to do to deal with excess water.

Adding unneeded stress to your kidneys may be the cause of your inability to get out of bed when you’re continually drinking water.

Swell the Lips and Hands

When hyponatremia is present, the hands, lips, and feet may enlarge or become discolored. All of your body’s cells will begin to swell, which will cause your skin to swell as well. Some people may gain weight abruptly if they consume too much fluid due to edema and excessive water in the bloodstream.

Reduce your daily water intake if you’re experiencing edema or discoloration in your hands, lips, or feet after consuming more than 10 cups of water per day.

Summary

As a result of excessive hydration in the body, electrolyte imbalances can occur, which can range from slightly unpleasant to life-threatening.

How Much Water Should you Drink a Day?

Breathing, perspiration, urine, and bowel motions are among the ways you lose water during the day. You must replace your body’s water supply by drinking water-containing beverages and eating water-containing foods.

For the average healthy adult living in a temperate region, how much fluid is required to maintain good health? Science, Engineering, and Medicine of the United States National Academies determined that a sufficient daily fluid consumption is:

15.5 cups of fluids per day are the recommended amount for men.
It is recommended that women drink 11.5 cups of fluid every day.

All fluids, including water, other beverages, and meals, are included. About 20 percent of daily fluid intake comes from meals, while the remainder comes from drinks, according to the American Dietetic Association (ADA).

excessive water harmful

How Much Water is enough for you?

Drinking eight glasses of water a day is something you’ve been told about in the past. Simple to remember, and a sensible objective to aim for.

As long as you drink water and other drinks anytime you feel thirsty, you should be fine. Fewer than eight glasses of wine a day may be plenty for some. Others, on the other hand, may require more.

According to a variety of conditions, you may need to adjust your overall fluid consumption.

Important Factors	Explain
Exercise	To compensate for the fluid loss, you should drink more water whenever you engage in any activity that makes you sweat. Before, during, and after an exercise, it’s crucial to drink plenty of water.
Environment	Whether that is hot or humid can cause you to perspire, which means you need more fluids. High heights can also cause dehydration.
Overall Health	When you have a fever, vomit, or diarrhea, your body loses fluids as a result. More water or ■■■■ rehydration solutions may be prescribed by your doctor. Bladder infections and urinary tract stones are two more illnesses that may demand greater fluid consumption.
Pregnancy	If you’re pregnant or nursing, you may need to drink more fluids to stay hydrated, so be sure to drink plenty of water.

Disadvantages of Drinking too much Water

Consider the dangers of drinking more water than your body requires. Check out our list of the 108 Most Popular Sodas Ranked by How Toxic They Are to learn more about the 108 Most Popular Sodas.

Imbalance Electrolyte

To keep your kidneys and heart in good working order electrolytes (such as potassium, sodium, and magnesium) are essential to your body’s health. These critical functions become dysregulated if you drink too much water.

Swelling

As a result of drinking too much water, the body’s cells may enlarge and retain fluid as the sodium levels drop.

Bladder Issue

The symptoms of the Overactive Bladder (OAB) might be exacerbated by excessive fluid intake. OAB might affect your bladder even if you do not have it.

As Hew-Butler points out, “drinking out of boredom demands more muscular effort than drinking out of thirst”. Persistent overdrinking (polydipsia) generates chronic peeing (polyuria), which can lead to internal plumbing alterations, such as bladder distention, according to the researchers.

Kidney Problem

Healthy kidneys are nimble organs capable of adjusting the quantity of water they instruct your body to keep or excrete—but they can become overburdened with too much water.

Your kidneys can’t get rid of excess water when you drink too much, according to Mayo Clinic. Your blood sodium content is once again diluted, and a chain reaction of bodily malfunction develops.

Death

Coronary heart failure and ■■■■■ failure can be lethal in extreme cases of cerebral edema (brain swelling). Even while deaths from water-drinking contests, over-rehydration after sports, and military training conditions are extremely rare, they have occurred.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some faqs related to drinking over excessive water:

1. In how many gallons of water, a day is too much?

If you drink 3 liters (100 ounces) of water a day, your body’s electrolyte balance may be upset, resulting in a condition known as hyponatremia.

2. If I drink too much water, how will I know?

Some of the most common symptoms of water consumption include confusion and disorientation as well as nausea and vomitiosis. This can lead to brain enlargement and death in rare instances.

3. What are the risks of drinking too much water?

It is also possible to overdo it with water. Water intoxication can result from excessive hydration. If your body’s salt and electrolyte levels are too diluted, you’ll get dehydration.

4. A much of water at once, what happens?

Drinking too much water can be harmful, and in extreme circumstances, it can be fatal. The salt balance in your blood can be thrown off if you drink more water than your kidneys can manage, according to a new study. As a result of water intoxication, comas and even death have been reported in extreme circumstances.

5. Is it better to drink water slowly or in a gulp?

Drinking water at any certain time of the day is not recommended. It has been shown in certain research, however, that sipping rather than gulping is the preferred method of drinking. Our body’s mechanism of eliminating water is to blame. It’s a lesson you may have learned the hard way if you’ve ever tried to drink a full bottle of water at once.

6. Do you think drinking two liters of water a day is a healthy amount of water?

Drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, or roughly 2 liters or half a gallon, is recommended by health experts. 88 rule is a fairly simple concept to remember. Many people believe that you should drink water continuously throughout the day, even when you’re not thirsty, according to some experts.

7. Is it unhealthy for the kidneys to drink water at night?

They don’t matter to your kidneys since they filter so much blood every hour. It’s like having a few extra gallons on your battleship. The greatest time to drink water isn’t at night, so don’t do it.

8. When it comes to health, is drinking 5 Litres of water a day beneficial?

However, drinking more than 5 liters of water every day is dangerous. As a general rule, adults need between 1.5 and 2 liters of FLUID every day on average. Consider increasing your fluid intake to 3 or 3,5 liters per day if the weather is really hot and/or you engage in heavy exercise (depends on how much liquid you lose by sweating).

9. Does one gallon of water a day constitute a large amount of water?

The answer to this question is yes. Most people don’t have a daily water intake restriction, and a gallon of water per day isn’t detrimental. People with congestive heart failure or kidney illness in the last stages may need to limit their intake of water, however, because their bodies are unable to handle it properly.

10. Is there a reason why drinking water at night is not recommended?

There are several benefits to drinking water before bedtime, but drinking too close to bedtime might disrupt your sleep cycle and severely influence your heart health. During the day, you must drink enough water to avoid dehydration, and at night, you should avoid drinking too much water. Dark urine might be a symptom of dehydration.

Conclusion

When you drink too much water, you can become intoxicated by it. This is an uncommon condition that affects endurance athletes and military personnel. No clear rules exist for how much water should be consumed daily. Pour prevent drunkenness, some authorities recommend drinking no more than 0.80-1.0L of water each hour.