Drinking too much water can be bad for your health: Science
Digital Reporter
Tuesday, August 14, 2018, 1:13 PM - It's important to stay hydrated -- we all know that. But did you know that drinking too much water can be bad for your health?
In a recent interview with Accuweather, Dr. Matthew McElroy says the medical community started talking about "overhydration" in the early 2000s.
Drinking too much water can dilute the sodium in your blood -- and that can be a problem, because sodium count is a critical component of muscle and brain function.
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If sodium levels in your blood get too low, your kidneys can become overwhelmed and lead to a condition called hyponatremia, which could lead to life-threatening complications.
“The primary issue of having too much water is you drown in your own water a little bit, it dilutes your sodium in your blood and your biggest risk is that it can cause a change in the way your brain works,” Dr. McElroy told Accuweather.
So how much should you drink?
The Centre for Disease Control recommends a daily water intake of 3 to 4 litres per day total. That's from drinking water and eating food.
When performing a taxing physical activity or spending time in the summer sun, it's recommended you drink 4 to 6 ounces every twenty minutes.
Hyponatremia occurs more frequently in females and the condition is most common, overall, in endurance athletes.
The body loses sodium when people sweat, so doctors recommend topping up sodium levels before an endurance event to mitigate the risk of developing hypnoatremia.
