If you are experiencing excessive thirst, tell your doctor right away, as this may be a symptom of another serious health issue. Schedule an appointment. Contact Medical Records. Attend a class or event. Shop online. Browse the Health Library.
Talk to a nurse. If you consume too much water, there may not be enough of these electrolytes in your body to keep it functioning properly. Keep in mind that while some of the symptoms listed below could be attributed to overhydration, they could also be the result of other medical conditions or issues.
When in doubt, consult with your doctor. Some experts believe that many people meet their daily water needs by simply letting their thirst tell them when to drink. So if you're chugging water even when you're not thirsty, you could be drinking more than your body needs.
Though it's important to increase your water intake if you're engaging in strenuous physical activity or outside in hot weather, allow your natural thirst to be your guide in most situations. You might know that dark-colored urine can be a sign of dehydration, but that doesn't mean you should aim to produce urine that's clear.
According to Healthline, pale-yellow urine that looks like lemonade indicates a healthy level of hydration. Colorless urine, on the other hand, might mean you are overhydrated and need to reduce your water intake. According to WebMD , drinking too much water can cause the sodium levels in your blood to drop, which can lead to headaches and nausea. Most people urinate six or seven times every 24 hours , according to Medical News Today.
In severe cases, water intoxication can cause seizures, brain damage, a coma , and even death. Bottom line : Drinking too much water can increase the pressure inside the skull. This can cause various symptoms and, in severe cases, become fatal. Water intoxication is rare, and it is very difficult to consume too much water by accident. However, it can happen — there have been numerous medical reports of death due to excessive water intake.
Water intoxication most commonly affects people participating in sporting events or endurance training, or people who have various mental health conditions.
Water intoxication is particularly common among endurance athletes. It can happen if a person drinks a lot of water without correctly accounting for electrolyte losses. Instances of water intoxication at these events have resulted in death. One case involved a runner who had collapsed after a marathon.
The runner then developed water on the brain, known as hydrocephalus , and a hernia in his brain stem, which caused his death. One medical report described 17 soldiers who developed hyponatremia after drinking too much water during training.
According to another report , three soldiers died due to hyponatremia and cerebral edema. These deaths were associated with drinking more than 5 liters of water in just a few hours. The symptoms of hyponatremia can be misinterpreted as those of dehydration.
According to one report , a soldier who received an incorrect diagnosis of dehydration and heat stroke died from water intoxication as a result of rehydration efforts. Compulsive water drinking, also called psychogenic polydipsia , can be a symptom of various mental health conditions. It is most common among people with schizophrenia , but it can also arise in people with affective disorders, psychosis, and personality disorders.
Bottom line : Water intoxication can be life threatening, and it is most common among soldiers in training, endurance athletes, and people with schizophrenia.
It is difficult to consume too much water by accident. However, it can happen, and there have been numerous reports of death due to excess water intake. People at risk of death from water intoxication tend to be participating in endurance sporting events or military training.
A person who is doing neither is unlikely to die from drinking too much water. This can cause more severe symptoms, such as:. Your doctor will ask about your medical history to find out if your symptoms are caused by overhydration or another condition. The doctor will also perform a physical examination , and they may order blood and urine tests. Treatments may include:. Endurance athletes can reduce the risk of overhydration by weighing themselves before and after a race. This helps determine how much water they have lost and need to replenish.
It is recommended to drink 16 to 20 ounces of fluid for every pound lost. While exercising, try to drink 2 to 4 cups of fluid per hour. If exercising longer than an hour, sports beverages are also an option. These drinks contain sugar, along with electrolytes such as sodium and potassium , which you lose in sweat.
Let thirst also guide you when exercising. Shop for sports beverages. If you have a medical condition such as diabetes, CHF, or kidney disease, talk to your doctor about the best treatments.
This could be a sign of a medical problem that needs to be treated. Low blood sodium, or hyponatremia, occurs when water and sodium are out of balance in your body.
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