All healthcare providers and educators insist on the importance of drinking plenty of water for hydration, proper digestion and healthy functioning of the body. Most people do not take enough water, but it can also put your health at risk if you drink too much. Isolated cases of over-hydration and water intoxication usually occur when someone takes a lot of water within a short period.
Institute of Medicine recommends that men should take 3.7 liters of water a day and 2.7 liters for women. Other people still follow cheap evidence-based practice writing help the rule of drinking eight 8-ounce glasses a day which is helpful but more arbitrary than research-based. The ideal measure depends on body weight, climate and physical activity. You can maintain proper hydration levels if you drink water each time you feel thirsty.
The kidney can eliminate 20-28 liters of water in a day (5.3-7.4 gallons) but cannot rid more than 0.8-1.0 liters per hour. You should not take more than a liter of water an hour, or it might cause overhydration.
Dangers of Overhydration and Water Intoxication
- Hyponatremia
Hyponatremia is a disease that occurs when sodium in the blood reduces to insufficient levels (135mm / liter) causing swelling in the cells. Too much water in the body decreases the sodium levels in the blood and curtails online evidence-based practice writing help electrolytes from sending any signals to cells. Vomiting, nausea, headache, disorientation, fatigue and excessive urination are symptoms of hyponatremia.
- Damage to Glomeruli
Glomeruli are the capillary beds in the kidneys that filter the excess water from our bodies. Drinking too much water can damage this system to cause a health hazard as the kidneys will overwork beyond their filtering capacity (1000ml per hour) to process additional water.
- Brain Edema
Edema refers to swelling of the brain cells. Most body sections have room for cells to stretch but the skulls have flat bones that only leave a small space for brain cells. If you take excess water, it causes the brain cells to swell if it seeps into the brain. Edema causes severe conditions including a brainstem hernia, coma and respiratory attacks.
- Overworks the heart
The heart pumps blood to all body parts. Excess water increases the blood volume to cause unnecessary pressure to the heart and blood vessels. Over hydration in some cases causes seizures.
- Depletes potassium
Potassium is a vital nutrient for the body, and it should drop beyond certain levels. Excess water can sometimes reduce the concentration of potassium to cause problems like irritation, leg and chest pain.
- Liver problems
Drinking excess water overburdens the liver if it has too much iron. Iron overload might not be detrimental in one instance but has a potential to damage the liver if it happened frequently.
- Increases risks of chlorine intake
Most water purification plants treat water with chlorine. An overdose of chlorine through water causes diseases like organ dysfunction or cancer. Drinking water even the bottled products put you at the risk of chlorine side effects.
- Stomach irritation
Drinking water can cause an electrolyte imbalance leading to stomach irritation. It is also a symptom of hyponatremia at its preliminary stage.
You should eliminate the risk of drinking excess water by taking it to quench your thirst but not to match what other people consume. You should visit a doctor if you experience symptoms of water intoxication instead of a sudden reduction of water intake because it might harm the kidneys.
