Doctors explain the dangers of drinking too much water
Joe Yates
Featured Image Credit: Getty stock
You should take everything in moderation - and while that saying still rings true, a medical practice is warning people that dangers can arise from simply guzzling countless liters of water.
Of course, no one on Earth would advise anyone to drink that amount of water.
But what the doctors are really getting at is that when you're thirsty, there is a real danger that you could drink too much water.
According to our friends over at the Cleveland Clinic, 'water intoxication is a condition in which there’s too much water in your body', and it affects your body’s cells.
Severe cases of water intoxication can lead to patients falling into a coma and even dying, but as long as you know how to identify water intoxication and you're aware of it... you should be fine.
Advert
The professionals at the clinic explain the water intoxication symptoms you need to look out for, and they include: nausea and vomiting, bloated stomach, headache, drowsiness, muscle weakness, muscle pain, and muscle cramps.
But that's not the complete list; you should also be aware of changes to your mental status, including confusion, irritability and dizziness, and also swelling in your hands, feet, and belly.
But how do you actually know?
Well, the first thing to think about is how much water you've drunk - if, like I mentioned earlier, you've downed gallons of water, then it's best to either just check in with a doctor to see if you present any of the symptoms above.
That's the obvious thing, but if you're unsure, then you should take a look at the color of your wee - if it is clear or colorless, then you could be drinking too much water. If it is a dark orange color, then you're dehydrated, but if it is light yellow, then you're perfectly hydrated.
You should definitely stop drinking water if your wee is colorless, and you have water intoxication symptoms.
Of course, it varies from person to person, but it can develop if you drink around a gallon - roughly three to four liters - of water in the space of just a couple of hours.
The reason we pee is to remove the excess water in our bodies, which typically is around one to two liters... so, drinking double that is a danger.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, to prevent overhydration from developing, you must drink when you're thirsty and stop when you've quenched your thirst, so, don't keep going and force yourself to drink.
The experts at the non-profit academic medical center also just said to listen to your body.
It's as simple as that; as I mentioned earlier - take everything in moderation and you should be fine... although that isn't professional medical advice, just some wisdom from myself.