In one of the comments I received on one of my videos regarding the importance of drinking
water, I was asked to do a video on the effects of drinking too much water and how much we
should drink.
If this is of interest to you, then this video will help answer these questions.
With regards to how much water you should drink, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) suggests
the adequate water intake per day for men is 125 ounces (3.7 liters), while for women
it is 91 ounces (2.7 liters).
Before we begin, I'd just like to note it's often extreme levels of water consumption
that cause the effects mentioned, so a little over recommended amounts won't have the same
affect.
Now, what happens if you drink too much?
Let's take a look...
1.
Reduces Electrolytes - Electrolytes are minerals in your body that
have an electric charge and are in your blood, urine, tissues, and other body fluids
- Water can dilute the electrolytes in your blood, especially sodium and when sodium levels
fall below 135 mmol/L, it is called hyponatremia - When you lack the sufficient number of electrolytes,
it can:
Lose the balance of the amount of water in your body
Lose the balance your body's acid/base (pH) level
Stop moving nutrients into your cells Stop moving wastes out of your cells
and affect how nerves, muscles, the heart, and the brain work
2.
The Brain Swells - If Electrolytes are reduced, it can cause
the brain to swell, which can have some serious affects on your health and could be extremely
serious - When brain cells swell, pressure inside
the skull increases, which causes the first symptoms of water intoxication, also known
as water poisoning - The signs of this might be to have regular
headaches that won't go aware, to regularly feel nausea and a sense of unease, and in
many cases, vomiting - This is because liquid balance within brain
cells are abnormal, which causes the swelling to occur, which results in increased pressure,
thus causing these symptoms
3.
Increased Blood Pressure - Water Intoxication can be a cause for high
blood pressure, whereby the body is forced to work harder to pump blood around the body
- If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, the heart
and other organs, such as the brain, kidneys and eyes
- Having persistent high blood pressure can actually increase your risk of a number of
serious and potentially life-threatening health conditions
- These include, but are not limited to, heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, heart failure,
kidney disease and vascular dementia, all of which are extremely serious
4.
Confusion - If you factor in the effects already mentioned,
such as the effect on electrolytes and the effect on the brain in terms of swelling,
confusion is a natural cause of water intoxication - This is because as the pressure in the brain
increases, it's unable to perform as it normally would and therefore cognitive function will
reduce - It will naturally affect your ability to
think clearly, thus affecting your perception of the environment around you and the activity
you are trying to do - The adverse effects of water intoxication
is signficant and can cause you to have serious issues with how you're able to understand
and process information
5.
Muscle Weakness and Cramping - Water intoxication has a number of effects
on muscles and can cause some significant issues with weakness and cramping, as not
only are electrolytes fundamental to muscles performing at their best
- But one of the effects of water intoxication is that you can have difficulty in your breathing,
meaning oxygen intake is going to be less and thus impact your muscles, which need oxygen
- This can make you feel more fatigued and weak, but equally, just as when you're dehydrated,
it can also cause cramping and pain in your muscles
- Therefore, make sure you regulate how much water and fluids you drink, make sure it's
enough to keep you hydrated, without overcompensating and risking the effects of water intoxication
Were you aware of the effects of drinking too much water?
Let me know in the comments section below.
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