Drinking too much can be harmful: these are the symptoms of water poisoning – Panorama

What if we drink too much water? Every cell in the body needs water to function properly. However, drinking too much can cause water poisoning and serious health consequences.

Symptoms of water poisoning range from confusion and disorientation to nausea and vomiting. In rare cases, water poisoning can cause the brain to swell and be fatal. Endurance athletes such as marathon runners in competitions or in extreme training situations are particularly vulnerable.

Too much water can dilute electrolytes in the blood

Drinking too much water in a short time increases the amount of water in the blood. This can thin the electrolytes, especially sodium, in the blood. Sodium helps maintain fluid balance inside and outside the cells. When sodium levels drop due to excessive water consumption, fluids move from the outside to the inside of the cells, causing them to swell. When this happens to brain cells it can be dangerous and even life threatening.

From this amount it becomes dangerous

But from what amount of water does it become dangerous? According to studies, it is not about the total amount, but about the time in which the water is absorbed. The kidneys can excrete 0.8 to 1.0 liters per hour. Drinking more can be harmful. But that shouldn’t prevent us from drinking enough regularly throughout the day.

–