Water is extremely important to the human body because, in addition to being present in large amounts in all cells of the body, representing about 60% of body weight, it is also essential for the proper functioning of all metabolism.
Although lack of water, called dehydration, is more common and causes several health problems, such as severe headaches and even slow heartbeats, excess water can also harm health, especially by diluting the amount of sodium present. in the body, generating a situation known as hyponatremia.
- Excess water in the body can occur in people who drink more than a liter of water per hour.
- But it is also common in high-intensity athletes who end up drinking a lot of water during training.
- But without replenishing the amount of minerals lost.
The presence of excess water in the body is called “water poisoning” and occurs when the volume of water in the body is very large, causing a dilution of the available sodium in the body. When this happens and the amount of sodium is less than 135 mEq per liter of blood, the person finally develops hyponatremia.
The lower the amount of sodium per liter of blood, the more severe hyponatremia, the greater the risk of affecting brain function and even permanent damage to brain tissue. This is mainly due to inflammation of the brain, which pushes brain cells against the bones of the skull, which can cause brain damage.
Excess water can be even more problematic in people with heart or kidney disease, as a sodium imbalance can affect heart function and excess water can affect kidney function.
When you drink excess water and begin to develop hyponatremia, neurological symptoms such as:
If hyponatremia is severe, sodium values below 120 mEq per liter of blood, even more severe signs may appear, such as lack of strength, double vision, breathing difficulties, seizures, coma and even death.
If you suspect excessive water consumption or an image of “water poisoning,” it is very important to go to the hospital to start appropriate treatment, which is usually done with serum in the vein to replenish the amounts of minerals in the body, especially sodium.
Eating a small salty snack can help relieve some of the symptoms, such as headaches or nausea, but it is always recommended to consult a doctor to assess the need for more specialized treatment.
The amount of water recommended per day varies depending on each person’s age, weight and even fitness. However, it is ideal to avoid consuming more than one liter of water per hour, as this appears to be the maximum capacity of the kidney to remove excess water.
See better the recommended daily amount of water by weight.