What Is Considered Too Much Water Intake? 2023
Water is required for the proper functioning of all body cells. Overhydration is an issue that occurs when you drink too much water. There is no one-size-fits-all formula for calculating how much water you should drink each day. The widely accepted advice of eight glasses each day is an excellent place to start. Based on your environment, exercise routine, overall health, and situations such as pregnancy or nursing, you should adapt your intake around this level.
When you have hyponatremia, your body’s water levels rise, causing your cells to enlarge. Hyponatremia symptoms include nausea, vomiting, headache, lethargy, confusion, and more serious ones, including seizures, coma, and even death.
How Much Water Do We Need?
There are no formal recommendations for how much water a person should drink per day. The appropriate amount varies depending on body weight, level of physical activity, weather, and whether or not they are breastfeeding.
Women aged 19â30 drink approximately 2.7 liters per day, whereas men of the same age drink approximately 3.7 liters per day. The 8-ounce rule, which encourages drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day, is still followed by some people. This, however, was not based on any research.
It is possible that relying on thirst will not work for everyone. Athletes, seniors, and pregnant women, for example, may require extra water throughout the day. Consider calories when estimating the appropriate amount. For example, a person who needs 2,000 calories per day should also drink 2,000 milliliters of water.
How Much Is Water Too Much?
Some people may get hyponatremia if they drink more water than their kidneys can flush. The kidneys can eliminate 27 to 34 ounces of water every hour or 676 to 947 ounces (20 to 28 liters) per day. However, more than that could put you in jeopardy.
What Happens When You Drink Too Much Water?
You may get water poisoning, intoxication, or a change in brain function if you consume too much water. This occurs when the cells (including brain cells) contain too much water, causing them to expand. The swelling of brain cells causes pressure in the brain. Confusion, sleepiness, and headaches are all possible side effects. In addition, if this pressure rises, problems such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and bradycardia may develop (Low Heart Rate).
The electrolyte sodium is the most affected by dehydration, resulting in hyponatremia. Sodium is an essential component in maintaining the balance of fluids in and out of cells. Fluids go within the cells when their levels drop due to a large amount of water in the body. As a result, the cells inflate, placing you in danger of seizures, coma, or even death.
Signs Youâre Drinking Too Much Water!
Never Leaving the House Without a Water Bottle
You may be drinking too much water if you carry your water bottle around all day and instantly refill it when it runs out. Regularly adding water to your body might produce low salt levels in your blood, causing your body’s cells to expand.
Throbbing Headaches All Through the Day
Both hydration and dehydration can cause headaches. When there is too much water in the body, the body’s salt levels drop, and the cells enlarge. They enlarge due to the swelling, and those in the brain press against the skull. This pressure generates a pounding headache and may cause brain damage and breathing difficulties.
You Lose the Urge to Urinate
Urination control is an acquired ability, so we “potty train” children from an early age. However, you can “untrain” that talent if you constantly overfill your bladder from drinking too much or holding your urine for too long. This can make it difficult to tell when you need to go to the bathroom or make you feel compelled to go even if you don’t.
The Color of Your Urine
Monitoring the color of your urine is one of the most significant ways to see if you’re getting enough water. Because of the pigment urochrome and the water level in your body, it usually ranges from pale yellow to tea-colored. So if your pee is frequently evident, you’ve had too much water in a short period.
Drinking-Water Even When Youâre Not Thirsty
A third strategy to avoid overhydration is to be mindful of when your body needs it. The body can help you avoid dehydration by signaling when you need to drink more water. Thirst is the body’s reaction to dehydration and should be used as a guideline.
Tiredness or Fatigue
When you drink too much water, your kidneys have to work extra hard to clear the excess. This triggers a hormonal response that makes you feel worried and exhausted. Your kidneys are overworking if you can’t get out of bed after drinking too much water.
Can It Be Fatal?
It’s impossible to drink too much water accidentally. However, mortality from excessive water consumption has been reported on multiple occasions. People at risk of drowning due to water intoxication are usually involved in endurance sports or military training. Drinking too much water is unlikely to kill someone who does neither.
Water makes up a significant body component essential for cell function and survival. When your body requires more water, it will notify you. Drinking too much alcohol might lead to fatal consequences. If you’re not sure how much water you should drink each day, the standard recommendation is eight glasses.
