What Happens If You Drink Too Much Water

Drinking enough water is key to staying healthy. But, can you drink too much? Yes, it’s possible to overhydrate, which can lead to an imbalance of electrolytes, especially sodium¹. This imbalance, known as water intoxication or hyponatremia, can cause serious symptoms and, in extreme cases, be dangerous.

Your body needs to keep a balance of water and electrolytes. The kidneys help manage this balance. Most people should pee six to eight times a day¹. Drinking too much water can overwhelm your kidneys, causing your body to hold onto water and dilute important electrolytes like sodium.

Drinking too much water can have serious effects. Some people have even had seizures or died from drinking too much during contests or intense activities¹². Though rare, these cases show the dangers of drinking too much water.

So, how much water should you drink each day? The National Academy of Medicine suggests about 15 cups for men and 11 cups for women². But, your needs can change based on how active you are, the weather, and your health.

Key Takeaways

• Overhydration happens when you drink more water than your body can handle, upsetting electrolyte balance.
• Water intoxication or hyponatremia can cause symptoms from mild to severe, including seizures and coma.
• The kidneys can only process about one liter of fluid per hour, making excessive drinking risky².
• The recommended daily fluid intake is 15 cups for men and 11 cups for women, including food and drink².
• How much water you need can change based on your activity level, climate, and health.

Understanding Overhydration

Drinking too much water can cause overhydration. Our bodies are made up of about 60% water³. This water is key for digestion, keeping our body temperature right, and moving nutrients around⁴. But, too much water can upset the balance of electrolytes, especially sodium levels.

When we drink more water than our body can handle, it’s called overhydration. Our kidneys can only process so much water at a time⁴. Drinking too much can lead to water poisoning. This can make our brain cells swell, causing headaches, drowsiness, and confusion.

Hyponatremia, or water intoxication, is a serious issue from drinking too much water³. It happens when our blood sodium levels drop too low. Symptoms include nausea, headaches, and even seizures⁴³.

Some people are more at risk for overhydration. Athletes, especially those in long sports, can easily overhydrate³. To stay safe, athletes should not drink more than 800-1000ml of water per hour. They should also drink 500-600ml 2-3 hours before exercise and 200-300ml every 10-20 minutes during⁴.

It’s important to remember that everyone needs different amounts of water. We should drink when we’re thirsty and think about how much we lose during activities³. Kids aged 4-8 need about 1.2 liters a day, and kids 9-13 need 1.8 liters. Adults should aim for 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 liters for women, including water from food and drinks⁴.

“Water is the driving force of all nature.” – Leonardo da Vinci

The Body’s Need for Water

Water is essential for our bodies, making up about 60 percent of our total composition⁵. It helps regulate our body temperature, carries nutrients, and removes waste. Drinking enough water is key to staying healthy and feeling good.

How Much Water Should You Drink Daily?

The amount of water we need changes based on our age, sex, and how active we are⁶. The U.S. National Academies suggest that men should drink about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids daily. Women should aim for about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids daily⁷.

While drinking eight glasses of water a day is a good rule, it’s not always right for everyone⁷. Drinking water and other fluids when you’re thirsty is usually enough. You can check if you’re drinking enough by looking at your urine. If it’s clear or light yellow, you’re likely hydrated⁷.

Factors Affecting Water Requirements

Several things can change how much water we need:

• Physical activity: Exercise makes us sweat more, so we lose more water and need to drink more.
• Environmental conditions: Hot weather, high humidity, and high altitudes make us lose more water through sweat and breathing.
• Overall health: Health issues like fever, vomiting, or diarrhea can cause fast fluid loss and dehydration, so we need to drink more.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Women in these situations need more water to support their baby’s growth and their own health.

Drinking too little water can cause dehydration, but drinking too much can also be dangerous⁷. Too much water can lead to hyponatremia, a condition where sodium levels in the blood drop too low. This can be serious. But for healthy adults, drinking water when thirsty and following daily intake guidelines is usually safe.

Signs and Symptoms of Drinking Too Much Water

Staying hydrated is key for health, but too much water can be bad. This is called overhydration. It happens when the body can’t handle all the water, causing symptoms that harm your health. Knowing these signs helps avoid the dangers of drinking too much water.

Clear, Frequent Urination

Clear, frequent urination is a clear sign of overhydration. Most people pee six or seven times a day⁸. If your pee is always clear, you might be drinking too much water⁸. Going to the bathroom a lot and peeing a lot of clear urine means it’s time to cut back on water.

Nausea and Vomiting

Drinking too much water can lower sodium levels, causing headaches and nausea⁸. Too much water can upset the body’s electrolyte balance, making you feel sick and even vomit. If you get these symptoms after drinking a lot of water, you should see a doctor and drink less water to fix your electrolyte levels.

Headaches and Confusion

Too much water can make your brain swell, causing headaches and confusion⁸. Feeling confused or disoriented can mean you have water intoxication or overhydration⁸. When sodium levels drop, your brain cells expand, causing pressure and headaches.

Muscle Cramps and Weakness

Overhydration can weaken muscles, causing spasms or cramps⁸. Electrolytes like sodium and potassium are key for muscle function. Without the right balance, muscles can become weak and crampy. Drinking too much water can also make you feel tired and weak due to electrolyte imbalance⁸.

Water toxicity is rare but can happen in certain situations like intense exercise without replacing lost electrolytes⁹. Symptoms include confusion, disorientation, and in severe cases, seizures or coma⁹.

Water Intoxication and Hyponatremia

Water intoxication, also known as hyponatremia, is a serious condition. It happens when you drink too much water and your sodium levels drop too low. Normal sodium levels are between 135 and 145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L)¹⁰. If sodium levels go below 135 mEq/L, it can cause serious problems.

Acute hyponatremia can lead to brain swelling, coma, and even death if not treated¹⁰. Women before menopause and older adults are more at risk. This is because of hormonal changes and age¹⁰. Some medicines, like thiazide diuretics and antidepressants, can also raise the risk of hyponatremia¹⁰.

In severe cases, water intoxication can cause seizures, muscle pain, and rhabdomyolysis¹¹. A 9-year-old girl almost died from drinking too much water as a penalty in a game¹¹. Her sodium levels dropped to 120 mmol/l, and she had restlessness and convulsions¹¹.

“Water intoxication can occur due to excessive water intake, overwhelming the kidneys’ ability to excrete water.”¹⁰

To treat water intoxication, doctors may limit fluid intake and give IV electrolyte solutions¹⁰. The 9-year-old girl got better after receiving saline infusion and other treatments¹¹.

To avoid water intoxication, it’s important to keep a balance between water and electrolytes. Thirst and urine color can help you know if you’re drinking enough water¹⁰. Athletes should watch their fluid intake to avoid hyponatremia¹⁰.

Health Conditions That Increase the Risk of Overhydration

Some chronic illnesses and medical conditions can mess with the body’s fluid balance. This can lead to water retention and sodium imbalances. These issues can be dangerous.

For example, congestive heart failure makes it hard for the heart to pump blood. This can cause fluid to build up in the body. The kidneys can only get rid of so much water at a time¹².

Kidney Disease

Kidney disease or injury can also mess with sodium and water levels. The kidneys help keep fluid balance by filtering waste and excess water. But when they’re not working right, it can lead to water retention¹³.

Liver Cirrhosis

Liver disease, like cirrhosis, can also cause fluid buildup. The liver helps regulate hormones and proteins that affect fluid balance. When it’s not working well, it can disrupt this balance.

SIADH and Addison’s Disease

Hormonal disorders like SIADH and Addison’s disease can also affect water and electrolyte balance. SIADH makes the body hold onto too much water. Addison’s disease can cause sodium loss and fluid imbalances. People with these conditions should be careful not to drink too much.

People with these conditions should talk to their doctors about how much water to drink. Drinking too much water can be harmful. It can dilute the body’s sodium and electrolytes, leading to serious problems¹³.

Medications and Drugs That Affect Water Balance

Many drugs can mess with our body’s water balance. They do this by changing how hormones work and how our kidneys handle sodium. Diuretics, for example, help get rid of extra water in the body. They are used for high blood pressure and heart failure. But, they can also cause dehydration by making us lose too much water¹⁴.

Some antidepressants and pain meds can also affect how much water we have. Lithium, used for bipolar disorder, can make us urinate more and lead to dehydration. Caffeine in some migraine meds can also make us lose water¹⁵.

Other drugs that can affect how hydrated we are include:

• Laxatives can cause dehydration because they make us go to the bathroom more¹⁵
• SGLT2 inhibitors for diabetes can pull water from our bodies, making our urine more diluted¹⁵
• Metformin, a diabetes drug, can cause dehydration, especially when we first start taking it¹⁵
• Apremilast for psoriasis can cause diarrhea, leading to dehydration¹⁵
• Chemotherapy drugs can make us vomit a lot, leading to dehydration¹⁵

Recreational drugs like ecstasy and amphetamines can also make us drink too much water. They can make us feel thirsty and hold onto water, leading to dangerous situations if we drink too much.

Over 700 drugs can cause diarrhea¹⁴. It’s important to know how these drugs can affect our water balance and hydration¹⁴. People like children, pregnant women, and the elderly are more at risk for dehydration¹⁴. Talking to our doctors about drug interactions and being careful with our water intake can help keep us hydrated while taking these medications.

Can You Drink Too Much Water and Gain Weight?

Drinking too much water doesn’t directly cause weight gain. Water is calorie-free and makes up about 60% of our body weight. It plays a key role in our body’s functions¹⁶. But, drinking too much water can cause temporary water retention and bloating. This might make you feel heavier or appear to gain weight.

Water weight can change by up to 5% daily, leading to a weight change of 1–5 pounds in a day¹⁷. Eating foods high in sodium can make your body hold onto water, causing weight changes¹⁶. The average American eats over 3,400 mg of sodium daily, more than the recommended 2,300 mg¹⁷.

Water Retention and Bloating

Several factors can lead to water retention and bloating, including:

• Hormonal changes, especially during the menstrual cycle in women, can affect water balance and lead to temporary weight gain¹⁶¹⁷.
• Eating too many carbohydrates, as the average American diet has more than the recommended 130 g per day¹⁷.
• Side effects of certain medications, like anti-inflammatories and oral contraceptives¹⁷.

To reduce water retention and bloating, try these strategies:

Drinking water during meals doesn’t cause weight gain because water has no calories¹⁶. While cutting down on water might temporarily reduce weight, it’s not a healthy or sustainable way to lose weight¹⁶. Scientific studies show that drinking water doesn’t directly lead to weight gain¹⁶.

In rare cases, too much fluid retention can be a sign of a serious health issue, like heart failure, and needs immediate medical attention¹⁷.

Overhydration in Infants and Children

Keeping infants and children hydrated is key, but too much water can be harmful. Infant hydration needs to be just right. Babies under 6 months should not have water, says the American Academy of Pediatrics¹⁸. Fully breastfed babies don’t need water until they start eating solids¹⁹.

Adding water to formula or breast milk can be dangerous. It can cause water poisoning in infants¹⁸. Too much water in early life can lead to serious problems like seizures and even death¹⁹. Formula-fed babies under 6 months should not have water to keep them healthy¹⁹.

Symptoms of Water Intoxication in Babies

It’s important to know the signs of water poisoning in babies. This ensures child safety. Look out for:

• Disorientation and confusion
• Loss of consciousness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Muscle weakness, spasms, or cramps
• Headaches²⁰

Mild cases of water poisoning can be treated by stopping water intake¹⁸. But, severe cases might need medical help, like an IV with saline solution²⁰.

Safe Water Intake for Infants and Children

Following guidelines for water intake is crucial for pediatric health. Babies over 6 months can have water in small amounts or with meals¹⁹. But, it’s hard for kids to tell if they’re thirsty or hungry²⁰.

Drinking for infants in the first year includes breast milk, infant formula, and water only¹⁹.

As kids grow and get more active, watching their hydration is important. Check their thirst, urine color, and sweat. Pale yellow urine means they’re hydrated²⁰. Young athletes might be at risk of too much water, leading to serious health issues²⁰.

Extreme Situations That Lead to Drinking Too Much Water

Staying hydrated is key for health, but some situations can lead to too much water intake. A healthy adult’s kidneys can handle 20 to 28 liters of water daily. They can only get rid of 0.8 to 1 liter per hour²¹. Drinking more water than the body can process can cause serious problems like seizures and coma²¹.

Water-Drinking Contests

Water-drinking contests are dangerous because they involve drinking a lot of water quickly. While death from too much water is rare, these contests can be risky¹. Drinking too much water fast can swell brain cells, causing headaches and drowsiness¹.

Intense Physical Activities and Endurance Sports

Marathons and other intense sports can also cause overhydration if athletes don’t replace lost electrolytes. Athletes, military, and some medical conditions are at higher risk²¹. During hard exercise, the body loses important electrolytes like sodium, which helps balance fluids. Sodium imbalance can lead to serious health issues, including death¹.

To avoid overhydration in sports, it’s important to watch how much you drink and replace lost electrolytes. The recommended water intake varies by age, sex, and activity level²¹. It’s best to tailor your hydration to your needs¹.

The table below shows the daily water intake for men and women aged 19-30:

It’s important to listen to your body’s thirst and check your urine color. Signs of too much water include confusion and seizures²¹. If you have these symptoms after exercise, get medical help right away²¹.

Recommended Daily Water Intake

Drinking enough water is key for staying healthy. The usual advice is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses a day. But, your needs can change based on your age, sex, how active you are, and where you live²². The U.S. National Academies suggest men drink about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) and women drink 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) daily²².

Remember, these amounts include water from food and drinks too. Adults usually get 20% of their water from food²². Things like your diet, the weather, how much you move, and your health can also affect how much water you need²².

When you’re active, drink half a cup to 2 cups of water every 15 to 20 minutes²³. Drinking enough water can boost your mood, focus, energy, brain work, and physical strength²². It can also help prevent problems like constipation, UTIs, kidney stones, and bad skin²².

Thirst and urine color can show if you’re drinking enough water. But, some people need more, like athletes, pregnant or breastfeeding women, those with fever or illness, and older adults²². Knowing your own water needs and using different sources can help keep you hydrated and healthy.

Is It Possible to Drink Too Much Water?

It’s important to stay hydrated, especially when it’s hot or you’re very active. But, drinking too much water can be dangerous. It can even be fatal in extreme cases.

The kidneys can only remove 0.8 to 1.0 liters of water per hour. This shows how hard it is for the body to handle too much water²⁴. Drinking more water than your body can handle can cause hyponatremia. This is when your body has too little salt²⁵.

Rare Cases of Fatal Water Intoxication

Drinking too much water can sometimes be deadly. In 2007, a 28-year-old woman died from drinking too much water in a contest²⁵. In 2014, a 17-year-old football player died after drinking lots of water and sports drinks during practice²⁵.

People who do a lot of endurance sports, have kidney problems, or are older are more at risk²⁵. Signs of water intoxication include:

• Confusion and disorientation
• Nausea and vomiting
• Headaches and fatigue
• Muscle cramps and difficulty breathing²⁴

In serious cases, it can cause seizures, coma, and even death²⁴.

To avoid drinking too much water, follow the daily fluid intake guidelines. The Institute of Medicine suggests 3.7 liters (15 to 16 cups) for men and 2.7 liters (11 to 12 cups) for women²⁶. Remember, about 20% of our daily fluid comes from food, and the rest from drinks²⁵²⁶²⁴.

Knowing the dangers of drinking too much water and following hydration guidelines can keep you healthy. It helps avoid the rare but serious risks of water intoxication.

Conclusion

Staying hydrated is key for good health and body function. Our bodies are about 60% water²⁷. Even a small loss of 1-3% can affect our brain, energy, and mood²⁷.

The usual advice is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses (237 mL) a day²⁷. But, our needs change with age. Infants are 75% water, and the elderly are 55%²⁸.

It’s important to drink the right amount of water. Too little or too much can harm us. Drinking water before meals can help us feel full and lose weight²⁷.

But, drinking too much water can upset our electrolyte balance. This can even cause water poisoning in rare cases.

To stay hydrated, listen to your body and watch your urine. About 20-22% of our water comes from food²⁷²⁸. If you’re very active or have health issues, talk to a doctor about your water needs. Knowing your body’s needs helps keep you hydrated and healthy.