Why is drinking too much water dangerous?

When it comes to drinking water, how much is too much?

A 59-year-old woman’s life was put in danger after overdosing on water. Apparently, the woman, whose identity was no revealed, decided to consume lots of water after developing symptoms of urinary tract infection. A doctor previously recommended that she drink half a pint every 30 minutes, but the woman seemed to have consumed more to “flush out her system”.

After suffering from symptoms like vomiting, headache, nausea, and speech difficulties, the woman was admitted to a hospital.

“During her visit to the emergency department, she became progressively shaky and muddled. She vomited several times, was tremulous and exhibited significant speech difficulties,” experts at King’s College Hospital in London said.

Luckily, the woman was able to escape death after doctors put a limit on her fluid intake to a liter for the next 24 hours. True enough, the woman was lucky to have survived as another young woman suffering from gastroenteritis died due to overconsumption of water in the past.

Although the woman was discharged after 24 hours in the hospital, it took her about a week to feel normal again.

“As demonstrated here, the harmful effects of increased fluid intake include confusion, vomiting and speech disturbance, and potential for catastrophic outcomes due to low blood sodium concentrations,” they added.

Experts have not yet established a steadfast recommendation as to how much water should be consumed in order to stay hydrated and healthy. They noted that passing a clear urine is a good indication  that you are hydrated.