How much water is too much?

Brads2ndLife
Brads2ndLife Posts: 72
in Food and Nutrition
I drink a lot. I switched from Pepsi Max to Diet Rite cranberry & boysenberry cordial a year or two ago.

I knew I drank a lot but started writing down each time i filled my jug yesterday. And found I drank 5.5 litres.

I've been through 3 litres so far today.

I have it very weak. I think less than half the strength recommended. I might make a count when I open the next bottle to check that come to think.

Anyway, I'm not worried about the amount of cordial, but does wanting that much water day after day sound like 'too much' for good health? Been drinking that much for many years... although it started out as Coke, went to Diet Coke, then Pepsi Max then the Cordial. Always been 3 to 5 litres a day whatever I consume though.

Replies

  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    If you've been drinking that much for many years with no ill side effects, then it's probably safe to say that amount is perfectly safe for you. I'm a firm believer in drinking however much your body wants (unless you drink 8 ounces a day, and then you probably do need more). 8 isn't a magic number, if your body wants more or less, give it what it wants.
  • kindasortachewy
    kindasortachewy Posts: 1,084 Member
    I drink 4 liters a day
  • sjh2013
    sjh2013 Posts: 29
    I think what u drinked was not water, which I mean pure water, h2o, with or without trace amount of mineral. Your body believe it's dehydrated so u always drink, but what u drink is hypertonic solution not water, thus a vicious cycle begins.
  • Brads2ndLife
    Brads2ndLife Posts: 72
    Thank you for the reassuring posts. I kinda expected to be told that was a ridiculous amount.

    I think since I have gone to about 98% water (from soda) I feel better, and have not been chugging coffee or anything like that to replace the caffeine, so think it is genuine thirst. I have been a lot more lethargic though ongoing. I'm hoping changing my diet from red meat almost every day to vege/fruit smoothies and a small portion of fish or chicken as the mainstays will see me get back some of my old pep naturally.
    I think what u drinked was not water, which I mean pure water, h2o, with or without trace amount of mineral. Your body believe it's dehydrated so u always drink, but what u drink is hypertonic solution not water, thus a vicious cycle begins.

    Ah. So you think no matter how small the amount of cordial it might have something in it that keeps me feeling thirsty?

    I guess I could try to drink that amount of plain water for a couple of days and see how my body and thirst level reacts. Maybe i just think I don't like water because my body tells me there is no need to drink as much of it... TY for the suggestion.

    I think it's related to smoking too much and medication though.
  • dwyler21
    dwyler21 Posts: 108 Member
    i drink 1 gallon a day. idk if you can drink TOO much water.
  • Brads2ndLife
    Brads2ndLife Posts: 72
    i drink 1 gallon a day. idk if you can drink TOO much water.

    I've 'been told' you can wash all the electrolytes out of your system if you overdo it. No idea if that is correct or how bad that is for you though.

    I've heard of people dieing from drinking too much water on ecstacy. The newspapers called it internal drowning from memory.

    But glad to hear that might not be something I need to be worried about once again. :)
  • theedge56
    theedge56 Posts: 64 Member
    You can drink too much people have died. Here is what I pulled from Wiki:

    Water intoxication, also known as water poisoning or dilutional hyponatremia, is a potentially fatal disturbance in brain functions that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is pushed outside safe limits (e.g., hyponatremia) by overhydration (i.e., over-consumption of water).

    Under normal circumstances, accidentally consuming too much water is exceptionally rare. Nearly all deaths related to water intoxication in normal individuals have resulted either from water drinking contests in which individuals attempt to consume large amounts of water, or long bouts of intensive exercise during which electrolytes are not properly replenished, yet huge amounts of fluid are still consumed.[1] Moreover, water cure, a method of torture in which the victim is forced to consume excessive amounts of water, can cause water intoxication.

    Water, just like any other substance, can be considered a poison when over-consumed in a specific period of time. Water intoxication mostly occurs when water is being consumed in a high quantity without giving the body the proper nutrients it needs to be healthy.[2]
  • knovello82
    knovello82 Posts: 110 Member
    I drink between 1-1.5 gallons per day.
  • nicola1141
    nicola1141 Posts: 613 Member
    Water toxicity is possible, but "hard" to do. You're right, that is how a lot of the kids on ecstacy died, but that is also because they spent hours and hours dancing with only drinking water. So they sweat a lot, replaced only with water and no electrolytes. Lesson - if you're going to do x, dance all night and drink water, have a bag of chips first!! Same reason marathon runners and athletes don't generally drink plain water all the time. Same reason why Gatorade was invented. But for general life, it would be hard to drink that much water if you're not sweating excessively and are eating a "normal" amount of sodium.
  • kalamitykate83
    kalamitykate83 Posts: 227 Member
    A friend of mine ran the London marathon a few years back, he collapsed when he got to about mile 21 and when they took him to hospital and checked him over they said that his insides were 'flodded' from drinking too much water!!!

    BUT like others have said, if you've been doing this for such a long time it's obviously not causing harm! However, have you been checked for diabetes?! I only ask as I know one of the symptoms is thirst ... I don't want to scare you or anything, but thought I'd better just ask!

    I also agree with the post that says to try drinking just plain water and see if you're still getting through as much!

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