How much water is too much water?

weiner2340
weiner2340 Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
I find myself sometimes drinking more than the 8-8oz cups of water, but I figured since i sweat some of that water out its ok to drink more? What does everyone think?

Replies

  • grimm1974
    grimm1974 Posts: 337 Member
    You should be fine. Its really rare to drink so much water that you put yourself at risk. The highest number of cases is where people drink too much water and do not urinate. This has happened due to water drinking contests (ie a radio station in Florida did a 'hold your wee for a Wii' contest leading to a woman's death), but is most common in marathon runners.
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
    You should be fine. Its really rare to drink so much water that you put yourself at risk. The highest number of cases is where people drink too much water and do not urinate. This has happened due to water drinking contests (ie a radio station in Florida did a 'hold your wee for a Wii' contest leading to a woman's death), but is most common in marathon runners.

    I agree. I can sometime go through 3 liters if I'm working out because my studio is HOT! But i'd rather drink a bit too much than too little.
  • VorJoshigan
    VorJoshigan Posts: 1,106 Member
    it takes a LOT

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyponatremia/DS00974

    http://chemistry.about.com/cs/5/f/blwaterintox.htm
  • missinesita
    missinesita Posts: 16 Member
    If it's summer then you should count on drinking 3 liters per day. Same if you're working out.
  • SkepticallyFit
    SkepticallyFit Posts: 71
    When you end up with a mineral deficiency.
  • Silver_Star
    Silver_Star Posts: 1,351 Member
    youre supposed to drink water until your pee is clear or really pale yellow.....when your pee is invisible and you dont know where it is. then its time to stop chugging.
  • Dogwalkingirl
    Dogwalkingirl Posts: 320 Member
    I drink 5 litres many days and I have always been fine. However, there can be issues when people drink a lot of water quickly or everyday (like 10 litres a day etc). This can cause sodium loss in your body. So, make sure if you drink a ton remember you also need salt and electrolytes.

    I know a little bit about this because I sweat like a crazy person when I work out...don't know why...always have. I have also almost always worked outside and sometimes in extreme conditions (like I planted trees...4000/day, in 45 degree weather in Australia). So I have had fairly bad heat stroke 3 times. Stupidly the first time I tried to just drink tons of water quickly to hydrate myself. I ended up in hospital. I know now if it happens again I also need to add salt to everything I eat and get some gatorade.

    Anyhow, if you are just drinking 12-15 glasses of water instead of 8 you will be fine!!
  • DahliaBanker
    DahliaBanker Posts: 234 Member
    wow! drinkingtoo much water is not my problem! I can't drink enough! In the 25 days I've been tracking I've only drank 8 glasses once and I thought I'd float away! I've never been much of a fluid drinker at all so really have a hard time getting it in. I'm lucky to get 3. what's the trick? I just have to make myself stand and drink as much as I can at a time. I think I have found that if it's not ice cold that I can drink more at one time. any other tips?
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
    The 28-year old woman who died at the water drinking radio contest had only 6 liters of water in 3 hours. So be careful.
    http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=strange-but-true-drinking-too-much-water-can-kill

    Don't drink for the sake of drinking water, if you need water, your body will tell you.
  • TheEffort
    TheEffort Posts: 1,028 Member
    youre supposed to drink water until your pee is clear or really pale yellow.....when your pee is invisible and you dont know where it is. then its time to stop chugging.

    Good advice.

    8488541.png
  • xFamousLastWordsx
    xFamousLastWordsx Posts: 301 Member
    The 28-year old woman who died at the water drinking radio contest had only 6 liters of water in 3 hours. So be careful.
    http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=strange-but-true-drinking-too-much-water-can-kill

    Don't drink for the sake of drinking water, if you need water, your body will tell you.

    She was holding it in though, I'm sure that is what contributed to her death...I doubt most people are drinking 6 liters and not using the washroom.
  • Moosycakes
    Moosycakes Posts: 258 Member
    Just popped in to say the eight glasses a day rule is not backed up by any good evidence.

    You do NOT need to drink eight glasses a day- you get water in your food as well. Just follow what your body wants when it comes to water.
  • DahliaBanker
    DahliaBanker Posts: 234 Member
    Does water help flush out the excess sodium. My doctor says I should reduce sodium because I retain fluid in my ankles. I would think drinking a lot of water would make that worse but then some say that drinking water flushes out the excess sodium and will improve my fluid retention. I'm so confused.
  • chinatbag
    chinatbag Posts: 249 Member
    Healthcare professional here:

    Look at your urine color, if it's yellow or dark yellow, you're probably not getting enough water.

    If it's clear, you're drinking too much.

    It should be slightly tinted, not completely clear.
  • mom2dzbnwe
    mom2dzbnwe Posts: 129 Member
    youre supposed to drink water until your pee is clear or really pale yellow.....when your pee is invisible and you dont know where it is. then its time to stop chugging.

    :laugh:
    Love this!!!
  • staplebug
    staplebug Posts: 189
    Drink enough water so your pee looks like lemonade. Not apple juice...Not coming through as clear as water. It'll be different for every person.
  • ash190489
    ash190489 Posts: 587 Member
    Your 8 glasses of 8oz per day converts to being 8 glasses of 237mL per day (1 cup in Australia is 250mL) which would therefore be 2 litres of water MINIMUM per day. I strongly believe whatever water you drink at the gym or through exercise does NOT count in your 2 litres for the day as like you said, you sweat a lot of it out. I can drink quite comfortably between 3-6 litres of water per day (including gym water) so you'd be more than fine and your body would welcome any extra water over the 2 litres of water per day! Water is great for flushing out any excess sodium in your system :-) I know people drinking between 6-8 litres of water per day (I don't know how they do it with running backwArds and forwards to the toilet ALL DAY!)

    Go for it, water is great!
  • ash190489
    ash190489 Posts: 587 Member
    The 28-year old woman who died at the water drinking radio contest had only 6 liters of water in 3 hours. So be careful.
    http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=strange-but-true-drinking-too-much-water-can-kill

    Don't drink for the sake of drinking water, if you need water, your body will tell you.

    I have always heard and believed that once your body is telling you it's THIRSTY it's too late and your body is already dehydrated.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    Listen to your body when it comes to how much water to drink. It will give you signs before you're dehydrated. Lack of sodium is harder to get than dehydration, but it's not exactly rare either. An hour-long bike ride in hot weather without enough salty rubbish in your diet will give me one hell of a headache... and only salt seems to make it go away. Ibuprofen won't touch those puppies.
  • weightlossforbrian
    weightlossforbrian Posts: 38 Member
    i drink around 5-6 liters a day. i do construction so im sure thats why im always drinking water. i have a cooler in the work truck and get a 24 pack of water every work day (me and my co worker split it)
  • Moosycakes
    Moosycakes Posts: 258 Member
    The 28-year old woman who died at the water drinking radio contest had only 6 liters of water in 3 hours. So be careful.
    http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=strange-but-true-drinking-too-much-water-can-kill

    Don't drink for the sake of drinking water, if you need water, your body will tell you.

    I have always heard and believed that once your body is telling you it's THIRSTY it's too late and your body is already dehydrated.

    You don't have to be actively thirsty for your body to tell you it wants some water :)
    It's more like, if it pops into your head that some would be nice, go for it! But don't go out of your way to down glasses of water you don't need.
  • AnnaMarieDinVa
    AnnaMarieDinVa Posts: 162 Member
    Does water help flush out the excess sodium. My doctor says I should reduce sodium because I retain fluid in my ankles. I would think drinking a lot of water would make that worse but then some say that drinking water flushes out the excess sodium and will improve my fluid retention. I'm so confused.

    My doctor told me to drink at least the 8 cups of water to help flush out the sodium. It works. I can tell by looking at my feet whether I am or am not retaining water. I've also worked hard at reducing sodium, and it helps a lot, too. I feel so much better since I have taken this advice. :)
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Just popped in to say the eight glasses a day rule is not backed up by any good evidence.

    You do NOT need to drink eight glasses a day- you get water in your food as well. Just follow what your body wants when it comes to water.

    Yup. If you feel thirsty, drink more. If you aren't that thirsty, drink less. Unless you're having problems from too much water, you're fine. I drink at least 80 oz a day just because I like to and am thirsty a lot.
  • DahliaBanker
    DahliaBanker Posts: 234 Member
    Does water help flush out the excess sodium. My doctor says I should reduce sodium because I retain fluid in my ankles. I would think drinking a lot of water would make that worse but then some say that drinking water flushes out the excess sodium and will improve my fluid retention. I'm so confused.

    My doctor told me to drink at least the 8 cups of water to help flush out the sodium. It works. I can tell by looking at my feet whether I am or am not retaining water. I've also worked hard at reducing sodium, and it helps a lot, too. I feel so much better since I have taken this advice. :)
    [/quote

    Since I reduced sodium intake and increased my water intake a little I have noticed dramatic improvement in my ankle swelling but didn't know which one made the improvement, probably both. MFP gave me a goal of 2500 for sodium but I lowered that to 1750. When I started logging my food 2500 was way too high for me. How much do you try to stay under for a low sodium diet?

Categories