Is it bad to drink more than 64oz. of water a day?

alyssa83202
alyssa83202 Posts: 334
edited September 22 in Food and Nutrition
Since I've started aiming to drink 64 oz. a day, I've been keeping my 25 oz water bottle with me every where and refilling it a few times a day. Can you drink too much water?

Replies

  • srindal
    srindal Posts: 33
    You can drink too much water but it's pretty rare and we're talking you'd need TONS of water to do it (it actually dilutes your blood). The rule of thumb I go by is take your body weight (in pounds) and divide by two. That number is the number of ounces you should be drinking.
  • hungrymarathongirl
    hungrymarathongirl Posts: 444 Member
    The more water you drink the better....I usually drink about 80 oz daily. It really does help with the weight loss and prevents you from retaining.
  • alyssa83202
    alyssa83202 Posts: 334
    You can drink too much water but it's pretty rare and we're talking you'd need TONS of water to do it (it actually dilutes your blood). The rule of thumb I go by is take your body weight (in pounds) and divide by two. That number is the number of ounces you should be drinking.
    Okay, thank you! Going by that, I should be drinking 81 oz a day and I know I'm not going over that.
  • JeanMargaret
    JeanMargaret Posts: 69
    No. I read somewhere once (probably if you google it'll come up) that you should divide your body weight in half and that's the amount of water (in ounces) that you should drink.
  • amycrims
    amycrims Posts: 94
    whoa! that's a lot of ounces!! i think i may need to start wearing diapers if i go by that.
  • alyssa83202
    alyssa83202 Posts: 334
    The more water you drink the better....I usually drink about 80 oz daily. It really does help with the weight loss and prevents you from retaining.

    Okay, thanks! Do you know why/how water helps prevent retaining? I'm just curious.
  • junebug523
    junebug523 Posts: 196
    Well, most days I drink about 100 oz of water, if not more...and it has not had any adverse effects on my health! In fact, if I don't get at least 12 cups a day, I feel gross.

    I suppose it's possible to overdo it on water, but I don't really see it happening unless you are reaaaaalllly overdoing it. Drink up! Just get ready for a few more potty breaks...
  • mbastian
    mbastian Posts: 16
    I agree with srindal- take your body weight in pounds and divide by two. I have been drinking 100+ ounces of water everyday (I don't drink anything else) and I think it helps me feel better. It certainly helps me feel fuller! Some days I find it hard to meet my minimum calories.

    Good luck! :drinker:

    Michelle
  • srindal
    srindal Posts: 33
    You retain water because of salt etc and the more water you drink it will reduce that sodium level and you will excrete it through your kidneys! So the first few days you will be running to the bathroom A LOT but after a few days your body will adjust and it'll taper off as will the water weight.
  • CombatVet_Armywife
    CombatVet_Armywife Posts: 300 Member
    I've heard mixed views on this topic, but I drink as much as I want and anytime I'm thirsty. My daily consumption varies between 80oz.-128 oz. I'm sure there will be those who think that is too much, but I go by what my body tells me I need.
  • MisdemeanorM
    MisdemeanorM Posts: 3,493 Member
    The more water you drink the better....I usually drink about 80 oz daily. It really does help with the weight loss and prevents you from retaining.

    Okay, thanks! Do you know why/how water helps prevent retaining? I'm just curious.

    sodium causes retaining (one of the things that does). Water does not. So, by drinking more water you flush the sodium (or whatever) out of your system and it stops retaining so much water. It sounds backward, but just think of it as that you are not retaining water because you drink a lot of water, you are retaining because of toxins (or sodium etc) in your system. More water flushes them out.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    You can, but only if you're not peeing constantly. If you're peeing, you should be fine. The rule of thumb is your pee should be fairly clear... if it's still yellow, keep drinking! And obviously, if you're thirsty, keep drinking. I can drink 100 oz. in one day and still be thirsty when I get into bed so I always keep water handy!
  • alyssa83202
    alyssa83202 Posts: 334
    Thanks everyone! That actually makes a lot of sense. I've just decided to drink whenever I'm thirsty and not worry about going over 64oz.
  • larousse_37
    larousse_37 Posts: 80
    Actually it is possible to drink too much water, you can throw your electrolytes out and make your brain swell.. this usually only happens though if you're a marathon runner or hiking etc. It happened to my partner a few years back when was working on a client's roof in 40 degree heat (around 100 faranheit) and 100% humidity.. he sweated out all his salts and drank too much water... ended up passing out on their grass. They gave him a gatorade and he was ok though...

    I wouldn't worry too much about it, it's pretty rare. Just pay attention to your body :-)
  • fitterpam
    fitterpam Posts: 3,064 Member
    Typically you should aim for half your body weight in oz. 64oz was based on an "average" person that weighed 128lbs. At my weight, I should be consuming 120oz.

    As for too much, it's tough to get too much, but unless you have issues, your kidneys can typically filter about 30oz an hour. As long as you're not drinking more than one bottle an hour (in an effort to get all your water in at the end of the day), you should be fine and you'll find it'll do wonderful things for you!

    One more thing, don't go from 0oz to 120oz overnight. On one of my threads everyone decided to drink 9-15 glasses depending on their size and within days every single person was complaining of headaches. We all eased off and slowly upped our amounts and are now at our original goal without the headaches.
  • mirenner
    mirenner Posts: 205
    just be careful, when you are starting to urinate consistently and it is clear, you are well hydrated...
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    It is possible to drink too much water and it can have serious negative health effects. It's called water intoxication, or hyper-hydration. It's not usually a problem for adults, it babies and children that have to be careful. But, too much water flushes out your electrolytes which can causes the body's cells to swell. In the brain, the intracranial pressure causes first headaches, behavioral and personality changes, drowsiness, confusion and irritability. If this persists, it will cause brain damage, seizures, coma and even death. It is recommended that adults get 1-2 liters (34-68oz) of water per day.
  • ebkins7
    ebkins7 Posts: 427 Member
    The more water you drink the better....I usually drink about 80 oz daily. It really does help with the weight loss and prevents you from retaining.

    ACTUALLY you CAN drink too much water! I've seen it happen LITERALLY! Yes water does help with weight loss by "flushing" fat but you can drink too much. Like everyone has said divide your wieght in half is a good guideline. Just make sure that when you use the bathroom you're urine is clear. If it starts to turn yellow, you need more water!

    Hope this helps and didn't scare you.
  • Jourdan_Rystrom
    Jourdan_Rystrom Posts: 176 Member
    I know a person who actually died from drinking too much water in a radio contest. Stupid, but it can happen. That's if you are ridiculously drinking it constantly. One of the first signs of water intoxication is swelling. If your fingers start to get puffy where your rings become tight, that could indicate a problem. Other symptoms of hyponatremia are nausea and dizziness. If you experience these symptoms and suspect water intoxication, stop drinking more water (that part should be obvious) and seek medical attention. Eat some food to replace the electrolytes (salts) that are being diluted by the water.

    Honestly though, I wouldn't worry about it. Stay hydrated...make sure your pee is clear, and you're all good :)
  • NatalieWinning
    NatalieWinning Posts: 999 Member
    The more water you drink the better....I usually drink about 80 oz daily. It really does help with the weight loss and prevents you from retaining.

    Okay, thanks! Do you know why/how water helps prevent retaining? I'm just curious.

    sodium causes retaining (one of the things that does). Water does not. So, by drinking more water you flush the sodium (or whatever) out of your system and it stops retaining so much water. It sounds backward, but just think of it as that you are not retaining water because you drink a lot of water, you are retaining because of toxins (or sodium etc) in your system. More water flushes them out.

    Kidneys signal keeping or dropping water using things like sodium, which draws water into our out of cells and the blood to help keep, or flush fluids. It's hormonal. If you are dehydrated the kidneys try to conserve water, if you are not it flushes it. But we mess with that with extra carbs and salt intake. Those help us retain more water, as does keeping ourselves dehydrated, so our water will retain water. If we have a normal hydration and better diet we don't try to keep it and bloat up. So drinking water helps us not retain water. It dilutes things like carbs (sugars) and salt.

    Us dieters want high fiber and lots of movement of that food out! Water helps with digestion and metabolism.

    I have trouble holding water at work so I dehydrate myself by not drinking enough. I've been home and drinking plenty. I've seen a difference in how I feel, It did level off like people say after the first runs to the bathroom, and my skin looks better. It seems easier to loose when I drink more.
  • mvellis
    mvellis Posts: 19
    Thanks for that formula; I was told to drink 4L per day, but that seemed like more than I really wanted. According to your formula, 2L should be enough for me.
  • BoresEasily
    BoresEasily Posts: 582
    As people have mentioned. Yes you can but it takes an obscene amount of water. Rather than go by how many glasses you should drink. Using this chart you can figure out how much to drink without overdoing it.

    http://www.urinecolors.com/dehydration.php
  • BoresEasily
    BoresEasily Posts: 582
    I have actually vomited from drinking too much water and it takes A LOT of water to do it. I didn't know at the time that's what I had done though.
  • taintdluv
    taintdluv Posts: 1
    If your not drinking enough water, your body will retain water, i.e. hold the water in to keep you hydrated while your not, in case you stop getting water intake. Your body is in a way preparing to be "starved of water". When you are properly hydrated, your body is constantly getting proper amounts of water so it no longer has to retain the water, it will dispel excess water being held in your system, therefore you weigh less.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
    It's not bad, just more to keep track of. Lots of sweat means losing lots of salt. Supposedly the salt dumping effect isn't as bad for people who get sweaty more often but at least in my case it seems like this is pure hooey and I need my salty things to keep from getting headaches.
  • joyfuljoy65
    joyfuljoy65 Posts: 317 Member
    Yada yada but can i remind you all again that its not just by drinking water that you get water into your body...... food, other drinks - they all count so don'f forget these when you are calculating how much to drink. And don't tell me that coffee and tea don't count - i have asked a MEDICAL person and they do, so I am not listening to you :drinker:
  • PrissyPisces
    PrissyPisces Posts: 117 Member
    No. I read somewhere once (probably if you google it'll come up) that you should divide your body weight in half and that's the amount of water (in ounces) that you should drink.

    I was just about to post this EXACT thing. Yes, it's true. Divide your body weight in half, and that's how many ounces you should drink daily, to ensure you are hydrated. However, I wouldn't go over that amount, as it IS possible to drink too much. I think it has to be an extreme amount though.

    Don't want to scare anyone, but check out this link
    >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_intoxication
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