Drinking too much water and its effects?

gettinghealthy777
gettinghealthy777 Posts: 223
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
I read the following article about drinking too much water.. What are your thoughts?

Ingesting more water than you need can increase your total blood volume. And since your blood volume exists within a closed system - your circulatory system - needlessly increasing your blood volume on a regular basis puts unnecessary burden on
your heart and blood vessels.


Your kidneys must work overtime to filter excess water out of your circulatory system. Your kidneys are not the equivalent of a pair of plumbing pipes whereby the more water you flush through your kidneys, the cleaner they become; rather, the filtration system that exists in your kidneys is composed in part by a series of specialized capillary beds called glomeruli. Your glomeruli can get damaged by unnecessary wear and tear over time, and drowning your system with large amounts of water is one of many potential causes of said damage.

Replies

  • cervenec
    cervenec Posts: 64
    I think you'd have to drink upward of 2L in an hour to really strain your kidneys? I've never had a bad experience with water and I drink an insane amount. The only thing I've noticed is that sometimes when I go to the bathroom it isn't waste, just water getting flushed, but I've never experience any kind of discomfort.

    I'll have to look into damaging glomeruli damage though, I don't want to be a total dummy here with my water/tea consumption D:
  • tmiqueen
    tmiqueen Posts: 254 Member
    I was told that too much water is just as bad as too little. You can actually get "drunk" from drinking too much water, because it dilutes your electrolytes and whatnot.
  • u2fergus
    u2fergus Posts: 422 Member
    This is true, but most of the people on this site probably go too far the other way and don't end up getting enough water, so this is probably not likely to happen. I did hear a news story a few years ago... there was a radio station that had a contest called "Hold your wee for a wii" and this woman drank several gallons of water without peeing because she was trying to win a Nintendo Wii for her kids. And she DIED. It was really sad, but it definitely illustrates your point. However, like I said, it would have to be gallons of water, and most of us don't come anywhere near that. Really, I think if you've got your 8-10 glasses a day in and you're still thirsty, drink some more. If you're not, don't force it.
  • wcasie
    wcasie Posts: 299 Member
    false... it is possible to drink too much water. but most people would be so full they would be throwing up before the water even made it to their blood stream. having extra water makes it easier on the kidneys. the waste isn't as concentrated and easier to get rid of!! Drink up!
  • ImaSongbird
    ImaSongbird Posts: 126 Member
    If one suffers from GERD, drinking too much can contribute to symptoms. If the lower esophageal sphincter does not close, then overfilling the stomach with water can result in stomach contents backing up into the esophagus, causing distress.

    It was my GI doctor who pointed this out, as he noticed me continually drinking from a water bottle during a consultation. He suggested I no longer drink before or during exercise or before bed, to avoid symptoms of GERD.
  • becka63
    becka63 Posts: 712 Member
    I read that it all depends on the colour of your pee:

    Too dark, not enough water
    Straw coloured, just right
    Too light or clear, too much water.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Everything I've read suggests that more than one liter per hour is too much water. If you're only drinking water for that hour, you can get water poisoning. This can happen especially with endurance athletes who are only drinking water, and lots of it, for several hours during training or a competition. Even in the hot, dry climate where I live, we're cautioned not to drink more than one liter per hour.
  • poseidon9447
    poseidon9447 Posts: 104
    The key is to drink the right amount of water for your weight and to spread it out during the day. To much water at one time is deadly. I drink a lot of water, but I drink it all day long slowly, 14 to 20 cups on an average day. I never drink more then my body can process, and no I dont need to urinate constantly, I only go a few times a day. Your body gets rid of extra water in many ways, breathing and sweating are two main ways other then the bathroom.
  • kaylynn54
    kaylynn54 Posts: 141
    This is true, but most of the people on this site probably go too far the other way and don't end up getting enough water, so this is probably not likely to happen. I did hear a news story a few years ago... there was a radio station that had a contest called "Hold your wee for a wii" and this woman drank several gallons of water without peeing because she was trying to win a Nintendo Wii for her kids. And she DIED. It was really sad, but it definitely illustrates your point. However, like I said, it would have to be gallons of water, and most of us don't come anywhere near that. Really, I think if you've got your 8-10 glasses a day in and you're still thirsty, drink some more. If you're not, don't force it.


    I remembered when that happened and I just couldn't get over the fact that the people holding the contest didn't check with doctors before they let these people drink all of that water. Like you said....it was sad!!!
    I believe that if you drink a normal amount of water, which I consider to be anywhere from 8-16 glasses a day, you should be fine, but if you are worried, the best thing to do is to check with your doctor.
  • Tegan74
    Tegan74 Posts: 202
    I was talking with someone last week who said a friend of hers was just drinking water, not eating, just water. After 2 weeks she had several major seizures with a few min's. I drink water all day, every day and have yet to have an issue. I drink more when I sweat at the gym. Even with the amount of water I drink I dont hit 33 oz an hr (1 liter) and dont know that I could unless I was standing by the sink chugging water.
  • 8rules
    8rules Posts: 169
    I was told that too much water is just as bad as too little. You can actually get "drunk" from drinking too much water, because it dilutes your electrolytes and whatnot.

    When I was a psychiatric nurse, water intoxication was a a common site as those less functional called "organic" patients would often do this. I have seen them stand at the fountain and drink water until the belly was fully distended. They get very loopy. IT IS very dangerous. I was a student nurse at the time, I learned after to intervene as it was dangerous, and have seen water intoxication many times in that year. So yes, it exists, but you must drink a huge amount of water in short order.

    You should not drink to much water, but most of us do not drink enough. Also it is important to account for exercise. Some days I drink 12 glasses, like when I do boxing. I assure you, it ain't passing through my kidneys.
  • 8rules
    8rules Posts: 169
    I was talking with someone last week who said a friend of hers was just drinking water, not eating, just water. After 2 weeks she had several major seizures with a few min's. I drink water all day, every day and have yet to have an issue. I drink more when I sweat at the gym. Even with the amount of water I drink I dont hit 33 oz an hr (1 liter) and dont know that I could unless I was standing by the sink chugging water.

    A bad combination for your friend. Taking in no electrolytes, but lots of water would definitely cause hypokalemia and seizures. The same can happen if your body ends up giving up all its salt because you are not taking any in.
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
    I was talking with someone last week who said a friend of hers was just drinking water, not eating, just water. After 2 weeks she had several major seizures with a few min's. I drink water all day, every day and have yet to have an issue. I drink more when I sweat at the gym. Even with the amount of water I drink I dont hit 33 oz an hr (1 liter) and dont know that I could unless I was standing by the sink chugging water.

    That would probably have a lot more to do with her lack of eating. Anorexia is a problem.
  • Jovialation
    Jovialation Posts: 7,632 Member
    People can die from too much water


    Thats usually kids at raves who manage to drink a gallon of water in one sitting....haha


    Altho I wouldnt doubt too much water over time is bad. Everything in moderation and the like
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    The key is to drink the right amount of water for your weight and to spread it out during the day. To much water at one time is deadly. I drink a lot of water, but I drink it all day long slowly, 14 to 20 cups on an average day. I never drink more then my body can process, and no I dont need to urinate constantly, I only go a few times a day. Your body gets rid of extra water in many ways, breathing and sweating are two main ways other then the bathroom.

    All of this. I drink a lot of water, spread out through the day. I don't pee too often, and I feel awesome.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    I read that it all depends on the colour of your pee:

    Too dark, not enough water
    Straw coloured, just right
    Too light or clear, too much water.

    I go by this. According to the water fans on this site I don't drink enough, but my urine is always clear or very light.
  • blonde20fan
    blonde20fan Posts: 233 Member
    I have a chronic heart/lung disease and I am restricted to 2L of water and fluids a day due to edema. I am also on a low sodium diet which I find really hard. I think as long as you have no underlining health problems just drink water normally and not excessively and you will be ok. Who would want to drink a 2L an hour? I would live in the bathroom!
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
    I read that it all depends on the colour of your pee:

    Too dark, not enough water
    Straw coloured, just right
    Too light or clear, too much water.

    I heard it was more so based on the flavor.

    Tastes like pee, just right
    Tastes like water, too much water
    Tastes like bbq sauce and pee, not enough water
  • poseidon9447
    poseidon9447 Posts: 104
    Here is a water calculator to find out how much water your body needs http://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm
  • Jovialation
    Jovialation Posts: 7,632 Member
    thanks for the calculator!!
  • poseidon9447
    poseidon9447 Posts: 104
    Since a lot of people use urine color is an indicator here is a website that has a chart that shows you what the color is really telling you ( it is at the bottom I could not figure out how to post here) http://www.urinecolors.com/dehydration.php
  • clarech82
    clarech82 Posts: 244 Member
    I once read about a man who was doing marathons and drinking water all the time he collapsed during a race and the paramedics thought it was due to dehydration so put him on fluids only to make him worse. It turns out he was drinking so much he had to little salt in his system and it nearly killed him but from what I could work out he was drinking constantly
  • 8rules
    8rules Posts: 169
    I do not use urine color.

    Some people colorless urine means you are not getting enough nutrients, and it becomes an amateur test for food qualtiy.

    What I know about urine color from nursing is that the longer you keep it inside you, the more colored it gets. If you pee first thing in the morning its more likely to be yellow, then after peeing consistently all day long.

    Eat a tonne of carrots, yellow urine from beta carotene, eat a lot of shell fish or tomatoes and lycopene kicks in.

    I truly believe that when you start doing regular exercise, your body will teach you how much water you should drink, you will just feel it. You will know how hydrated you need to be to perform at peek, and go with it.

    However, I think the best advice for non exercisers I ever saw was little sips all day long and you simply cannot go wrong.
  • 8rules
    8rules Posts: 169
    I once read about a man who was doing marathons and drinking water all the time he collapsed during a race and the paramedics thought it was due to dehydration so put him on fluids only to make him worse. It turns out he was drinking so much he had to little salt in his system and it nearly killed him but from what I could work out he was drinking constantly

    I am not sure what kind of incompetent paramedics would have put a man collapsing during a marathon on pure water intravenous instead of electrolytic intravenous. Perhaps this is one of those urban myths? Most standard IV drips are saline solutions. Distilled water drips are almost unheard of as primary treatment.
  • poseidon9447
    poseidon9447 Posts: 104
    A couple of months ago I was in the hospital almost dead because of severe dehydration, it was caused by my radiation treatments not because I was not drinking water. My body was unable to absorb fluids due to my lining on my digestive system being so week. Everything I ate or drank was back out in a matter of minutes because my body was rejecting it. I was on morphine because of the intense pain. They have me antibiotics, and other medications and they had an IV in my arm with saline. It took a few liters to get me stable. My body only took about 12 hours of rejecting food and water to get me to this point that I was in the hospital. I take hydration and dehydration very seriously now, I will never let my body get to that point again, first sign of problems I am seeking help.
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