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Too much water can be as dangerous as too little—part 1
We’ve been told our entire lives to drink “plenty of water.” Not everyone realizes, however, that it’s possible to drink too much water.
In January 2007, Jennifer Strange, 28, a Sacramento-area mom of three, died at home of water intoxication after competing in a radio station’s contest. The winner would be whoever drank the most water without going to the bathroom (“hold your wee for a Wii”); the prize, a Nintendo Wii video game system, which Jennifer wanted for her kids.
The bulk of the blame lies with the radio station; station officials were reportedly aware that someone had previously died of the same cause in a hazing incident, and they reportedly didn’t take Jennifer seriously when she complained of feeling ill. Still, this story should serve as a cautionary tale for all of us.
So how much water is enough, and how much is too much? It’s not known for sure how much Jennifer drank, but drinking too much water can lead to water intoxication as well as hyponatremia, a related problem resulting from the dilution of sodium in the body.
Posted by Lisa J. | Chronic Health Blog | WebbleYou Blog Network | © 2008 |
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