Can drinking too much water be harmful?

General
1

Since childhood school days we all have heard “Drink a lot of water”. But is drinking too much water good?

When we consume excessive water in a short time, the kidneys cannot excrete the extra fluid quickly enough. This dilutes the sodium levels in the blood, leading to an imbalance in electrolytes. Sodium is vital for nerve and muscle function, and when its level drops too low, water starts moving into the body’s cells, causing them to swell.

Although rare, deaths from excessive water intake have been reported. They typically occur in unusual situations, such as participating in water drinking contests or after intense dancing and sweating while under the influence of ecstasy, which disrupts the body’s fluid balance.

How many glasses of water do you drink?

4 Likes
2

Yes, water is necessary but too much of it or too fast, can disrupt your body’s natural balance.
1-2 litres i can drink daily.

3

I think we know that excess water intake is harmful, from the reason that it doesn’t feel good, but I wasn’t aware of the scientific reason behind it. I try to drink atleast 2 litres of water a day, but I’m not sure I’ve been keeping proper track of that since I joined college. :sweat_smile:

4

Drinking 2-3 litres of water in a day is healthy and beneficial to the body. Until I don’t have any idea about the drinking too much water can be harmful to our body and can alter the body fluid levels. Thanks for the information.

5

As water is necessary in our daily day practice we should take 1-2L of water per day.

6

Yes excess of water can be harmful. Generally drinking 2.5 - 3.5 litre is fine per day. But if it goes beyond than this range, it can cause various issues, because it can drastically reduce the sodium concentration within the body which is very crucial for the nerve function. Sodium reduction in the body can result in electrolyte imbalance as well that can impact health majorly. If the urine color is light yellow, then we should know that our body is well hydrated, when it’s clear, it may indicate over-hydration and when it’s dark yellow, our body is in dehydration state. It’s always better to drink within the range for an optimal health.

7

Yes there many causes which showed side effects or death may be, though it’s very rare case

8

Everything is good in limited quantities, not in excess or in deficiency. Drinking about 2-3 litres of water per day, is what I try to achieve

9

Yes drinking more then 1-3 litres can trouble our kidney

10

Drinking too much water can be harmful, but I usually drink 1-2 liters. My doctor suggests aiming for 2-3 liters. Limitless is key in everything, whether it’s what we drink, eat, or do.

11

Yes i agree with you drinking water is good. but drinking excess water may cause damage to the kidneys.