You can drink too much water

Question

It has been found that drinking "too much" water can actually be just as bad for you or arguably even worse than being dehydrated. Drinking too much water can cause Headaches, Nausea and vommiting, Muscle cramps, and brain fog.Drinking too much water unbalances the kidney and overwhelms to natural process the kidney functions. The sodium content in the human body also needs to be regulated and drinking too much water messes up the amount of sodium within the human body.

Comments

Good job explaining the source the only thing I might add is another source to further fortify your reasoning.

---

This claim is accurate and quite thorough. The website that they reference is a reliable health resource. Looking to other secure healthcare sources, like https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/water-intoxication and https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256#:~:text=When%20you%20drink%20too%20much,it%20can%20be%20life%2Dthreatening. , the same facts mentioned in the original claim can be found. This is very validating for the points made in the claim, as multiple reliable healthcare resources provide the same details. Both Mayo Clinic and Clevland Clinic relay the same reasons for and symptoms as a result of water intoxication.

---

great response and good article choice. Here are some other good articles I found, one stating the lethal dose of water.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1770067/
https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=130508#:~:text=As%20mentioned%20the%20LD50,of%200.09%20is%20therefore%20%E2%88%921.045.

---

This claim is accurate and there are several other sources that back up this claim. I will say that the source that you have chosen has no authors and no sources cited which does make it a bit less credible. But it is a .org which typically means it is credible. There are also several other organizations that make the same claim and provide similar evidence. For example, an article by Mayo Clinic states “Drinking too much water is rarely a problem for healthy, well-nourished adults. Athletes occasionally may drink too much water in an attempt to prevent dehydration during long or intense exercise. When you drink too much water, your kidneys can't get rid of the excess water. The sodium content of your blood becomes diluted. This is called hyponatremia, and it can be life-threatening”. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
This is a very reliable source and it makes the same claim as the source you provided, so I would say that this claim is accurate. I do think that it could be worded a bit differently, for example you could say "Drinking too much water can cause serious health problems". But overall a valid claim with a valid source.

---

This argument is fundamentally good because it highlights the potential dangers of overhydration. The points made about the symptoms—headaches, nausea, muscle cramps, and brain fog—are medically accurate and align with known effects of electrolyte imbalances caused by overhydration. Additionally, the mention of the kidneys being overwhelmed is a valid concern since they play a critical role in filtering excess water and maintaining electrolyte balance.

Answer 1

This is true. Overhydration occurs when "Your body’s water volume becomes too large for your kidneys to excrete," which can lead to the body's electrolytes such as sodium to become too diluted. This usually occurs in athletes who drink too much water before or after an event, or in people with certain medial problems or who take medications that make them extremely thirsty.

https://www.healthline.com/health/overhydration#causes

Comments

I am a track and field runner and I can relate to this a lot. I had a teammate in high school who always wanted to be sure she was hydrated for practice but she drank too much water a few times and her stomach acid diluted. It gave her cramps, indigestion and heartburn.

---

I think your answer is really good. You gave good examples of the types of people this could happen too. you used correct terminology. I think that you included a link. very helpful

---

This is a great source which provides an author and information on how the article was reviewed which I believe enhances the credibility of the article significantly. It shows that it was medically reviewed by several doctors. Even though it is a .com website, which typically are less credible, the information in the article is backed up by several other reliable sources.

---

This was a good factcheck, I think that you did a good job crosschecking with a reliable source to make sure that the claim was correct.

---

Great answer! I think the source you provided is a very legit website. I think if you found another source and quoted more evidence in your answer it would help out. I also like how you gave an example of a scenario where people drink too much water. I have had times when I went for a run and I drank too much water beforehand and I started getting cramps. Overall, I think you had great evidence that directly answered the question.

Answer 2

The claim states that it is possible to drink too much water. After further review of the article provided and other resources I have concluded that this claim is true. The provided source states “Drinking excessive amounts of water can overwhelm your kidneys and dilute the sodium content of your blood. The condition is sometimes called water intoxication or hyponatremia”. This source did a good job of explaining why people might drink too much water and what goes on inside someone's body who does drink too much water. The next source I found comes from mayo clinic. This article talks about why drinking water is good and how to stay hydrated. One thing I liked from the second source was how it mentioned that “Drinking too much water is rarely a problem for healthy, well-nourished adults.” Overall the claim is true, even though it’s not a very common occurrence. 

https://www.uhhospitals.org/blog/articles/2024/01/can-you-drink-too-much-water

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256#:~:text=When%20you%20drink%20too%20much,it%20can%20be%20life%2Dthreatening.

Comments

I appreciate the sources you used in this factcheck! I believe you could've gone into slightly more detail, but still a very good factcheck nonetheless.

---

This is a very good fact check. I like how you stated your sources and used two reputable sources when it comes to this field.

---

I like how you provided a second article and explained further what was in the second article you linked. On top of that, you did a good job in explaining how it can be dangerous as well.

---

I liked how you used the source Mayo Clinic to back up the evidence. It's a very well-cited and credible source. I also liked how you pulled direct quotes from the sources as well.

---

Good factcheck! I like how you looked into the article that the claim was based on first, and then did further research with the source Mayo Clinic, which is a good reputable source. I like how you raised the point that it is kind of an unrealistic fear and not a common occurrence. Nice work!

---

I think this was a great fact-check! You used two separate .org sources, which shows that they contain reliable information! I think your explanation was also very thorough and detailed.  Very professional and informative.

---

Great job on your fact checking. You’ve provided a thoughtful and balanced analysis, incorporating multiple sources and clearly explaining your reasoning. I particularly appreciate how you highlighted key points from both the original and additional sources.While you did mention that water intoxication is uncommon, it might be helpful to add a bit more detail about the specific situations where excessive water consumption could lead to hyponatremia. For instance, extreme physical exertion (like ultra-endurance sports) or conditions that affect kidney function might increase the risk, helping readers better understand under what circumstances it’s more likely to happen.

---

You’ve provided a thoughtful and balanced analysis, incorporating multiple sources and clearly explaining your reasoning. I particularly appreciate how you highlighted key points from both the original and additional sources.While you did mention that water intoxication is uncommon, it might be helpful to add a bit more detail about the specific situations where excessive water consumption could lead to hyponatremia. For instance, extreme physical exertion (like ultra-endurance sports) or conditions that affect kidney function might increase the risk, helping readers better understand under what circumstances it’s more likely to happen.

---

good job on showing the multiple articles to prove this fact check and good on explaing how it is bad for you

---

I think you did a great job of diving deeper into the article and discussing its accuracy while using another source to back up the claim. You used reliable sources with information that is common between both of them which proves the accuracy of the claim.

---

Your specificity in this comment was really helpful, especially the final statements, where you bring up the fact that this may not usually be a problem for most people. Also, the scientific aspects of the comment made it clear that there is a definite problem according to concrete studies.

Answer 3

It is possible to consume too much water, according to the claim.  According to” “https://www.healthline.com/health/overhydration#causes”, over hydration happens when "Your body’s water volume becomes too large for your kidneys to excrete," which can cause the body’s electrolytes, including sodium, to become overly diluted. Athletes who consume excessive amounts of water prior to or following an event typically experience this. Excessive water consumption throws the kidneys out of balance and interferes with their normal processes. Additionally, the human body has to manage its sodium content, and excessive water consumption alters this balance.

https://www.uhhospitals.org/blog/articles/2024/01/can-you-drink-too-much-water

Comments

While the claim is true and you do a great job further explaining why it is true, there are a couple things you could do to better your fact checking. For one you could look into the reliability of the articles. What makes the article you cited specifically reliable? While the overarching claim is true, are the specific quotes and details they state true? For instance, the article you cite recommends drinking 78-100 oz of water a day. Where does this statistic come from? Health professionals? You could look at other trusted articles to corroborate this fact.

---

Although your claim is correct, this response could have been stronger with a little more detail and a more reliable source set. I think it might be helpful to look into more health professional guided websites rather than something where non-professionals can give information.  It also might be helpful to have these questions aid in a response to add more detail: What information did your source add to the claim to make more concrete evidence? What differed from the original claim? Can I find mutiple sources to back up this reasoning, or is only one source getting to this conclusion?

Answer 4

This claim is correct according to various reputable sources online, that support that claim that your body and kidneys can process about 1 liter of water a hour. So anything above that is risky and some people including athletes and people who suffer from kidney/liver disease are at risk for over hydration. Supported by the article "Water: How much should you drink every day?" by Mayo Clinic, "When you drink too much water, your kidneys can't get rid of the excess water. The sodium content of your blood becomes diluted. This is called hyponatremia and it can be life-threatening." Highlighting the risks of drinking water too much and too fast. As well as that water is healthy, but like eveything in moderation. Proving the claim to be correct and sourced reputably.

Comments

You did well with your fact check by proving why the original claim that drinking too much water can be risky is true and you backed it with providing another source to help support your claim.

---

I like how you went into further detail in elaborating how much and how it can affect your body, but you could have linked the articles you used. Other than that you did a good job!

---

I think that this is a really good fact check and you used a very reliable source with the Mayo Clinic, but it would be very helpful to include the link of the article that you read from the Mayo Clinic about over hydration.

Answer 5

Yes, it is indeed true. After examining a number of articles and studies such as the ones from Mayo Clinic, Healthline, and Cleveland Clinic which all have reputable histories in the medical industry with Mayo and Cleveland Clinic being incredibly reputable. They have all done a number of studies surrounding this topic and have come to the same conclusion of too much water can overload your kidneys and can lead to negative results. So overall your claim is correct and all the evidence seems to be accounted for and credible. 

Comments

I like how you mention multiple highly reputable and credible organizations that are well known for providing health-care related information. I appreciate how you state the numerous amount of studies regarding to "drinking too much water" and how that acts as evidence to support the claim being made. Great job.

---

Good job answering this claim. You did well at citing which websites you used to research and how reputable they can be. You also answered the claim very directly without having to overstate anything. One thing I would recommend is maybe be more specific with the science part of your answer. Breaking down what the kidneys do could help us understand a little more.

---

like how you mention the multiple articles to fact check this. with the cases and these studies it really does prove that drinking to much water can be dangerous

Answer 6

Your claim ‘You can drink too much water’ is true. Fact Checking, the source supporting this claim is legitimate, as it is a University of Hospitals article. Among research, I found out University of Hospitals is “one of the nation's leading healthcare systems” made up of renowned experts- obviously a source knowledgeable on the subject at hand. The article uses actress Brooke Shields as a case study, stating she suffered a seizure from drinking too much water. After researching, I found this to be confirmed in an article from theconversation.com, chronicling her experience with hyponatremia. An NBC news story corroborated the second case study mentioned in this article- a woman who died after a water drinking competition in 2007. Furthermore, this article is also valid among the specific facts. Mayo clinic, a site dedicated to helping diagnose and treat medical challenges, confirms the University of Hospitals article. It explains how when you drink too much water, your kidneys can not get rid of excess water, resulting in diluted sodium contents. In the end, the claim is true and the article is a honest source. 

Comments

I appreciate how you found evidence from other sources confirming the cases used in the article. It would be helpful to link your articles so that, if needed, someone can access the same sources you used.

---

I think this was a great fact check. It was really beneficial to read not only information from the source but also using information that you found related to the topic.

Answer 7

The source that you used to back the claim that you can drink too much water is reliable. It uses scientifically proven information to provide context to its claims. Upon doing my own research, I found this claim to be true as well. The short term affects of drinking too much water include headaches, nausea, and in some cases vomiting. The long term effect can be much more serious, as the kidney begins to be unable to get rid of the excess water. This causes the dilution of the sodium content of the blood. This condition is called hyponatremia and can lead to death. Overall this claim is true but is slightly misleading because you have to drink an extreme amount of water for any of these affects to take place. 

Comments

I agree, I didn't realize drinking too much water could become a dangerous issue. The examples of the radio show contestant and the actress dying from too much water was an interesting fact to add and I think hooks the readers from the beginning. I agree, the claim is true and backed up with many pieces of evidence... but is slightly exaggerated because in order to die from water intake you need to drink an abnormal amount of water.

Answer 8

Hello! After doing some research on this topic, I found that it is indeed possible to drink too much water to the point where its bad for your health. According to the Mayo Clinic, "When you drink too much water, your kidneys can't get rid of the excess water. The sodium content of your blood becomes diluted. This is called hyponatremia and it can be life-threatening." The Mayo Clinic is a very reliable source that only shares true information. With that being said, drinking too little and too much water is unhealthy for a plethora of reasons. Drinking 2.7-3.7 liters of water each day is a great way to stay healthy (Mayo Clinic). 

www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256#:~:text=So%20how%20much%20fluid%20does,fluids%20a%20day%20for%20women 

Mayo Clinic

https://www.mayoclinic.org › water › art-20044256

Mayo Clinic

https://www.mayoclinic.org › water › art-20044256

Answer 9

This is accurate. Drinking too much water can be dangerous for your health due to a condition called water intoxication. When you consume excessive amounts of water, it can dilute the concentration of sodium in your blood. Sodium is essential for maintaining the balance of fluids in and around your cells. Excessive dilution of sodium can lead to hyponatremia, where sodium levels become abnormally low.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/water-intoxication

Comments

You’re right that water intoxication is a serious issue, but it’s really rare for most people. The body generally handles water pretty well, and you’d need to drink a lot in a short time to reach dangerous levels, like several gallons. Most cases happen with athletes who overhydrate without balancing electrolytes​.

Answer 10

You can drink too much water. Three to four liters of water, if drank in a short amount of time, can cause water poisoning. According to the article, "Water Intoxication" by the Cleveland Clinic, water intoxication can result in seizures, delirium, coma, and even death in extreme cases. If you can water intoxication, you can treat it simply by stopping your water intake, and in extreme cases, you may need diuretics or IV fluids.