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

This fact-check does a great job of highlighting the potential dangers of drinking excessive water, such as hyponatremia, which can disrupt electrolyte balance and cause serious health issues. While it's true that overhydration can be harmful, the article could have provided more context on how common this issue is compared to dehydration, which is typically more dangerous. Additionally, since a person’s ideal water intake varies, it would be helpful to include guidelines on what constitutes “too much” water, especially for those at higher risk. Overall, the explanation is solid!

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This claim is well informed and backed by information that is researched by professionals, according to the link attached to the post. What is not proven however, is "Overhydration can be more harmful than dehydration." After cross analyzing between the two linked sources, Dehydration and Overhydration dangers revolve around heat and difference in intake of water. In other terms, dehydration and overhydration are both equally dangerous due to changes in heat and the level of water intake. Adding this small detail prior to posting about the dangers of overhydration and comparing it to dehydration, its important to identify how related the two symptoms are.

Sources: https://www.outsideonline.com/health/nutrition/is-overhydration-more-dangerous-than-dehydration/
https://www.skratchlabs.com/blogs/science-products/is-overhydration-more-dangerous-than-dehydration#:~:text=The%20long%20story%20short%20is,deaths%20from%20hyponatremia.

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I believe that excessive water intake is bad, but maybe include any studies that show why. It also varies depending on people’s water intake and how much they are able to drink.

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Yes this claim is true. Water in excess amounts can be deadly according to plenty government websites. There have also been people who have died from drinking too much water, this term is called water poising, according to many reputable news sources.

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Your fact-check is correct although this article does not prove or backup the statement that too much water can be worse than dehydration. I do not think there have been enough studies done to be able to prove this. Maybe you could’ve provided a link to an article that backups that claim.

Answer 1

This statement is true. Drinking too much water can have severe consequences including fatality in extreme rare cases. Typically drinking too much water applies to when too much water is drank in a short period of time too fast, unless speaking about somebody with certain health issues for instance kidney problems, liver disease, and uncontrolled diabetes these are just a couple of examples. According to the article “Overhydration” from “Healthline” “…it’s possible to have too much water in your body. This can cause water toxicity. This is when your body’s water is more than your kidneys can excrete. It can lead to a dangerous electrolyte imbalance.” Also according to an article from “MedicalNewsToday” “ Overhydration and water intoxication happen when a person drinks more water than their kidneys can get rid of via urine. The amount of water is not the only factor — time also plays a role. According to figures quoted in a 2013 study, the kidneys can eliminate about 20–28 liters of water a day, but they can remove no more than 0.8 to 1.0 liters every hour.” Something else stated was “A buildup of fluid in the brain is called cerebral edema. This can affect the brain stem and cause central nervous system dysfunction. In severe cases, water intoxication can cause seizures, brain damage, a coma, and even death.”https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318619#dangers

https://www.healthline.com/health/overhydration#fa-qs

Trusted Source

Answer 2

You can in fact drink too much water! According to the CDC you can't drink more than 48 oz per hour this can cause the concentration of salt to become too low in the blood and can cause a medical emergency. Mayo Clinic also says that if you drink too much water, the sodium in your blood becomes diluted and can cause hyponatremia.

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.

https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/water-healthy-drinks/index.html

Answer 3

This claim is true. According to the article by University Hospitals, it is possible to overwhelm your kidneys and to over-hydrate which causes the sodium within in your body to diminish causing other symptoms. The claim, however, should have included that the kidney has a limit based on time and volume, so you can drink enough water to overwhelm your kidneys during the day, but it should be spaced out enough to not overwhelm.

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

Answer 4

This is true. Drinking too much water can lead to something called water toxicity. It is when the water starts to dilute your body with sodium and electrolytes. If you start to experience water toxicity, you will need to go to the hospital. According to Healthline," Overhydration due to drinking too much water causes water toxicity, an electrolyte imbalance that can cause symptoms ranging from nausea and headaches to unconsciousness and coma."  As much as you want to hydrate a lot, be careful not to overdue it.

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