Too much water? How much is that?

[jbsegal]

I think I know that too much water consumption can be bad for you, throwing off electrolyte balances (at least) and perhaps diluting water-soluble vitamins too much.

The thing is, how much is too much?

I don't seriously think it's an issue, but I might as well ask.

Thanks!

Comments

[merde.livejournal.com]

ask and you shall receive: http://www.erowid.org/culture/health/health_water_poisoning.shtml

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

I remember watching an interview on tv years ago, on a public teacher-education channel, and the interviewee was an expert of some sort on adolescent health. The subject was making sure teenagers get enough water throughout the day, and how dehydration can effect thinking.

Anyway, the expert gave a general rule of thumb that has stuck in my mind all these years -- that we need approximately one ounce of water for every three pounds that we weigh (depending on activity levels, food intake, and the like, natch), and she recommended taking it in small sips at a time every 45 minutes or so, throughout the day.

I think that timing bit is important: "8 glasses a day" is the one-size fits all recommendation, but "8 glasses in an hour" may cause a problem...

[smoakes777.livejournal.com]

My understanding is that while you CAN drink too much water, it's not easy. Most cases are marathon runners who pound water during their run, and people in the military (who are often given water instead of breaks), and people on ecstasy, which can sometimes cause people to think they are thirstier than they are.
Regular water intake is almost certainly not going to be a problem. You have to drink so much water, so fast, that you're going to stop wanting it long before it becomes a problem.
There have been a few deaths in the last year; in every case it was because the emergency workers thought the people were suffering from dehydration and forced fluids. There has been more education regarding water intoxication, but that has caused people to get worried. The fact is, most people- people who are working out less than six hours a day and are making sure they have good friends watching them when they do drugs -are probably never going to come close to having a problem.

This is only according to what I've read (my current medication causes me to be very thirsty, all the time, so I tried to find out what I could). There may be other info out there that I don't know about.

DHMO

[dmk.livejournal.com]

There's really only one website devoted to Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO), and they do have an MSDS. Unfortunately, they list the LD50 for a mouse, not a human. On a serious note, it takes more than you could comfortably drink to do damage. The only cases I've heard of were marathon runners, people involved in hazing, and people on recreational drugs that have a side effect of making them think they're more thirsty than they are.

[c1.livejournal.com]

Everything I've read suggests that no-one really knows how much water you need, or how much is too much.

Me! Me!

[lifecollage.livejournal.com]

Rather than speaking from science, I'll speak from personal experience.

At work, I keep a 32-oz Nalgene bottle (the Sci-Fi one from Powells") filled at at my desk. I try to go through it once during the day, preferably twice. However, I find that if I drink half or more of it in a short period of time, I get woozy and lightheaded, unable to focus. This supports the electrolyte balance theory, because it's the same feeling as I get if I'm de-hydrated. Drinking a few sips per hour, as someone mentioned above, seems to have the best effect.

[catya.livejournal.com]

more than a gallon a day is unlikely to be healthy.

[signsoflife.livejournal.com]

I don't have a lot to add to the above, except that most of that feeling of illness that comes from ordinary-level electrolyte imbalance can be restored with salt. If you're dehydrated from sweating, you don't just need plain water -- you need salt, or you'll just pee it right out again.

(The other class of people who sometimes die of water poisoning are people with certain mental illnesses and brain damage, and people on certain medications that cause the feeling of constant intense thirst.)

[amberwood.livejournal.com]

I drink mass quantities of water every day... like a couple gallons. When I was in the hospital last time (not related to water) the nursing staff was astounded at the amount of water I drank and tested me for stuff. Seems I was totally fine with a couple gallons a day. One thing is that I don't toss down huge amounts at one time, I am a constant sipper. Oh, and yes, I pee a LOT. Been nicknamed Pee Queen for many years. Drove the nurses crazy having to change the cath bag all the time.. hehe.

too much

[librarian.livejournal.com]

there's too much like "will put you in the hospital" and there's too much like "you will not feel your best. When i was at Burning Man, they always stressed that while you shoudl drink a lot of water, more than you might normally, you also needed to keep your salt intake up because otherwise you'd get all out of kilter, feel really sick, and basically toss your electrolyte balance out of wack. I've done this a few times -- I drink an awful lot of water -- and it feels lousy, but sometimes it's tough to tell what's wrong. So, if you think you've drunk too much water, try to eat somethign salty and see if you don't feel better in a hurry.