According to doctors in the UK, while we need to drink sufficient water in order to maintain our bodily fluids and stay hydrated, drinking too much water especially over a short period of time could kill you.
This statement came after a 59-year-old woman was rushed to hospital and almost died after consuming around 250ml of water every half-hour in an effort to relieve symptoms of a urinary tract infection.
The woman was admitted to hospital with what was first thought to be signs of a stroke, as she was shaking, vomiting and could not speak. What had actually happened was that, in her bid to rid herself of the infection, the woman drank so much water that the level of salt in her blood reached a fatally low level, also known as water poisoning.
“I have patchy recollections of being asked questions I understood but seemed unable to articulate answers for and found this distressing,” the patient said.
While drinking sufficient water is important, and drinking water helps the body to function optimally, relieves bloating and helps with digestion, drinking too much water can result in the depletion of vital electrolytes or salts such as sodium and chloride, which the body needs.
Although water intoxication is more common in infants, it can happen to adults who drink too much water too quickly too. Artist, Andy Warhol is thought to have died from water intoxication.
According to a study done by doctors Laura Christine Lee and Maryann Noronha, it might be time that doctors advise patients to drink less water.
“We frequently advise our patients to ‘drink plenty of fluids’ and ‘keep well hydrated’ when they are unwell,” their study concluded. “There is a need for more research to qualify our often-given advice to drink more fluids.”
As far as a UTI goes, it is better to see a doctor for antibiotics rather than try to drink the problem away with water.
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