Balanced hydration is a cornerstone of our overall well being. When we’re adequately hydrated through our choice of food and drinks, we’re able to think more clearly, get better quality sleep and just generally function at our best. It’s likely you’re well aware of the many physical benefits of good hydration and rarely feel really dehydrated.
It’s been reported 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated and is prominent among older adults, with reported rates in the United States ranging from 17% to 28%(1).
However, did you know that overhydration can happen too? Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of overhydration, we’ll get into it to help you understand overhydration symptoms and how to fix overhydration immediately and safely.
WHAT IS OVERHYDRATION AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
It’s pretty common knowledge that it’s important to drink enough water throughout the day. But it’s entirely possible that you can drink too much water; what constitutes too much is dependent on a few different factors. Overhydration occurs when we lose the balance of water to essential minerals in the body by drinking too much water, particularly after intense exercise.
Our bodies are incredible at maintaining a very delicate balance of minerals and electrolytes, ensuring that they’re in the right place at the right time - electrolyte water like Pocari can also help with this balance.
Our body’s essential electrolytes are sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride and calcium. These electrolytes need to be in balance in order to maintain healthy blood, heart rhythm, muscle function and many other vital functions. Dehydration in adults is caused by an imbalance between fluid intake and loss, often leading to a disruption in the balance of total body electrolytes. Drinking too much water on the other hand can cause sodium levels to plummet - and this is usually the first of potentially more overhydration symptoms(2).
However, it’s important to understand that drinking a large amount of water typically won’t cause overhydration if the pituitary gland, kidneys, liver, and heart are functioning normally. To exceed the body’s ability to excrete water, a young adult with normal kidney function would have to drink more than 6 gallons (about 23 liters) of water a day (3).
WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR BODY WHEN YOU DRINK TOO MUCH WATER?
While it may be relatively rare to go into full-blown overhydration, there are risks involved with drinking too much water. When a person consumes an excessive amount of water, cells in their brain start to swell which causes the pressure inside their skull to increase.
This causes the first symptoms of water intoxication, which include headaches, nausea and vomiting. If this pressure increases it could cause conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and bradycardia (low heart rate).
Your brain cells are the most likely to be impacted by swelling or low sodium levels. If you are slightly overhydrated, you may have no symptoms, have mild fatigue, or feel distracted. If you don't drink too much water too quickly, the brain cells can adapt to the extra fluid in your body(4).
WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS AND OVERHYDRATION SYMPTOMS?
Early awareness and understanding the key signs of overhydration is key to preventing any issues from escalating. Oftentimes, signs of overhydration are remarkably similar to the signs of dehydration but both are easy to treat at home so look out for the following:
Nausea or vomiting; When you have too much water in the body, the kidneys can't remove the excess liquid. It starts collecting in the body, leading to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Throbbing headaches that don't go away. Excess water in the body causes the body's salt levels to go down and the cells to swell. This swelling causes them to grow in size and this pressure causes a throbbing headache which can become more severe if left untreated. It can also cause a sense of confusion, disorientation and brain fog.
Discoloration of the hands, feet, and lips. When you’re over hydrated cells swell in the body and can cause some swelling or discoloration of your skin, feet, hands, and lips.
When your electrolyte levels drop because of drinking too much water, your body's balance goes down. Low electrolyte levels in the body can cause weak muscles that spasm and cramp up easily.
Tiredness or fatigue. When your kidneys are working extra hard to remove excess water, this creates a hormonal reaction that can make you feel stressed and tired. If you feel like you can't get out of bed after drinking too much water, it's because your kidneys are overworking.
One of the best ways to determine if you’re drinking enough water is to monitor the color of your urine. It usually ranges from pale yellow to tea-colored in relation to the water level in your body and if the pee is often clear, that's a sure sign you're drinking too much water in a short span.
WHO’S AT RISK OF OVERHYDRATION?
Water toxicity from overhydration is more common among endurance athletes who drink large amounts of water before and during exercise. It has been reported among:
- people who run marathons and ultramarathons (races longer than 26.2 miles)
- ironman triathletes
- endurance cyclists
- rugby players
- elite rowers
- military members involved in training exercises
- hikers
This condition is also more likely in people with kidney or liver disease. It can also affect people with heart failure. Overhydration is also more common in people with heart, kidney, or liver disorders where kidneys can’t function normally. Certain medications, such as some diuretics and some antidepressants, can also cause overhydration in susceptible people (5).
HOW MUCH WATER IS TOO MUCH?
Having a few glasses of water on a hot day or after a workout shouldn’t lead to overhydration. In fact, people rarely drink enough to become overhydrated. It’s more common among athletes or those who do intense workouts as they may overdo their water intake, trying to stay hydrated, or by drinking a significant amount in too short a period of time.
Everyone has individualized hydration needs, but the National Academy of Medicine recommends generally that women should drink 9 cups of water daily, and men should drink 13 cups (6).
HOW DO I PREVENT OR MANAGE OVERHYDRATION?
You can’t prevent all causes of overhydration or water intoxication, but generally speaking you can help by tuning into your body and its cues by drinking water in small amounts regularly and to stop drinking if you feel nauseous, bloated or have a headache.
Drinking sports drinks and hydrating electrolyte drinks such as Pocari, 100% fruit juice or coconut water in moderation can help prevent overhydration; these work to help replenish your water and sodium levels especially if you’re sweating a lot.
REFERENCES
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/#:~:text=Introduction,to%2028%25.%5B1%5D
- https://www.gundersenhealth.org/health-wellness/eat-move/are-you-over-hydrated
- https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/hormonal-and-metabolic-disorders/water-balance/overhydration?query=overhydration
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-is-too-much-water-intake#1-4
- https://www.healthline.com/health/overhydration#risks
- https://news.christianacare.org/2024/01/how-much-water-is-too-much/
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/water-intoxication
- https://www.healthline.com/health/overhydration#fa-qs
- https://reliantmedicalgroup.org/blog/2023/07/26/can-you-really-die-from-drinking-too-much-water/#:~:text=It's%20true%2C%20in%20certain%20instances,to%20death%20is%20quite%20rare
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318619#dangers