Many people now carry water bottles and it has become their habit. It is often seen as a symbol of staying healthy and hydrated. Nevertheless, health experts have now sounded the alarm for those who are inseparable from their “emotional support water bottle”. If you’re one of those people, then this is for you!
It is a healthy habit to drink plenty of water, stay hydrated, and take sips of water. However, if this thing is taken too far, then according to health experts, it can also cause serious harm directing to a fixation on hydration.
Dr. Kambiz Kalantari, a nephrologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota stated “It’s not easy to overwhelm your kidneys. But there are situations in which people are obsessed with drinking water. … We’re talking about 10, 15 liters that overwhelm their kidneys.”
Follow the Guidelines:
To avoid excessive water intake, one should follow the below-mentioned guidelines:
There is an old saying about how much water one should drink that does not fit every person as there is a difference in activity, physique, and other factors.
The National Academy of Medicine recommended consuming 3.7 liters of water for males and 2.7 liters of water for females in a day including beverages and food.
On the other hand, Mayo Clinic suggests drinking 8 cups of water which keeps the hydration levels balanced.
However, it all depends on how much water your body needs.
Dr. Kambiz Kalantari said it is not necessary to drink forcefully if you’re not thirsty.
Over drinking water can cause kidneys to excrete the excess fluids which can cause a lot of urination, he added.
If a person has difficulty in the excretion of the fluid when the kidneys become overwhelmed, it can drive a person to visit the hospital.
As per Dr. Kambiz Kalantari, there is a limit to the amount of fluid the kidneys can excrete if a person has not eaten enough food all day.
Dr Ryan Bober, an internal medicine specialist with Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, said: “If you start to get to the point where you don’t really have much of a thirst mechanism then you’ve kind of pushed yourself into the range of overhydration.”
Water Intoxication
Water intoxication occurs when the excess amount of water from the body cannot be removed from sweating or urinating. This can cause hyponatremia which the sodium level of the blood is less than normal.
The symptoms of intoxication are confusion, irritability, nausea, and vomiting. However, in some serious cases, comas, seizures, or even death can occur, according to Dr Bober.
Moderate cases of overhydration normally resolve when a person stops drinking water and the excess amount of fluid makes its way out of the body.
According to CNN, researchers in a 2022 study theorized that martial artist and actor Bruce Lee lost his life from hyponatremia “high chronic fluid intake”. Due to the use of marijuana, the thirst increases, and alcohol intake and prescription drugs can affect the kidneys.
Do Bober stated, “The emotional support water bottle has its perks, but even drinking water needs to be in moderation — and the reusable bottle should be cleaned regularly.”
You can also watch this video by Ms. Aroosa Touseef – Consultant Nutritionist in which she talks about What Happens When You Drink Water On an Empty Stomach.
If you have any kidney or urinary issues, then you can consult the best nephrologist or urologist in Pakistan via Marham.pk.
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