Often, I hear of different challenges, detox cleanses, weight-loss diets, step counting, cinnamon challenges and so many more. But one that sticks out is the water challenge.
At Lifestyle Wellness Club, we believe in building strong healthy happy communities, especially in a fun and challenging way, especially with a nutritional twist. Together let’s uncover potential health risks, steps to avoid dehydration and debunk some hydration myths.
What is Overhydration hyponatremia?
On a hot summer day, water/hydration is a good thing. It prevents dehydration, helps us from collapsing of heatstroke and keeps our bodies healthy and functioning properly.
But are there risks to drinking too much water? How much water is too much? Besides won’t I just pee out the excess water?
The Importance Of Water.
Water and proper fluid balance are important to life. Thirst is controlled in one of the oldest, deepest parts of our brain. There’s a complex regulatory system that organizes the delicate body balance of electrolytes (such as sodium and potassium) and fluids (i.e. water).
Simply put, the body tells the brain, “Hey I am thirsty, send water!” We respond by drinking water and the body is happy.
But sometimes we try to out-think our bodies and bring in –in excess– water because we “think” we are thirsty in fear of dehydration.
Have you ever slammed back a bottle of water because you thought you went too long without it? The reasoning behind this decision is that we must compensate by drinking a lot of water, all at once. Be it water or any other beverage of choice.
Yup, me too. Unintentionally we all do it.
What Happens When You Over Hydrate?
Drinking enormous amounts of water too quickly (and without replacing electrolyte/minerals properly) can lead to electrolyte imbalances in our body.
Hyponatremia (hypo meaning: low, natremia meaning: blood sodium), occurs when there is too much plain water and too little sodium in the body fluids outside our cells.
Essentially our cells, “drown.”
Too much water dilutes our extracellular sodium levels. Water then pours into our cells as our body tries to balance things and our cells swell. Not good.
As the water content of the blood continues to increase, the body can’t get rid of the fluids fast enough. The excess water then goes to the bowels, which pulls salt from the body, further diluting our body sodium. Then the brain swells.
Some of the first symptoms can include:
- headaches
- nausea
- vomiting
It’s a vicious cycle that leads to massive cellular damage affecting muscle, brain, heart liver, and kidney function.
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.
Medical News Today. Medically reviewed by Adrienne Seitz, MS, RD, LDN — Written by Arlene Semeco, MS, RD — Updated on May 14, 2020
Overhydration/hyponatremia is very real. The good news, it generally only happens to endurance athletes who train for hours, sweat significantly (losing lots of sodium in their sweat), and drink gallons of water without ever replenishing their sodium levels.
And in other reported cases, over-hydration has occurred when people drink too much water (usually in the range of 5-7 litres of plain water or more in the span of two to three hours) in some notable cases, as part of a water-drinking contest.
Myths About Hydration
You might have heard some myths about hydration, such as:
- MYTH: Your urine should be perfectly clear. And if i drink too much I’ll pee it out.
- MYTH: If you wait until you’re thirsty to drink, it’s too late and you’ll probably shrivel up like a raisin.
- MYTH: Real “fitness people” guzzle water like they just stumbled out of the Sahara.
None of these is true. You can rest easy and trust your body to give you thirst cues — it’s had millions of years to figure this water thing out.
Hydrating Safely
So how can we be sure to bring in a healthy amount of water?
Here are 4 tips to stay hydrated, safely;
- Drink when you are truly thirsty, Over-hydration isn’t necessarily about the amount of water you drink overall. It’s about whether your fluid intake overwhelms your body’s ability to deal with it. Size and environment matters. How much a small to a large male athlete from a small to a large female athlete training in the hot sun drinks. Differs from the requirements of a sedentary small to large male or female.
- Have a glass of water with meals. Not only will this help you absorb the sodium you consume, but it’ll also ensure that you don’t mistake thirst for hunger. (Another good body cue to learn and differentiate.)
- If you’re drinking a lot of water, include some sodium. Sodium tells your body to hang on to the water it has, rather than dumping it overboard. It also helps to maintain blood pressure and electrolyte equilibrium and allows organs, muscles and nerves to work properly. Endurance athlete trick! If you’re on a long run or ride without access to sodium and you’re sweating, lick your arm. You excrete sodium through your sweat.
- If you notice persistent thirst or salt cravings, let your doctor know. This could be a symptom of something else. (Yes, that means actually going to the doctor.)
Want A Challenge?
What you can Do Today!
Today, if you are up for a challenge:
- Drink only calorie free beverages
- Drink water responsibly and add a little salt if needed
- Drink when you are truly thirsty
In Closing
I hope fresh and clean water finds you well.
The fate of your health and happiness is in your hands or shall we say water bottle. Go forth, drink a small glass of water at each meal, drink water responsibly and add a little salt.