It is possible to drink too much water. When this happens, the result is water intoxication, a condition known in medicalterms as hyponatremia. Hyponatremia occurs when the body’s sodium levels fall dangerously low, which can happen when an excessive amount of water has been ingested, causing a dramatic boost in the levels of blood plasma. This dilutes the salt content of the blood, which is furtherreduced by sweating, and thus reduces the amount of salt available to the tissues in the body, which can lead to swelling in the brain and a leaking of fluid into the lungs It also affects muscle and heart function.
The symptoms of hyponatremia are usually headaches, dizziness, nausea and fatigue It can cause seizures, unconsciousness and even death. Hyponatremia occurs rarely, however, and, when it does,it’s usually suffered by athletes who have exerted them selves for a long period of time, losing a lot of salt through sweating then re-hydrating with plain water.
There have been a number of cases in the last ten years of people dying from this condition while running long distances. Hyponatremia can be prevented by eating salty foodsand drinking sports drinks specially designed to replace lost electrolytes. It is recommended by some that people should drink only when they are thirsty, and that athletes shoulddrink only as much as they sweat. An oft-quoted suggestedamount to drink is six to eight cups of water per day.
No comments:
Post a Comment