What Is Overhydration?
All the body's cells need water to function well. But if you drink too much water, you can become overhydrated, which can be a serious condition.
There's no single formula to find out how much water you should drink daily. If you drink when you are thirsty and your urine is pale yellow, you are probably getting enough fluids. You can also follow the recommendation of eight glasses a day. You can then adjust your intake around this amount depending on your environment, exercise regimen, overall health, and conditions such as pregnancy or breastfeeding.
What Happens When You Drink Too Much Water?
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.
Water toxicity
If you drink a lot of water in a short period, you may move from mild overhydration to what's known as water toxicity, intoxication, or water poisoning. This happens when there's too much water in the cells (including brain cells), causing them to swell. When the cells in the brain swell, they cause pressure in the brain. You may start experiencing things such as confusion, drowsiness, and headaches. If this pressure increases it could cause conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure) and bradycardia (low heart rate).
Sodium is the electrolyte most affected by overhydration. Electrolytes, which have a positive or negative charge, help your body balance the amount of fluid in your cells. When sodium levels drop due to a high amount of water in the body, fluids get inside the cells and you can end up with hyponatremia. Your cells swell, putting you at risk of having seizures, going into a coma, or even dying. Normal blood sodium levels range from 135 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L) to 145 mEq/L. If they fall below 135 mEq/L, you are at risk for hyponatremia.
Has anyone died from drinking too much water?
It is rare to die from drinking too much water, but it has happened. It's most likely to occur during an unusual event such as taking part in a water-drinking contest, or after a night of dancing and sweating while taking ecstasy.
Why Do Some People End Up Drinking Too Much Water?
You are more likely to drink too little water than too much, which is why overhydration is not very common. But it's possible to drink too much water, have a health condition, or take medication that leads to overhydration and a drop in your sodium levels.
Extreme exercise
People tend to drink too much water when they are taking part in intense physical activities, such as marathons or other endurance exercises. You may think that a lot of water will help you perform better. Or you may drink too much water because you are worried about becoming dehydrated when you lose a lot of sweat.
Health conditions
A handful of health conditions can also cause you to retain water and reduce the sodium levels in your body. These include:
- Congestive heart failure: This can make you retain water.
- Chronic kidney disease or a kidney injury: When damaged, your kidneys may have a harder time balancing sodium and water levels in the body.
- Advanced liver disease (cirrhosis): This can cause fluid to build up and dilute the blood.
- Very high blood sugar (hyperglycemia): Your body may hold onto too much water if it's working to balance the high amount of sugar in the blood.
- Syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone (SIADH): Your body produces a hormone that holds onto water instead of releasing it in your pee.
- Adrenal gland insufficiency (Addison's disease): This can keep your body from balancing water, potassium, and sodium levels.
- Thyroid hormones: When these are low, it can reduce your body's sodium level.
Medications and drugs
Medications including diuretics, some antidepressants, and pain medications can impact the hormonal and kidney processes that keep your sodium levels normal. You are also at a greater risk of overhydration when you take ecstasy. This is mainly due to the way amphetamines increase your thirst and make you retain water.
Symptoms of Drinking Too Much Water
Clear pee. 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 due to the combination of the pigment urochrome and the water level in your body. If the pee is often clear, that's a sure sign you're drinking too much water in a short span.
Too many bathroom trips. Another sign is peeing more than usual. On average, you should urinate six to eight times a day. Going up to 10 times is normal for heavy water drinkers or people who regularly drink caffeine or alcohol.
Nausea or vomiting. The symptoms of overhydration can look like those of dehydration. 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. Headaches can signify both overhydration and dehydration. 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. So, the swollen cells in the brain press against the skull. This pressure causes a throbbing headache and may lead to brain impairment and trouble breathing.
Confusion and brain fog. The swollen cells in your brain can also cause you to feel confused or disoriented.
Discoloration of the hands, feet, and lips. When you’re overhydrated, you will notice some swelling or discoloration of your feet, hands, and lips. When the cells swell, the skin will also swell and change color.
Weak muscles that cramp easily. 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 muscle spasms and cramping.
Tiredness or fatigue. Drinking too much water causes your kidneys to work too hard to remove the excess amount. This creates a hormonal reaction that makes you feel stressed and tired. If you can't get out of bed after drinking too much water, it's because your kidneys are overworking.
Does drinking too much water lead to weight gain?
Drinking too much water won't make you gain weight. Overhydration can cause swelling in the lower legs and feet, possibly making it look or feel like you've gained weight.
Symptoms of water intoxication in babies
Breast milk or formula contains enough fluid for babies, especially through the first 6 months. You should only give your baby water after they have had their normal breast milk or formula. If you do supplement with water, give them no more than 2-3 ounces at a time. If your baby has had too much water, you might see these signs:
- Crankiness
- Lower-than-normal body temperature
- Facial swelling
- Seizures
- Very pale, or clear, urine
If your child is a little older, they may have symptoms more similar to those in an adult. These include:
- Confusion
- Sleepiness
- Inability to pay attention
- Blurry vision
- Muscle cramps
- Lack of coordination
- Weakness
- Breathing issues
- Nausea or vomiting
If you think your infant or child may be overhydrated, call their pediatrician. If you are concerned about water intoxication, take them to the emergency room immediately.
How Much Water Should You Drink in a Day?
There are no verified guidelines for the amount of water you need to drink daily. How much your body needs depends on your:
- Physical activity levels
- Climate
- Body weight
- Sex
Women between the ages of 19 and 30 should drink about 2.7 liters of water daily. Men of the same age need about 3.7 liters. Relying on your thirst levels may not work for everyone, especially athletes, older people, and pregnant women.
How many water bottles should I drink in a day?
Women can safely drink about three 1-liter bottles of water in one day. Men can drink about four bottles.
Is a half-gallon of water a day enough?
A half of a gallon of water is equal to about 2 liters. Most people should drink more water than that each day, especially if you are very physically active or live in a hot climate. A half-gallon is not enough if you are having signs of dehydration which include:
- Thirst
- Pee that is dark-colored or strong-smelling
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Peeing less than you normally do
- Dry mouth
- Sunken eyes
Takeaways
A large portion of the body is made of water, which is vital for cell function and life. Your body will alert you when it needs more water. When you drink too much, it can lead to fatal conditions. If you don't know how much water you should drink daily, stick to the popular advice of eight glasses a day.
Overhydration FAQs
Is 4 liters of water a day too much?
How much water you need varies from person to person. Women typically need less than 3 liters of water a day and men just under 4 liters. But if it's hot outside or you are exercising heavily, you may need more.
