I saw a recent story about the famous actress/model Brooke Shields having a grand mal seizure that she attributed to drinking too much water, which in turn, lowered her serum sodium to dangerous levels. The medical name for low sodium is “hyponatremia” and one of the potential life-threatening side effects of hyponatremia is brain swelling leading to seizures.
As you all know, I am always preaching about the health and weight-loss benefits of drinking lots of water. The benefits of water consumption (as opposed to other beverages) include:
- It lubricates the joints
- It forms saliva and mucus
- It boosts skin health and beauty
- It cushions the brain, spinal cord, and other sensitive tissues
- It regulates body temperature
- It flushes body waste
- It helps maintain blood pressure
- The airways need it
Another major benefit of drinking lots of water is the positive impact on weight control. Water tends to make us feel full so we do not turn to calorie-containing drinks/food and water intake helps drive up metabolic rates.
So, here begs the question: What is TOO MUCH water intake? The answer to this question has a caveat, and that is the hydration state of the person. For example, someone working out aggressively when it is hot outside will be losing LOTS of water. Therefore, this person should consume more water than the person laying on the sofa watching television with the air conditioner running.
We recommend 64-100 ounces of water intake per day. For those approaching 100 ounces, I recommend drinking electrolyte containing drinks such as Propel and Gatorade so you are also replacing potassium and sodium in addition to the water.
The answer to the question posed in this entry: Yes, there CAN be “Too Much” of a “good” thing, as in the case of water intake. Love, on the other hand, can never be too much (uh…unless it is the smothering type!)
And how about this oldie? A Doobie Brothers hit “ Black Water”
