Can drinking too much water kill you?

While dehydration is often discussed, many people are surprised to learn that it is possible to drink too much water. 

Drinking too much water can dilute the sodium levels in your bloodstream. According to Dr Darren Green, Mediclinic Corporate Event Manager, this condition is called hyponatraemia, which develops when your sodium levels become dangerously low, due to overhydration or underhydration. Sodium plays an important role in regulating fluid balance inside and outside of your cells. When levels drop too low, water moves into your cells, causing them to swell. In severe cases, this can affect the brain and even become life-threatening. This could lead to confusion, resulting in changes in behaviour, poor coordination, or reduced levels of consciousness. 

Situations that could lead to water intoxication

• Taking part in endurance sports such as running and cycling, increases the risk of low sodium levels when athletes drink more fluid than their bodies can lose through sweat and urine.
• Working in extreme heat, which causes you to drink an excessive amount of fluids
• Psychogenic polydipsia, a condition that causes excessive water intake
• Using substances like ecstasy, which increase your thirst levels
• Having a low body mass, for example, infants are especially vulnerable
• Taking certain medications, such as antidepressants, can increase water intake due to dry mouth or increased thirst as a side effect, which leads to higher water intake.

Symptoms of water intoxication

• Nausea and vomiting
• Bloated stomach
• Headache
• Feeling drowsy
• Muscle weakness
• Muscle pain
• Muscle cramps
• Changes in your mental status, including confusion, irritability and dizziness
• Swelling (oedema) in your hands, feet and belly