Understanding the danger of exceeding the daily intake of fluid.
Maintaining water balance is one of the basic rules for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. After all, water, of which 80-90% of our body consists, is necessary for such important processes as digestion, blood circulation, heart function and control of brain temperature for its stable functioning. Moreover, the absence of dehydration has a beneficial effect on the beauty and youthfulness of the skin.
We often hear about the need to drink as much water as possible (from two liters per day or more). However, few people think about what an excess of fluid in the body can lead to.
Why do you want to drink more?
One of the main reasons why you are constantly thirsty is a change in the water-salt balance in the blood. A similar process occurs during sports or in the heat, when you sweat a lot. However, a similar phenomenon can be explained by diseases, which we described in detail here.
Consequences of drinking too much water
It is important to remember: excessive water intake is just as harmful as water deficiency. As a result of fluid oversaturation, you may experience overhydration, contributing to the development of potassium and sodium deficiencies.
Drinking more fluids every day than your body requires, you run the risk of facing the following negative consequences:
edema;
pressure increase;
headache;
low immunity;
gastrointestinal infections (due to dilution of gastric juice);
thinning of the blood and, as a result, the development of hyponatremia, which causes drowsiness, dizziness and loss of consciousness;
swelling of the brain, lungs and other terrible diseases (consequences of hyponatremia).
Sports nutritionist, nutritionist
– There is no one universal drinking regime for everyone. The amount of water consumed is calculated individually and depends on many factors:
gender, weight, age of a person;
physical activity;
environmental conditions – temperature and humidity;
the usual quantity, quality and composition of food;
health conditions, the presence of diseases, the need to take medications.
The guideline for calculating the individual body’s need for water is 30 ml per 1 kg of body weight for a healthy adult.
Excess water can adversely affect health. With excessive fluid intake, digestive problems can arise, and the load on the kidneys and heart increases.
There are people who need to be careful with drinking large amounts of water and use the recommendations for drinking water exclusively according to the testimony of specialists. For example, in chronic conditions such as hypertension and kidney failure, it is necessary to reduce fluid intake and strictly adhere to the recommendations of the attending physician. And healthy people should not forget about common sense.
What happens if you drink more than the body requires? Excessive amount of water:
creates an additional load on the kidneys, which filter the water, clearing it of impurities. This leads both to malfunctions in their work and to an increase in blood pressure;
flushes salts and minerals from the body, which leads to the development of various diseases;
leads to soft tissue edema.