How is too much water bad

You just need to listen, as one study from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine suggests. Drinking too much water too quickly is how you get in trouble.

According to this study , one dangerous condition called acute water toxicity is due to the rapid consumption of large quantities of fluids that greatly exceeded the kidney's maximal excretion rate. A healthier hydration approach: Drink small amounts more frequently throughout the day. Foods that have a high water content count toward your total liquid consumption in a great way because it would be very hard to over-hydrate by eating water-rich foods.

Iceberg lettuce is another one—it may be lacking in the nutrient department compared to darker leafy greens, but it's 96 percent water. And remember, unhealthy beverages sodas, juices, energy drinks, etc. Instead, check out these tasty, healthy ways to stay hydrated. Hydration is healthy—up to a point. Read on to learn your limit. By Michele Promaulayko. Read more. Read This Next.

If your muscle pain or weakness continues even after you've reduced your water intake, it's worth checking in with a doctor. Per Mayo Clinic, drinking too much water can result in a loss of energy, drowsiness, or a constant feeling of fatigue because of the creation of an electrolyte imbalance within the body.

Try cutting back on excessive water intake to see if overhydration might be causing your lingering fatigue. One sign of overhydration or water intoxication is a feeling of confusion or disorientation. This is linked to falling levels of electrolytes, such as sodium, in the body. In extreme cases, drinking too much water and lowering the sodium concentration in your blood can cause your brain to swell dangerously.

If you begin experiencing symptoms, like confusion, seizures, or loss of consciousness, you may want to seek immediate medical attention. How much water are you supposed to drink a day, debunking the 8-cups-a-day myth.

I drink a gallon of water a day — here are my tips for staying well hydrated. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options.

Get the Insider App. It's not salty enough. So some of that extra water rushes into the cell to restore balance and that causes it to swell up. Doctors call this water intoxication and it's a big problem.

Now, most of your cells can handle the swelling to a degree since soft, flexible tissue like fat and muscle can stretch. But for the cells in your brain, it's another story, because your skull isn't stretchy.

It's bone. It's hard — like a rock. But as the pressure increases, you risk brain damage, coma, and even death. And it could all be over in less than ten hours. A year-old woman, for example, died the same evening after drinking between glasses of water. And a group of US Army trainees suffered vomiting and seizes after downing over 2 liters per hour after a tough day of training.

Alcohol causes your body to lose more fluid than you get from the beverage itself, while heavily caffeinated energy drinks may have so much caffeine in them that they also act as a diuretic. For every pound you lost over the course of the workout, drink around two cups of water or a sports beverage to replenish, and try to do so over the next several hours following the workout.

The decrease in bathroom trips is just an added bonus. By Krissy Brady September 24, Pin FB More. Struggling to cook healthy?