How Much Water Is Too Much

Overhydration: Can You Drink Too Much Water?

Drinking enough water helps to regulate your temperature, can prevent constipation, flushes out waste products and generally keeps our bodies performing as they need to – however, you can drink too much water. Too much water can cause water toxicity which can create an electrolyte imbalance (or water poisoning).

When you drink more than your kidneys can excrete via your urine, the electrolytes (amount of sodium) in your body dilute which can lead to hyponatremia and inflammation. Hyponatremia can cause swelling of your brain cells, leading to your central nervous system malfunctioning. This can cause serious issues including death however this is rare and usually only happens when an underlying medical condition is causing your kidneys to retain fluid.

Symptoms Of Overhydration

• Colourless urine is a sign of overhydration (dark urine is a sign you’re not drinking enough water. Pale yellow urine is an indication your hydration is where it needs to be)
• Symptoms of hyponatremia caused by water toxicity can include nausea & vomiting, headaches, confusion or disorientation, drowsiness and muscle cramps

How Can You Prevent Overhydration?

One of the simplest ways to prevent overhydration is to listen to your body and taking the recommended daily water intake in mind. If your body is telling you you’re thirsty, trust that, but keep track of how much water you’re drinking. If you’re doing a high level of physical activity such as endurance training, we recommend talking to your health professionals to get advice about hydration tailored specifically to you.