American woman dies of water toxicity
A 35-year-old woman died from water toxicity in July after drinking almost two litres of water in about 20 minutes, according to American media reports.
On July 4, while on a holiday to Indiana’s Lake Freeman with her husband and two daughters, Ms Ashley Summers was feeling dehydrated and felt she could not drink enough water on that day. She was believed to have felt light-headed and had a headache.
The woman made it home, but fainted in the garage. She was then taken to the IU Health Arnett Hospital in Lafayette, Indiana, but never regained consciousness.
“Someone said she drank four bottles of water in 20 minutes. I mean, an average water bottle is like 16 ounces (473ml), so that was 64 ounces that she drank in a span of 20 minutes. That is half a gallon. That is what you’re supposed to drink in a whole day,” her brother Devon Miller told the WRTV television station in Indianapolis.
Doctors told her family the cause of death was water toxicity, reported WRTV.
“It was a shock to all of us. When they first started talking about water toxicity. It was like this is a thing?” said Mr Miller.
The family then decided to raise awareness about the condition.
Dr Blake Froberg, a toxicologist with IU Health, was quoted by WRTV as saying: “There are certain things that can make someone more at risk for it, but the overall thing that happens is that you have too much water and not enough sodium in your body.”
Someone suffering from water toxicity may have symptoms such as feeling generally unwell, muscle cramps and soreness, nausea and headaches.
Dr Froberg added that the condition is rare, but in the summer, if you work outdoors or exercise a lot, it is important to have a hydration plan.
“Make sure that you’re drinking things that have electrolytes and sodium and some potassium,” Dr Froberg told the American media.
The tips below can help people spot if they are overconsuming water, reported Shape magazine. As it depends on each person’s lifestyle and needs, speak to your doctor before drastically cutting or upping your water consumption.
You fill your bottle multiple times daily
If a typical water bottle holds about 500ml of fluid, and you fill it over six times daily, there is a possibility you may be over hydrated, especially if you remain sedentary indoors and do not perspire much.
Your urine is clear
It is almost transparent.
You show signs of hyponatremia
According to the Mayo Clinic, hyponatremia is when the concentration of sodium in your blood is abnormally low. “Sodium is an electrolyte, and it helps regulate the amount of water that’s in and around your cells,” it says.
“In hyponatremia, the sodium in your body becomes diluted. Your body’s water levels rise, and your cells begin to swell. This swelling can cause many health problems, from mild to life-threatening.”
Hyponatremia signs and symptoms may include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headache
- Confusion
- Loss of energy, drowsiness and fatigue
- Restlessness and irritability
- Muscle weakness, spasms or cramps
- Seizures
- Coma
Why do people suffer from headaches after drinking too much water? It turns out the low sodium count of the blood causes cells to swell, which might cause the brain to expand. People may suffer headaches as this expansion pushes the brain against the skull, which causes a painful throbbing.
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