Is water poisoning a myth?

[Rayskhanov]

Is it really possible toget poisoned by water? I was doing some reading and have seen thatthere have actually been cases where people would die because theydrank too much water. So how much water would be too much and letal?I believe many people will be surprised by this.

 

[SteveMobsterG]

It is entirely possible because, as you have read, it has happened. You'll also know, again because you say you've read up on it, how much it took. Feel free to write something up on it here for other members. I'm all for encouraging our members to inform other members. It's how we build a community.

 

[Lev Butlerov]

It is indeed possible to get water poisoning, and even die from it. First of all, our kidneys are able to process a maximum of 800-1000 mls of water per hour. When you workout this number gets reduced to 100-200 mls per hour. Excess water will be stored in cells, and will wash out your electrolites and minerals, and if that will happen in excess, you can get into trouble. There was a figure saying that it takes roughly 6 liters of water drank at once to die...but that is hard to do.

 

[stevesmi]

yes that is how people drown sometimes, they ingest so much water they die

but in a normal situation 99% of people drink too little water so it isn't something to worry about lol

 

[SteveMobsterG]

yes that is how people drown sometimes, they ingest so much water they die

but in a normal situation 99% of people drink too little water so it isn't something to worry about lol

By definition every time ha ha. Plus drowning is water in the lung not drunk. And water poisoning, as in this thread, is consumption by drinking.

 

[MasonicBodybuilder]

While it is possible, it is extremely unlikely. I bet you 99% of people are actually dehydrated most of the day.

I believe the danger has something to do with an electrolyte imbalance if you consume an insane amount of water.

 

[muskate]

It's possible. Basically you drink so much water so fast that you deplete your electrolytes so significantly that your heart stops working.

It's almost impossible though. You would need to drink around 4 gallons in less then then an hour.

 

[bestellen]

in a normal situation 99% of people drink too little water

 

[SteveMobsterG]

I'm not sure this is true. If anything we've gone in the other direction. We don't live five minutes from a source of water yet how often do you see people walking around with a bottle of (usually mineral) water. Get in a buddies car and they'll be water in it and so on.

What is true is we also drink a lot of other crap. So a TON of coffee and soft drinks (Gatorade, Cola and the like).

I always think of the mineral water, or indeed bottled and filtered water brought in a shop as the best scam ever. You can bottle water from a tap (via a filter ideally) for PENNIES but nooooo.... most would much rather spend 10-30x as much buying it. More so to be seen with the right label on their bottle. It is, as we Brits say, 'money for old rope'.