Can drinking too much water have disadvantages? Know negative impact on kidneys

Written By DNA Web Team | Updated: Mar 28, 2023, 01:17 PM IST

Your kidneys cannot eliminate excess water when you consume too much water and this is how overconsumption of water can cause problem in the body.

Much of a person's health is taken care of by keeping their body hydrated, but anything over a certain point might be problematic. Water makes up between 50% and 70% of your body weight and is the primary chemical in your body. Water is essential for your body to survive. Your body's organs, cells, and tissues all require water to function properly.

What happens when you drink too much water?

For healthy individuals, drinking too much water rarely causes problems. Occasionally, athletes may overhydrate themselves when engaging in prolonged or strenuous exercise. Your kidneys cannot eliminate excess water when you consume too much water. Your blood's salt concentration dilutes. This condition is known as hyponatremia, and it may be fatal.

Your breath, sweat, urination, and bowel motions all contribute to daily water loss. You must refill your body's water supply by ingesting liquids and meals that contain water in order for it to function correctly.

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How much water should a person consume daily?

However, there is no standard recommendation for how much water a person should consume each day. The amount of physical activity you engage in and your body weight will determine how much water your body needs. The weather plays an important part in it in addition to this.

Dr. Yajvendra Pratap Singh Rana, Associate Director of Urology and Uro Oncology at BLK-Max Superspeciality Hospital, states that it is okay to drink up to 3 litres of water on average days and 3.5 litres during the summer, Aaj Tak reported.

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Impact on kidney

Our kidneys are directly impacted by overhydration, which can be highlighted by consuming excessive amounts of water. Many individuals believe that drinking more water is essential to maintaining the health of the kidneys. It's not like that, though. According to medical professionals, drinking a lot of water makes your kidneys function harder to eliminate waste.

You feel anxious and worn out as a result of the hormonal reaction this triggers. Even after consuming a lot of water, your kidneys may be working beyond their capacity if you are unable to urinate. By diluting the sodium and other electrolytes in your system, excessive fluid intake can result in water intoxication, which can lead your cells to enlarge, such as the cells in your brain, according to Mayo Clinic. This ailment poses a hazard to life.