![]() Hyponatremia among runners in the Boston Marathon. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. ![]() We link primary sources - including studies, scientific references, and statistics - within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. Water intoxication and prolonged hyponatremia also occurred in an otherwise healthy 22-year-old prisoner who drank 6 liters of water in 3 hours.įinally, according to one report, a 9-year-old girl developed water intoxication after consuming 3.6 liters of water in 1–2 hours.īottom line: The kidneys can remove 20–28 liters of water per day, but they cannot excrete more than 0.8 to 1.0 liters per hour. ![]() The authors of the study report that hyponatremia symptoms can develop if a person drinks 3–4 liters of water in a short period, though they do not give a specific time estimate.Īccording to one case report, soldiers developed symptoms after consuming at least 2 quarts (1.9 liters) of water per hour.Īnother report describes the development of hyponatremia after drinking more than 5 liters in a few hours. To avoid hyponatremia, it is important not to outpace the kidneys by drinking more water than they can eliminate. The amount of water is not the only factor - time also plays a role.Īccording to figures quoted in a 2013 study, the kidneys can eliminate about 20–28 liters of water a day, but they can remove no more than 0.8 to 1.0 liters every hour. Overhydration and water intoxication happen when a person drinks more water than their kidneys can get rid of via urine. It is most common among people with schizophrenia, but it can also arise in people with affective disorders, psychosis, and personality disorders.īottom line: Water intoxication can be life threatening, and it is most common among soldiers in training, endurance athletes, and people with schizophrenia. Mental health conditionsĬompulsive water drinking, also called psychogenic polydipsia, can be a symptom of various mental health conditions. According to one report, a soldier who received an incorrect diagnosis of dehydration and heat stroke died from water intoxication as a result of rehydration efforts. The symptoms of hyponatremia can be misinterpreted as those of dehydration. These deaths were associated with drinking more than 5 liters of water in just a few hours. Their blood sodium levels were 115–130 mmol/l, while the normal range is 135–145 mmol/l.Īccording to another report, three soldiers died due to hyponatremia and cerebral edema. One medical report described 17 soldiers who developed hyponatremia after drinking too much water during training. The runner then developed water on the brain, known as hydrocephalus, and a hernia in his brain stem, which caused his death. One case involved a runner who had collapsed after a marathon.īecause he was improperly rehydrated, his sodium levels fell below 130 mmol/l. Instances of water intoxication at these events have resulted in death. It can happen if a person drinks a lot of water without correctly accounting for electrolyte losses.įor this reason, hyponatremia often occurs during major sporting events.Īs the authors of one study report, out of 488 participants in the 2002 Boston Marathon, 13% had hyponatremia symptoms, and 0.6% had critical hyponatremia, with sodium levels of less than 120 mmol/l. ![]() Water intoxication is particularly common among endurance athletes. Water intoxication most commonly affects people participating in sporting events or endurance training, or people who have various mental health conditions. However, it can happen - there have been numerous medical reports of death due to excessive water intake. Water intoxication is rare, and it is very difficult to consume too much water by accident. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |