Hydration has been a crucial part of all fitness freaks daily ritual and while hydration is undoubtedly important to stay fit and healthy but over hydration can be fatal to your health.
Though there’s no exact limit to how much water you should drink daily, the popular recommendation is to drink 8 glasses or 3-4 liters of water a day, thought this amount differs from one person to another depending on their overall health condition, lifestyle, environment and other factors like breastfeeding and pregnancy.
Over hydration i.e. drinking too much water can cause issues like water poisoning, dizziness, intoxication, hypertension, disruption of brain function etc.
The most common effect of over hydration is a condition called Hyponatremia that is caused by rapid loss of Sodium electrolytes from the body. Sodium a crucial for balancing fluids in and out of cell. When sodium level in the body drops due to over hydration, it leads the cells in the body to swell which leads to risk of having seizure, coma and even death.
There are few signs and ways to easily determine your water intake which can come in handy during time of need
The color of Urine
One of the easiest ways to detect over hydration is by the color of urine. The ideal color of urine is supposed to be pale yellow due to the presence of a pigment called urochrome. If the color of your pee is mostly clear, that’s a sign that you’re drinking too much water.
Too Many Trips to the Bathroom
Reliving yourself more than usual is a sign of over intake of water, in average urinating more than eight to ten times a day is a sign of over hydration.
Nausea and Vomiting
Sometimes the signs of over hydration can be similar to those of dehydration. When kidneys can’t remove the excess liquid from the body, it may lead to nausea and Vomiting.
Discoloration
When the cell swells due to over hydration, it leads to skin to swell as well, which can be identified by discoloration of hand, feet and lips.
Muscle Cramps
Low electrolyte level in the body due to over hydration causes the body balance to go down which leads to muscle cramps and fatigues.
Tiredness
Excessive intake of water makes the kidneys work too hard, which results in hormonal responses that lead to bloating and fatigue.
Hydration is important for a healthy and fit life because much of our body consists of water, and water is essential for our cell activity. However, consuming excess water isn‘t good at all. Over hydration is as deadly as dehydration. So, limit your water consumption to 3-4 liters daily in order to lead a healthy life.
