Understanding Hyponatremia: The Delicate Balance of Water and Electrolytes in Human Physiology

Have you seen ads from water companies? They preach one gospel and it is to drink more water. They tell us that drinking more water is good for our health and helps us live a healthy live but then, is there a possibility that this can go wrong? Is it possible that a person can overdose on water?

In 2007, a California radio station organized a competition titled "Hold your wee for a Wii," challenging participants to drink as much water as possible without urinating to win a gaming console. Many people joined the competition, but a tragic incident unfolded. A 28-year-old woman consumed over 7.5 liters of water in just three hours, securing the second position with two tickets to Justin Timberlake's concert as her prize.

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Actually, she didn't go for the concert because when she was leaving the station, she wasn't feeling too well. She said she had headache but she said they kept telling her it was the water. They said it would make her head hurt and then make her puke. So she called her work and called in sick but that was the last phone call she was going to make because she was later found dead in her house hours later. Then you ask, how someone that healthy die from drinking water which is meant to make us healthy.

When we drink water, the first place it goes to is the stomach after which it goes into the small intestine then absorbed into the blood vessel. In the blood vessel it begins to go to different part of the body and through osmosis, it gets into cells in the body. When we drink lots of water, the blood as well as sodium gets diluted and lower levels of sodium leads to hyponatremia which is accompanied with symptoms such as headache, nausea, confusion and vomiting. This leads to water getting into the cells and then causing them to swell.

This swelling happens in all part of the body, and this includes the brain. When the brain cells begin to swell, there becomes a serious problem because the skull is fixed and there is do extra room for swellings and this will lead to high intracranial pressure which can then result in brain herniation where the brain starts to push through the foramen magnum. This would prevent blood and oxygen from getting to the brain and can lead to seizures, coma, and death.

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You might think that the body should excrete the excessive water out via urine from the kidneys but then the kidneys will not remove water alone, it will remove water alongside electrolytes such as sodium and this will lead to the reduction in sodium levels thereby increasing hyponatremia.

Certain conditions, like Psychogenic polydipsia, can compel individuals to drink excessive water, contributing to hyponatremia. It's important to note that hyponatremia isn't solely caused by excessive water intake; other factors like thyroid issues, adrenal gland problems, liver complications, heart problems, and specific cancers can contribute.

This isn't to demonize water consumption; rather, it highlights the importance of moderation. The optimal fluid intake varies based on factors like pregnancy, fever, homeostasis, and diarrhea. On average, men should consume around 3.7 liters daily, while women should aim for approximately 2.7 liters per day. Stay hydrated, but remember, balance is key.

^Reference

^{https://www.numerade.com/questions/in-2007-a-woman-competed-in-a-radio-stations-on-air-water-drinking-contest-the-goal-was-to-drink-mor/
https://www.montereyherald.com/2007/01/26/radio-station-sued-over-water-intoxication-death/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4027093/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470386/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC331389/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4027093/}