Physical Wellness

Drinking Excessive Water During Playing Or Exercising Is Fatal: Water Intoxication Could Result In Death

By Saranya Palanisamy | Update Date: Mar 21, 2016 11:22 PM EDT

While drinking water is healthy for everyone, overhydrating the body, particularly during heavy physical activities is deadly, reports a recent study published in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. Nearly 14 sportspeople, including athletes, marathon runners and football players, were reported to have died of drinking excessive water.

The researchers have noted that people should drink water only when they feel thirsty while playing or doing heavy exercises. Taking too much of water in order to stay hydrated during physical workout, even during yoga, could result in a deadly condition called Exercise Associated Hyponatremia (EAH), according to Mirror.

EAH or water intoxication is a condition caused as a result of overdrinking where sodium in the blood drops to dangerously low levels. When water consumption exceeds the body's ability to get rid of it as urine or in the form of sweat, the fluids tend to dilute sodium levels in the body. On the other hand, kidneys won't able to process the flooding water levels in the body, noted Medical Daily. As a result of EAH, the cells in the body swell, leading to death.

EAH could occur anytime during workout or as late as up to 24 hours. The symptoms on the milder side include lightheadedness, nausea, dizziness and puffiness. Severe water intoxication may result in confusion, vomiting, agitation, headaches, seizures and even coma.

"Our major goal was to re-educate the public on the hazards of drinking beyond thirst during exercise," said Dr Tamara Hew-Butler, the report's lead author and associate professor of exercise science at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich, reported Philly. "Every single EAH death is tragic and preventable, if we just listen to our bodies and let go of the pervasive advice that if a little is good, more must be better," Hew-Butler added.

It is also reported that drinking too much of water don't help in preventing muscle cramps, fatigue or heatstroke, as they are not linked to dehydration. Heatstroke is basically caused because of the excessive heat produced in the body during severe work-out, noted EurekAlert. That being said, it is better to avoid attempting to hydrate the body during physical activities.

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