What is water intoxication and what are its side effects?

Also known as overhydration of water, it is a condition caused by drinking too much water.

The common signs of water intoxication are electrolyte imbalance or low sodium concentration in the blood, which is also known as hyponatremia.

The other signs are confusion, nausea, vomiting, and headache. It has been found that this condition not only arises because of excessive water consumption, rather it happens because of excessive consumption of water rich in iron content.

Below mentioned are some of the common side effects of overhydration.

1. Swells up the cells
Due to overhydration, when sodium level in the body decreases, water enters the cells through the process of osmosis. This results in swelling up of the cells, which can further cause serious damage to the muscle tissues, and brain.

2. Affects the brain
The low sodium in the blood may cause the brain cells to swell up and it can result in loss of speech, disorientation, and instability in walking.

3. Heavy heart
According to experts, excess water consumption may also lead to heart failure. The excess water may increase the volume of blood inside your body and this blood exerts unnecessary pressure on blood vessels and heart.

4. Kidney issue
Overhydration can also cause damage to the kidney. Excess water lowers the plasma levels of arginine vasopressin, which helps preserve kidney function and may damage the kidney.

Liver problem
Experts have found that overhydration is not just a result of drinking excess water, but drinking water with high amounts of iron. This high iron content may cause liver-related problems.

How to treat water intoxication?
The foremost step is to calculate your daily water intake and avoid further intake beyond the prescribed limit. In case of confusion, always seek medical attention and also avoid any medication that is causing water retention in the body.