As the heat wave continues, more and more people are looking for water. However, if you drink too much water quickly, there is a risk of water poisoning. Water poisoning is a disease that causes dizziness, vomiting, and convulsions due to low blood sodium levels after drinking a large amount of water in a short period of time.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults consume two liters of water a day. If you drink more than this amount in a short period of time, you will suffer from "hyponatosis" in which sodium levels in the blood drop sharply. The water in the body moves into the cells, but if the cells absorb too much water, edema, general convulsions, and seizures occur. In the brain, brain pressure increases and headaches, nausea, and dizziness can occur. In severe cases, brain edema can lead to coma or death. In fact, Jennifer Strange, who won the 2007 "Water Drinking Contest," died of water poisoning.
People with weak constitution, low weight, and lower back pain are at high risk of water poisoning. In addition, water poisoning can occur when people with chronic mental illness have symptoms of compulsive water intake. In particular, ordinary people who do not have a disease may experience water poisoning, but those who sweat a lot after exercising hard or work long hours in the hot outdoors should also be careful of water poisoning.
Water poisoning occurs when water is slowly diluted in the body, so it takes a long time for the symptoms to appear. If you experience symptoms of water poisoning, you should take a good rest and take an electrolyte drink to balance the electrolyte. If the symptoms do not improve, you should visit a hospital.
The most important thing to prevent water poisoning is to drink water intake at regular intervals. You shouldn't drink more than one liter of water per hour. If you sweat too much and your thirst gets worse, it's better to drink electrolyte drinks and salt than to drink too much water.
Writer: Amy Jeong
(Image from Unsplash)
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