Harms of drinking too much water; How do we know if we have drunk enough water?

Too much zinc and excessive water consumption can poison the body and damage the brain. Although the cells of the human body need water to function well and this information is known and documented, when drinking it excessively, this vital substance becomes harmful. While there is no single formula for determining how much to drink per day, the general recommendation is that 8 cups per day is a good starting point.

Poisoning and brain disorder

Perhaps the most dangerous issue with water consumption is what a new study has revealed, which is that drinking too much water may poison the body or impair brain function. The study found that this happens when there is too much water in cells, including brain cells, causing them to enlarge, and when the brain cells swell, it creates pressure that leads to other symptoms such as confusion, drowsiness, and headaches.

If this pressure increases, it may cause conditions such as high blood pressure, slow heart rate and sodium deficiency; A vital element that helps maintain the balance of fluids inside and outside the cells, and when its level decreases due to the presence of a large amount of water in the body, fluids enter the cells and then these cells swell, which puts a person at risk of seizures, coma or even death.

How do we know that we have drunk enough water?

1- Monitor the color of urine

The best way to determine if you’re drinking enough water is to monitor the color of your urine, which usually ranges from pale yellow to tea-colored due to a combination of the pigment aurochrome and water levels in your body.

If your urine is often clear, this is a sure sign that you have been drinking too much water in a short period of time. Also, the amount of use of the toilet is another indication of the amount of water you consume; If you use the toilet more than usual, i.e. more than 6 to 8 times a day and up to 10 times, it means that there is an imbalance.

2- Nausea or vomiting

When there’s too much water in your body, the kidneys can’t remove the excess fluid and it starts to build up, leading to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

3- Having a headache

Excess water in the body also causes headaches because it causes the salt levels to decrease and the cells to swell. This swelling also causes the hamstring cells to enlarge, and the cells in the brain press on the skull, causing a throbbing headache and may lead to brain weakness and difficulty breathing.

4- Changing the color of hands, feet and lips

Also, changing the color of hands, feet and lips, muscle weakness and fatigue are other symptoms of excessive water consumption.

How much water should men and women consume per day?

There are still no guidelines or confirmed results on how much water the human body needs on a daily basis. According to studies, the quantity challenge depends on how much each body needs, as women between the ages of 19 and 30 should drink about 2.7 liters of water per day, while men at the same age need 3.7 liters of water. Also, the level of thirst for all people, especially athletes, the elderly and pregnant women, does not have a specific standard. It’s important to know that water is vital to cell function and life, so your body will alert you when it needs more. With the caveat that drinking too much water can have bad results or even lead to death, 8 cups a day seems to be a good standard.