Nothing says Aussie summer quite like sports under the blazing sun. But it's not just athletes feeling the heat—millions of workers across Australia are sweating it out too. This is when filtered water taps get their biggest workout of the year. Staying hydrated is crucial, but can you drink too much water? The short answer: yes.
Can Too Much Water Be Dangerous?
Drinking excessive amounts of water can lead to severe health problems and, in rare cases, even death. How? When you overload your kidneys, sodium levels in your blood can drop dangerously low. This condition, called water intoxication or hyponatremia, causes cells to swell. When brain cells are affected, the consequences can be life-threatening.
How Much Water Is Too Much?
According to the American Chemistry Society, it takes around 6 litres of water to kill a 75kg person. Extreme cases often occur during water-drinking contests or over-hydration by athletes.
Here’s how it works:
- Excess water dilutes electrolytes, especially sodium.
- Sodium levels below 135 mmol/L lead to hyponatremia.
- Fluids shift into cells, causing them to swell. In brain cells, this can result in confusion, seizures, or worse.
Finding The Balance
Joseph Verbalis, Chairman of Medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center, explains that a healthy kidney can excrete 800ml to 1 litre of water per hour at rest. However, under physical stress (e.g., running a marathon), the kidneys’ capacity drops to as little as 100ml per hour.
His advice? Balance water intake with sweat loss. For instance, if you’re sweating 500ml per hour, that’s how much you should drink. Sports drinks can also help replenish lost electrolytes.
How to Measure Sweat Rate
Active.com recommends a simple method:
- Weigh yourself without clothes before exercising.
- Exercise or work for an hour without drinking fluids or using the toilet.
- Weigh yourself again.
The weight difference is your sweat rate. This simple exercise can guide workers in hot environments to stay safely hydrated.
Should You Be Concerned?
After a decade of installing and maintaining filtered water taps, we’ve never encountered a case of water intoxication at a client’s site. However, the risks still exist, especially in environments where hydration needs are misunderstood.
Dehydration remains a far greater risk for Australian workers, particularly in extreme heat. For example, a forklift operator in a 40°C warehouse is far more likely to make unsafe decisions due to dehydration than over-hydration.
Yet, cases like the tragic American radio contest, "Hold Your Wee for a Wii," show that water intoxication can happen when common sense lapses. If someone is drinking litres of water rapidly, it’s worth cautioning them.
At-Risk Situations
Some environments and scenarios require extra vigilance:
- Gyms: Novices might overdo hydration, unsure of the right balance.
- Hot factories/warehouses: Managing hydration is critical when operating heavy machinery.
- Mental health facilities: Conditions like psychogenic polydipsia (compulsive water consumption) put patients at risk of water intoxication.
- Strenuous activities: Events like team-building hikes or marathons demand careful hydration planning.
What To Do If Water Intoxication Happens
If you suspect someone has water intoxication, seek medical help immediately. Treatments can range from stopping water intake to diuretics or even emergency intervention. When in doubt, always consult a doctor.
Stay Hydrated Safely With AquaClear
Hydration is essential, but balance is key. For workplace hydration solutions, AquaClear provides nationwide installation, rental, and maintenance of premium drinking water filters. Get a free quote today to get started.
Stay smart. Stay safe. Stay hydrated.