water over load

has anyone seen the news about that poor woman who died from drinking almost 3 gallons of water in a short amount of time? very disturbing.

Isn't that awful??? I've read about it. Here's an article on it...that poor woman and her family... http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2007/01/19/565811.html&cvqh=itn_sher iff

that link didn't put you right to the article...let's see if this one works...if not, scroll down and look for sherif investigates water death. http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2007/01/19/565811.html

I know....istnt that awful! Who the heck ever heard of water intoxication?????? Mother of 3 dead from drinking water?!?!?!?! my god!

Here is one copy of an article abou****er intoxication from web md. Can I Overdose on Water? Can drinking too much water harm me? By Elizabeth Somer, MA,RD WebMD Medical News Oct. 23, 2000 -- No. And you are unlikely to ever meet someone who has overdosed on water. You would need to chug down about three quarts of water or more all at once to come down with a case of true water intoxication. It does happen, but so rarely that I couldn't find statistics on the number of cases. These people become drowsy, lightheaded, and weak. They have trouble coordinating bodily movements and thinking straight, looking and feeling as if they just stumbled out of the local bar. But the water-intoxicated can't just go home and sleep it off. They must get treatment or risk going into convulsions, a coma, or even death. What most Americans actually need to worry about is getting the eight glasses of water nutrition experts recommend (that's eight 8-ounce glasses). They suggest even more for athletes or people living in hot climates. While it may seem like a lot, it really isn't when you recognize tha****er accounts for up to 80% of your body weight and plays an integral role throughout in the smooth functioning of your body's vital systems. It's no wonder, then, that falling short of the daily recommendation may make you ill. At first, you might feel thirsty and tired. Left unchecked, dehydration will progress with a loss of appetite, nausea, tingling in the arms and feet, labored breathing, dizziness, and possibly mental confusion. You can prevent these symptoms from appearing by making sure you get your daily dose quota of water. Remember, it's a nutrient, too -- more important than any vitamin or mineral. Besides, what could be more refreshing than a cool glass of water? Include it during lunch, a mid-morning break, and even happy hour. Here's to good drinking. Elizabeth Somer is a registered dietitian and author of several books, including Food & Mood and The Essential Guide to Vitamins and Minerals. She frequently writes for national health magazines and makes regular appearances on The Today Show and other national shows. © 2000 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved. Can I Overdose on Water? Can drinking too much water harm me? By Elizabeth Somer, MA,RD WebMD Medical News Oct. 23, 2000 -- No. And you are unlikely to ever meet someone who has overdosed on water. You would need to chug down about three quarts of water or more all at once to come down with a case of true water intoxication. It does happen, but so rarely that I couldn't find statistics on the number of cases. These people become drowsy, lightheaded, and weak. They have trouble coordinating bodily movements and thinking straight, looking and feeling as if they just stumbled out of the local bar. But the water-intoxicated can't just go home and sleep it off. They must get treatment or risk going into convulsions, a coma, or even death. What most Americans actually need to worry about is getting the eight glasses of water nutrition experts recommend (that's eight 8-ounce glasses). They suggest even more for athletes or people living in hot climates. While it may seem like a lot, it really isn't when you recognize tha****er accounts for up to 80% of your body weight and plays an integral role throughout in the smooth functioning of your body's vital systems. It's no wonder, then, that falling short of the daily recommendation may make you ill. At first, you might feel thirsty and tired. Left unchecked, dehydration will progress with a loss of appetite, nausea, tingling in the arms and feet, labored breathing, dizziness, and possibly mental confusion. You can prevent these symptoms from appearing by making sure you get your daily dose quota of water. Remember, it's a nutrient, too -- more important than any vitamin or mineral. Besides, what could be more refreshing than a cool glass of water? Include it during lunch, a mid-morning break, and even happy hour. Here's to good drinking. Elizabeth Somer is a registered dietitian and author of several books, including Food & Mood and The Essential Guide to Vitamins and Minerals. She frequently writes for national health magazines and makes regular appearances on The Today Show and other national shows. © 2000 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved. I am posting one other article after this one for those interested. Sher

Here is another article Endurance Athletes at Risk of 'Water Intoxication' By Norra MacReady WebMD Feature The condition is also called 'water intoxication' because it can result from an excessive intake of plain water. Lead author Dale B. Speedy, MBChB, and his colleagues write about a 35-year-old athlete whose sodium dipped to dangerously low levels after he completed an Ironman triathlon. This type of race consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile cycling course, and a 26.2-mile run. The man finished the race in 14 hours and three minutes, then collapsed with seizures just outside the medical tent. He weighed about seven pounds (approximately 5% of his body weight) more after finishing the race. Experts estimated that he drank about 23 liters during the competition. Once the medics got his seizures under control he was transferred to the emergency department at the local hospital. For the next two days he had seizures, but he began to improve on the third day. By the eighth day he was well enough to go home. Speedy and his co-authors write that many other competitors in the same race also developed low blood sodium, but not as severely as this patient. The authors emphasize that the patient drank "excessive" amounts of fluid -- averaging approximately 1.64 liters per hour throughout the event. They suggest that drinking fewer fluids overall, and drinking fluids that have sodium such as many sports drinks, could have prevented the man's severe condition. "Most emergency physicians assume a runner or a cyclist who gets a little goofy is dehydrated and needs more water or [sugar], but in the process you can treat them to death," says Carl Foster, PhD. "If you leave them alone their kidneys will sort things out." Foster, a professor of exercise and sports physiology at the University of Wisconsin in La Crosse, tells WebMD that it's not always easy to know if your sodium is getting too low. "Like many other intoxicating states, you may not realize you're there," he says. Impaired athletic performance, such as slowing down, could be a signal tha****er intoxication is setting in. "If you are going to be participating in an event in which you anticipate a large fluid loss, take fluid-replacement products that have sodium," he warns. "We often see mild hyponatremia in long-distance runners and triathletes," says Nancy Auer, MD, vice president of medical affairs at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. "These individuals probably need to consume a little more salt, but it should be diluted." Auer, the former president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, recommends drinking diluted Gatorade or similar products during long-distance events, especially in hot weather. "I think the take-home message is that the pendulum has swung, from electrolyte solutions [like Gatorade] to plain water. Maybe we need to make sure there is more sodium in the beverages we're encouraging these athletes to drink," says Auer. As for the "conventional wisdom" behind the handouts of free water at athletic events, she tells WebMD, "that wisdom may not be the best wisdom." Vital Information: Athletes who participate in extreme events like triathalons may drink excessive amounts of water while they compete. But in trying to avoid dehydration, these athletes can deplete their blood sodium levels so much that they can develop a potentially fatal condition called hyponatremia. Researchers from New Zealand report one triathlete with hyponatremia had seizures for days after he drank about six gallons (23 liters) of water during competition. Experts note those who participate in such extreme events should consume some salt diluted in water or drink sports drinks in order to prevent hyponatremia. Print Friendly Version Email a Friend Caffeine May Ease Workout Pain Read more in the Fitness Health Center Get your questions answered by our sports and fitness expert. Read the top health news of the day. Get more Fitness news. Hope this info helps everyone to understand this process Sher © 2000 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.