Deadly Overwatering

Deadly Overwatering

If you were asked whether a world-class athlete should pre-hydrate, drinking water even before they become thirsty, you’d probably say, “Sure. Can’t hurt, right?” A recent study reported by the New England Journal of Medicine says that it actually can.

Drinking too much water, becoming overly hydrated, can lead to hyponatremia. Hyponatremia can deplete sodium, which is needed for cells to function properly, which in turn can lead to death.

The report studied nearly 500 Boston Marathon runners, and here are some of the findings.

As you can see from this sampling, drinking too much water greatly increased the chances of hyponatremia. Moral of the story? Stay hydrated, but not too hydrated.