DENVER (KDVR) –- My sister, Lawton Cummings, is a working mom from Austin, Texas, who was drinking a lot of water hoping to stay hydrated and healthy.
“I was drinking about one of these per hour,” she said, gesturing at a 25-ounce water bottle. “Over Christmas, I actually bought a bigger bottle thinking that maybe it would help me hydrate even more.”
But Lawton got a big surprise when she went in for a regular checkup and her doctor found her sodium levels were dangerously low.
“She said, ‘oh my gosh, you are at risk of having a seizure,’ and I was like what?” Lawton remembered.
The doctor was concerned about her kidneys but then found out how much water Lawton was drinking.
“She said ‘oh my gosh, Lawton, you are drowning yourself. You are getting rid of all of your sodium. You need to cut your water intake in half, if not by two-thirds, immediately,’” Lawton explained.
This was a total shock to Lawton and could possibly explain why she was lethargic and had headaches.
“I had never even heard that you could drink too much water,” she said.
She cut back on the water and added electrolytes. Tests show Lawton is now doing fine.
After this experience, she began to investigate how much water people should drink every day. Recommendations vary. Penn Medicine says to make a calculation based on weight.
“As a general rule of thumb, you should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, it is recommended you drink 100 ounces of water if you are performing non-strenuous activities,” the website says.
Dr. Mark Montano, with CareNow Urgent Care in Denver, says in general the average man in a temperate climate should drink about three liters per day and the average woman should drink about two liters per day.
“If your urine is really dark yellow, strong odor, you are probably not drinking enough water,” Montano said. “Now if your urine has a less strong odor and more of a clear color to it, I think you are probably doing what you need to and staying up on your fluids.”
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