How much water would a person drink to get water poisoning?

Water intoxication is a medical condition (also known as hyperhydration) in which an individual’s intake of water is excessive. A person with two healthy kidneys can rid themselves of about 1.5 litres of water per hour at maximum filtration. The main consequences of overconsumption are hyponatremia (decreased plasma sodium, due to dilution) and suppression of the production of antidiuretic hormone. Extreme hyponatremia (with plasma sodium levels less than 100 mmol/L) frequently leads to cerebral oedema, seizures, coma, and death.

The balance of sodium and water in your body is important and affects neurological activity. If your water is flooding your sodium levels (electrolytes) it could result in problems with brain activity and swelling of the brain. this is why runners sweating profusely replenish with gatorade instead of water as water will not replenish sodium levels lost during heavy sweating. it’s chemical, it’s the brain and it’s kidney’s not being able to flush out water fast enough.

It’s Not How Much You Drink, It’s How Fast You Drink It!

The kidneys of a healthy adult can process fifteen liters of water a day!

You are unlikely to suffer from water intoxication, even if you drink a lot of water, as long as you drink over time as opposed to in taking an enormous volume at one time.

As a general guideline, most adults need about three quarts of fluid each day. Much of that water comes from food, so 8-12 eight ounce glasses a day is a common recommended intake.

You may need more water if the weather is very warm or very dry, if you are exercising, or if you are taking certain medications. The bottom line is this: it’s possible to drink too much water, but unless you are running a marathon or an infant, water intoxication is a very uncommon condition.

Ya know…

You can TELL when you’ve had enough. We’ve all had a little voice embedded in our primitive brain. It’s the same little voice in your body that responds to gratuitous alcohol intake by saying:

“Please, you better slow down.”

And if you ignore the little voice, and drink more alcohol, it’ll say,

“If you keep this up, I’m gonna take over, and make you kiss the toilet.”

That same voice, will talk to you when you’re doing ANYTHING in excess, including too much water intake:

“What are you doing? You’re not even thirsty? Why are you still drinking? It’s not even BOTTLED water. Are you being hazed??”

sigh

Have people in general just lost contact with that little voice of reason?

Ugh… I need a drink…

I looked it up and that’s what it said, so I’m guessing I’m correct. I should be unless it gave me wrong information, which I don’t think is the case. But Good Luck!

i dont think you can exactly get poisned by water but if u drink 2 much u can die. this 1 woman was in a contest 4 drinking the most water and she got 2nd by drinking about 2 or 3 gallons and the in the next hour she died so yeah :o(

Sika Shimmer is an advisor, she knows what this stuff is, I wouldn’t trust a person who gave you a short answer of it.

We’re all explaining the same process but in different terms. The body’s balance of sodium and electrolytes has to do with the kidneys.

They are all good answers :)

It has to be lots and lots. You would most likely throw up before getting any water poisoning. The amount is different for different people.

The fact that water can cause fatal overdoses is not well known. Often called “water intoxication” or “hyponatremia” (low salt), water poisoning results when too much water is ingested in too short a time without replenishing electrolytes, particularly sodium and potassium.

The human body (as with other animals) maintains an equilibrium of electrolytes in the bloodstream as part of its normal operation. Sweating causes the body to lose salt, but the primary cause of hyponatremia is drinking enormous amounts of water, which dilutes the salt in the body to a dangerous level. As the electrolyte levels get dangerously out of balance, body systems begin to fail and the sufferer exhibits signs of crisis such as diarrhea, over-salivation, stupor, vomiting, muscle tremors, confusion, frequent urination and other general symptoms of illness, and their brain begins to swell. This swelling is called a ‘brain edema’ or ‘cerebral edema’ and can lead to brain damage, paralysis, and sometimes death.

More: http://www.erowid.org/culture/health/health_water_poisoning.shtml

When I was in the Army they made us drink water like crazy. I threw up once because I drank like 4 canteens right in a row.

I meant “INCLUDING” …not “indluding”

Sometimes I sure wish we could edit posts.

I fyour constantly thirst you should tell your doctor it could be signs of diabeties

I didn’t know if there was such a thing??? If there is poison in it??? I am not sure how to answer this.

No, it’s when you drink too much water at once. It can give you kidney damage and I heard sometimes it can flood your kidneys and kill you.

I edited it for you :)

As long as you aren’t drinking tons of water at one time then you’re fine.

atleast 15 litres of water a day