A reader question asks about the harmful effects of
drinking large quantities of water daily Reader
inquiries may be directed to "contact us" or by
faxing to 719-676-6882. Replies are for educational
purposes only, and are not to be construed as
medical advice or opinion.
It’s Your Hearing
Health
Q: Sometime back I read in your column about the
health effects of chronic dehydration. I have the
opposite situation. In an effort to lose body weight
I drink more 2 gallons of water per day. Is this a
good idea?---Mrs. B.A.
Dear Mrs. B.A.: The human body requires a pretty
well defined range of water that varies according to
bodyweight and metabolic and activity level. Other
factors, such as kidney function and stress factors
also weigh in.
On our website www.digicare.org you’ll find a scale
of appropriate water intake levels that applies to
most adults (look under topic: Dehydration & Hearing
Health). But keep in mind that when medications and
certain medical conditions enter the picture, there
will be further considerations. So when one makes
marked adjustments in water intake they need to
communicate with their doctor to be sure it fits
within their treatment regimen.
For instance, if one suffers from hyponatremia
(dangerously low serum sodium levels), often a
result of overhydration, they will likely need to
drop to about 1 quart daily water intake for a few
days to normalize their blood volume. But this, too,
should be done only under the supervision of their
physician.
But to answer your question in the aggregate,
assuming no abnormalities, yes, 2 gallons per day is
far more than one’s kidneys (or lungs) can
eliminate. Therefore, it would be wise to come back
into the proper range of 3-4 quarts per day.
Overhydration causes such a long list of
complications, and vary from person to person that
it is difficult to cover them in this small space.
But in general, over secretion of antidiuretic
hormone (ADH), high fluid retention, and diluted
sodium are the most common problems.
These, in turn, can cause muscle weakness, mental
confusion, heart failure, seizures, and even death.
On the hearing health side of things, vertigo,
hyperacusis (oversensitivity to sound) and, in some
cases, hypoacusis (abnormally reduced sensitivity to
sound), as well as complications associated with
electrolyte imbalances. Such conditions warrant
attention from an otologist or ENT doctor.
Questions may be directed to www.digicare.org or
faxed to (719) 676-6882. Due to space limitations,
questions may be edited. |
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