Health Tips: Drinking too much water can also harm the body, know 4 side effects of overhydration...

Water Side Effects: Excess of anything becomes like poison in life, even if it is water that is said to be beneficial for health. Drinking water maintains the water balance of the body and helps in flushing out toxins. However, like other things, excessive consumption of water also has negative effects on the body. Dietician Parmeet Kaur at Gurugram's Narayan Hospital says that drinking more water than required increases the amount of blood and the pressure on the kidneys to filter more water also increases. This can put more burden on the heart and increase the burning sensation in the stomach. Drinking excessive water can disturb the electrolyte balance in the body and reduce the level of sodium in the blood, causing a condition called hyponatremia. Symptoms of hyponatremia include nausea, headache, weakness, irritability, muscle cramps, etc.

How much water is enough to drink in a day?
The Institute of Medicine has established guidelines for drinking water. A healthy person should drink about 9 to 13 cups of water daily.

4 side effects of drinking too much water
1. Hyponatremia
Due to drinking more water, the level of sodium in the body can decrease. This condition itself is called hyponatremia. People with heart and kidney problems are more at risk of hyponatremia.

2. Muscle Cramps
A study published in BMJ states that drinking more water dilutes sodium and other electrolytes in the blood, due to which the level of sodium in the body decreases. Due to low sodium levels in the body, physical problems like muscle cramps can arise.

3. Frequent urination
Drinking more water leads to more urine. Because when you drink more water, the kidney has to work continuously. Also, studies show that frequent urination causes more strain on the kidneys.

4. Diarrhea
Overhydration leads to hypokalemia or a decrease in the level of potassium in the body. Because of this diarrhea and sweating for a long time. According to a report on the Cleveland Clinic website, hypokalemia often directly affects the digestive system. This is the reason why problems like vomiting and diarrhea arise.