How much water is TOO much?

[rrittenhouse]

I am curious how much water I should be consuming daily? Like yesterday I consumed 124oz and im just curious is that TOO much? My mouth gets dry a LOT so I try and drink a LOT of water as it helps with the fullness too.

After that yesterday I weighed myself and I was l ike +5lbs from the day before but I figured it was all of the water. This morning I weighed myself and 4lbs of that was gone. Its just interesting to watch your body jump around and it really makes you question yourself as to why this happens.

So the question is.. How much water is TOO much.. if there is such a thing?

Thanks

~Robert

[Adena]

Re: How much water is TOO much?

124 oz. definitely isn't too much... many people here drink that or more. So that's great -- keep it up! I don't really know how much is too much, but I'd guess 200 ounces would certainly be plenty!

On Atkins more so than any other way of eating, your weight will change quite a bit from day-to-day. Losses on Atkins aren't necessarily linear. So weighing daily might frustrate you. As long as you know that, great, but don't let yourself get discouraged if the scale is up one day when you know you didn't do anything to cause it. Best of luck -- and keep drinking that water!

[Mirya]

Re: How much water is TOO much?

I personally drink 1 gallon of water a day which is roughly 128oz. I would NOT reccommend drinking more than a gallon or so a day though.

As far as how much is too much this might help.

The doctors say each time you urinate you should drink a glass of water. The is to keeo you hydratedl. Personally I drink 128 oz of water a day I have a 32 oz sipper glass I use and i drink 4 a day. I barely have room for tea, coffee, soda or anythign other than food but god forbid I dont drink all 4. I will feel like crap.

It will last until your body gets used to having an abundence of water unlike it had before. once you get used to it your body will not have to go AS often. Personally If you lose your job due to needing to use the restroom then I would do whatever you can to get somethign going against them for medically discriminating against you as its illegal to fire someone because of needing to use the restroom. Supreme court has already set precedence reagarding this in another case.

Sorry got off on a tangent.... anyway your body .... a camel.... they store water in their fat cells through drought. Once they have an abundence of water the humps will decrease in size as they have no need for them anymore. This is the same with our cells. When we deprive our body of water it latches onto it for dear life afraid it needs to ration it out. In the process the body develops toxins and water retention and neither is good. The excess water you are drinking is good for your body to wash out the toxin and get your body used to having water and most of the water you lose in the first 2 weeks was stored up water thus an overabundence of urination.

The body can filter up to 15 liters of water a day. 1 liter is equivalent to 1 quart. It is recommended to drink 64oz water a day... I drink 128-138. if you are drinking 6 20oz bottles of water that is 120oz. which is roughly 4 liters. Your electrolytes will not suffer under 2-3 gallons of water. You are supposed to drink the 64 oz of water over the course of the day.. You would have to drink a **** of a lot of water to hurt your electrolytes.

Here is an excerpt I found that may help to ease your mind.

Water intoxication (also known as hyperhydration or water poisoning) is a potentially fatal disturbance in brain function that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is pushed outside of safe limits, ironically by that which makes up the majority of it—water.[1] Normal, healthy (both physically and nutritionally) individuals have little to worry about accidentally overconsuming water. Nearly all deaths related to water intoxication in normal individuals have resulted either from water drinking contests, in which individuals attempt to consume more than ten litres over the course of just a few minutes, or long bouts of intensive exercise during which electrolytes are not properly replenished, yet massive amounts of fluid are still consumed.

Eating regularly can provide needed electrolytes if only normal water is available for rehydration.
Note that a person's innate sense of thirst is more sensitive to overall dehydration than to changes in electrolytes. Thus, it is possible to develop water intoxication while trying to satisfy thirst, if one drinks a great deal of water over a short period. A dangerous drop in electrolytes, such as the hyponatremia that leads to water intoxication, will not have any effect on thirst if one is sufficiently dehydrated.

For people suffering from dehydration due to the heavy perspiration associated with heavy exertion or heat stress, drinking water to rehydrate is much more important than avoiding water intoxication, since the former is extremely common and the latter is rare. One should never avoid drinking water under such conditions; instead, other steps should be taken to ensure that electrolytes are replaced as well, as noted above.

References

1. ^ Bird, Patrick J. (2000). You Can Drink Too Much Water. University of Florida. Retrieved on 2007-01-21.
2. ^ Noakes, T.D.; G. Wilson, D.A. Gray, M.I. Lambert, S.C. Dennis (October 2001). Peak rates of diuresis in healthy humans during oral fluid overload. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved on 2007-01-21.
3. ^ Facts about Dietary Supplements, Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, March 2001.
4. ^ Jay S. Cohen, MD, Statin Drugs, 2005, page 129, ISBN 0-7570-0257-9.
5. ^Water Intoxication in Infants
6. ^Woman dies after water-drinking contest. MSNBC (January 13, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-05-10.
7. ^Local10.com/WPLG report of water intoxication murder arrest
8. ^Sun-Sentinel article: Nancy Gayoso declared competent to stand trial
9. ^Local10.com/WPLG report: "Judge: Baby Sitter in Water Intoxication Death Still Not Competent"
10. ^Hyponatremia ("Water Intoxication"). The DEA.org. Retrieved on 2007-05-10.
11. ^ Lore, Mark (2005-02-10). Another death in the family. Chico news & review. Retrieved on 2007-05-10.
12. ^ Grier, Peter. "Airman's Death Brings Training Changes", Aerospace World, Air Force Magazine Online, January, 2000. Retrieved on 2007-01-20.
13. ^Reasons for dispensing with the holding of an inquest. Retrieved on 2007-05-10.
14. ^Doctors: Marathoner Died From Too Much Water (August 13, 2002). Retrieved on 2007-05-10.
15. ^District Officer Dies After Bike Ride: Over-Hydration Cited as Factorwhggggggggggggg10.