Too much water?

[T.M.]

I'm 6'6" tall and weigh 257 lbs.

I consume a great deal of water - about 2 gallons per day. I do that not because I'm thirsty, but because many sources recommend drinking "at least X" amount of water, but never recommend a firm upper limit.

I did an internet search and stumbled on this article and was quite taken aback:

Drinking too much water called latest threat to health

Now I'm starting to think that nature knows far better than the brain when it is the right time to drink - when one is thirsty.

I'd be interested in comments from the experts before I cut back dramatically on my water intake.

[cleochatra]

Re: Too much water?

I only drink when thirsty. Natural thirst should be adhered to, much as natural hunger. People forget food contains water as well.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Too much water?

Drinking 1/2 your current body weight in ounces of water wouldn't be "too much".

I'm sure you can find another article on the internet that would contradict the article you posted.

Are you having any problems with the amount of water you're drinking now?

[T.M.]

Re: Too much water?

.................
I'm sure you can find another article on the internet that would contradict the article you posted.
...........................................

I think the goal here is to find out what's an appropriate amount of water to drink. What's the best guide - one's own body (thirst), or a directive that makes one drink when not thirsty?

................................Are you having any problems with the amount of water you're drinking now?

After drinking a lot of water, I sometimes get a mild discomfort beneath my shoulder blades. I could not help but think that there was a relationship, so I started to search for possible causes. That's when I stumbled on that link.

Since the moment I made the first post I have not had a drop of water to drink - a period of time that I would not have previously allowed to go by without taking a drink. The discomfort has almost disappeared. I can't help but think that there is a relationship between the two.

Drinking 1/2 your current body weight in ounces of water wouldn't be "too much".
..........

On what are you basing this recommendation?

[liv]

Re: Too much water?

Well I think we have to wait and see on this one.
The real scientific paper did not say water but fluids.
Nor did they conclude that this was a health hazzard only that this may be a concern and should be further examined

It also did not exactly tell us how much those people did drink
When they did the follow up measurements they limit the participants to drink 2 litres of water - which is still a big chunk. this reversed the findings.

This findings happened in Walkerton Ontario - a place where water were contaminated for a time being. It was when the scientists were following up on the people that they found that some peole had unexplained protein in their pee.

Here is an abstract to the real scientific publication (once these things are reported int eh media they always twist it in some way for sensational purposes
Excessive fluid intake as a novel cause of proteinuria -- Clark et al. 178 (2): 173 -- Canadian Medical Association Journal

[IrishIrish]

Re: Too much water?

When are brains tell us we are thirsty, we are usually already somewhat dehydrated.

Excessive amounts of water usually contribute to dangerous health issues when done in a short period of time. For example, some people have drank water without "peeing" simply to win prizes on a radio station or for some other challenge.

I have routinely drank at least 128 ounces of water every day and an additional 16 to 32 ounces with exercise. My physician and I have discussed this in the past and since I have good kidney function, my intake does not present any problem.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Too much water?

>>After drinking a lot of water, I sometimes get a mild discomfort beneath my shoulder blades.>>

What's "a lot"?

>>On what are you basing this recommendation?>>

6+ years of Atkins support ... seeing what works for people.

If you think 1/2 your current body weight in ounces of water (128 ounces or 1 gallon) is too much for you, then don't drink it.

The water police won't show up at your door!!

[Shrew2u]

Re: Too much water?

T.M., the following link may be of interest. In particular, Table 2 in the full text of the paper.

A new proposed guidance system for beverage consumption in the United States -- Popkin et al. 83 (3): 529 -- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

[T.M.]

Re: Too much water?

>>After drinking a lot of water, I sometimes get a mild discomfort beneath my shoulder blades.>>

What's "a lot"?

>>On what are you basing this recommendation?>>

6+ years of Atkins support ... seeing what works for people.

If you think 1/2 your current body weight in ounces of water (128 ounces or 1 gallon) is too much for you, then don't drink it.

The water police won't show up at your door!!

"A lot" is what I said I drink in my first post, spread out over the day.

I don't buy the "when you're thirsty, you've already waitied too long to drink" philosophy. Try to make a cat, dog, or any other animal on earth drink when they don't want to drink (when they're not thirsty, presumably). You can't. Apparently, only humans are "smart" enough to drink when they're not thirsty.

From now on, I intend to let my body tell me when to drink. (And, on a normal day that includes one hour of exercise at around 70 F, that amount will be a helluva lot less than 128 ounces!) This "philosophy" of when to drink worked very well for the first 59 years of my life. I'll take the risk that it will continue to do so until my last breath.

I just hope that my "intelligent" behavior has not damaged my kidneys.