Harvard doctor reveals the scary truth about drinking too much water and why it is not always safe
A Harvard doctor has claimed that drinking a lot of water is not always safe and can lead to a possibly deadly condition.
Dr Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist, has gone viral online multiple times after he revealed his insight and knowledge surrounding the digestive system.
In a recent clip which has racked up over 319,000 views he’s revealed the dangers of drinking excessive amounts of water.
He begins by saying: ‘If you think drinking a lot of water is always safe, you might want to think again.’
The 42-year-old explains there is a condition called water intoxication, where excess water accumulates in the brain, which can be very dangerous.
Dr Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist, has gone viral online multiple times after he revealed his insight and knowledge surrounding the digestive system
In a clip which has racked up over 319,000 views he’s revealed the dangers of drinking excessive amounts of water. He begins by saying: ‘If you think drinking a lot of water is always safe, you might want to think again’
The 42-year-old explains there is a condition called water intoxication, where excess water accumulates in the brain, which can be very dangerous
Dr Sethi, from California, US, continues: ‘This occurs when you are low on electrolytes, particularly sodium.
‘If you are exercising heavily and losing a lot of salt through sweat, drinking a large amount of water simultaneously can be risky.’
The medical term for the condition is hyponatremia, and in this case, water dilutes electrolytes, such as sodium, which can potentially lead to further dehydration.
Deadly cases of water intoxication have made the headlines previously. In August 2023, a mother from Indiana sadly died after she drank too much water during a hot summer during the fourth of July weekend.
Ashley Summers’ brother claimed his sister was suffering from severe dehydration and drank four bottles of water in just 30 minutes which caused the tissue to swell in her brain.
To avoid this, Dr Sethi claims heavy drinkers of water should either add electrolyte powder or a pinch of salt to a glass of water to help maintain balance.
Users have flocked to the comments to share their reactions to his claims, with many people left shocked.
To prevent water intoxication, he claims heavy drinkers of water should either add electrolyte powder or a pinch of salt to a glass of water to help maintain balance
‘At this point, we don’t even know what to do and what we cannot do,’ one user commented.
Roy said: ‘Now we can’t even drink much water. Is there anything left that human can drink and eat?’
‘But water is life,’ another person added.
Maryanne said: ‘Omg what next!
‘At this point, I don’t even know that breathing is good or not,’ someone else commented.’
Dr Sethi has 456,000 followers on TikTok and previously made headlines when he shared a shocking warning to women who drink diet sodas explaining that those who do, face a significantly higher risk of heart attack or strokes.
His statement was based off of a study released in 2019 by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association, which linked having artificially sweetened drinks to an increase in these diseases in women who are over 50 years old, per CNN.
And, interestingly enough, the risk for a heart attack or stroke was the highest in women who didn’t have any history of heart disease or diabetes, the outlet reported.
Dr. Sethi also claimed that drinking diet soda could also be linked to kidney disease.
‘The high phosphorus content in diet sodas can contribute to chronic kidney disease,’ he said in the video.
Dr. Sethi also claimed that drinking diet soda could also be linked to kidney disease. ‘The high phosphorus content in diet sodas can contribute to chronic kidney disease,’ he said in the video
Dr Sethi has 456,000 followers on TikTok and previously made headlines when he shared a shocking warning to women who drink diet sodas explaining that those who do, face a significantly higher risk of heart attack or strokes
His assertion is supported by the National Kidney Foundation, who cited a study that found that drinking two or more diet sodas per day can cause harm to the kidneys.
The study tested a group of women who all had healthy, functioning kidneys in the beginning of the trial.
However, they found that people who drank diet soda experienced three times the decline in their glomerular filtration rate – something that can help measure how well your kidneys work – than those who didn’t drink diet soda.
During the study, there was an obvious link between kidney function and consuming diet soda – so the National Kidney Foundation recommends drinking water instead.
The doctor also said that diet sodas can ‘increase cravings for high-calorie foods, disrupting appetite control.’
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