How much is excessive?
Although it is unknown how much water will actually kill you, experts advise against drinking more than about a litre (L) of water every hour for a few hours.
The kidneys of an adult in good health can filter 20 to 28 liters of water per day, but they can only do so at a rate of roughly 1 liter per hour. Your kidneys struggle to keep up when you consume more than 1 liter of fluid every hour.
The salt in your blood will be diluted if you drink more water than your kidneys can handle, which may cause cells to enlarge.
The majority of documented cases of fatal water poisoning have involved intense physical activity, such military training, competitive sports, or marathon running.
Others have occurred as a result of compulsive water consumption, also known as psychogenic polydipsia, brought on by mental health conditions like schizophrenia and psychosis.
Water intoxication has also been linked to the use of the drug MDMA, notably at music festivals. That’s because people usually dance for extended periods of time when it’s hot. Because of this plus MDMA’s inclination to make you feel hotter, you might drink a lot of water.
The general guideline is that drinking water when you feel thirsty is adequate. Nonetheless, it is advised that persons between the ages of 19 and 30 drink 3.7 liters for men and women. 2.7 litre But, it’s possible that older adults drink more water.