TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Tainan Municipal Hospital said on Tuesday that drinking too much water can lead to water intoxication.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, water intoxication occurs when the body retains excess water, creating a chemical imbalance it cannot naturally eliminate through sweating or urination. Symptoms range from vomiting and bloating to confusion, seizures, and coma.
The hospital said that proper hydration optimizes cell function, boosts metabolism, aids weight control, and improves digestion, per CNA.
Huang Chia-hung (黃嘉宏), a kidney specialist at Taichung Hospital, recommends that individuals with normal kidney function drink an average of 2,000 milliliters of water daily. He added that individual needs vary based on age, weight, and occupation.
Tainan Municipal Hospital nutritionist Chang Hsiu-ju (張秀如) recommends replacing sugary drinks with water to reduce caloric intake and stabilize blood sugar. She suggests adding lemon, mint, or fruit slices to water to increase vitamin and antioxidant intake.
Chang said that unsweetened tea contains caffeine and theophylline, which have mild diuretic effects. Tea may also alleviate anxiety, reduce cardiovascular disease risk, and slow brain degeneration.
Yen Tzung-hai (顏宗海), director of the Clinical Poison Center at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, recommends limiting tea consumption to 600 ml daily. He suggests drinking tea one to two hours after meals to avoid interfering with calcium and iron absorption.
Yen added that moderate tea consumption helps reduce kidney stone risk.
