Most of us probably could do with drinking a bit more water - but what can start as a healthy habit can actually do far more harm than good. Blue Peter’s Zoe Salmon has revealed she once had an addiction to water where she would drink a dangerous eight litres a day as she 'trained her body to crave water all the time'.
That's six litres - or four times - more than the two litres daily recommended intake.
The presenter says she was urged to go the doctors by her masseuse, and that before that, a few people had noticed how much water she was drinking. 'I felt quite silly when I sat down, taking an appointment to say I might be drinking too much water,’ she told The Mirror. ‘But when I said how much I was drinking, the doctor told me to act straight away.'
Zoe says would start every day with a litre of water, ostensibly to help her metabolism, and would have had another two litres before lunch - already taking her over the limit. She would then continue to drink an excessive amount of water throughout the day, like when she was at the gym. She also says that she would match any alcohol intake with the same amount of water.
Drinking too much water can cause an array of health problems, as it disturbs the body's electrolyte balance and can increase levels of sodium and magnesium. This can cause things such as muscle cramps, headaches and can stop you absorbing minerals from your food. However, in severe cases, excess water drinking can lead to brain swelling that causes seizures, brain damage, coma and even death.
Zoe - who said she started drinking water as she heard it could help with bad skin - was advised to cut down her water intake gradually by doctors so she could work back to the daily recommended amount. She added, 'I trained my body to crave a lot of water, so when I’m thirsty now I’m very aware of that two litre limit.'
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