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What Happens If I Drink More Than Two Liters of Water?

A person's daily recommended intake of water is often cited as approximately 1.5 to 2 liters per day. However, exceeding this generally poses no threat to a healthy person, and water requirements may vary from person to person due to a host of factors. Although drinking massive quantities of water can be dangerous, drinking too little water is a far more common and probable danger.

  1. Recommended Intake

    • In most cases, getting 2 liters of water or more every day is recommended by the Institute of Medicine. There is little danger in drinking more water than needed. Although a person's daily needs may vary by weight and activity level, it is better to be on the safe side of drinking too much water, thus preventing dehydration. Water intoxication only occurs when drinking massive amounts of water, and is unlikely to happen accidentally.

    Water Intoxication

    • Water intoxication occurs when a person consumes so much water that the concentration of electrolytes in the body becomes dangerously low. This can lead to fatal heart and brain abnormalities. However, this would require the consumption of significantly more than a person can comfortably drink during a single day, and is even then difficult to attain if your kidneys are functioning properly. While water intoxication is a very real danger, it is much less likely to occur than dehydration.

    Dehydration

    • Dehydration occurs when the body has not taken in enough fluids. As adequate hydration is necessary for nearly all of the body's systems to function, extended periods of dehydration can cause serious harm to the body and even death. Short-term dehydration can cause lethargy, dry mouth and low blood pressure. For this reason, it is important to get at least the recommended 2 liters of water or fluids every day.

    Environmental factors

    • Heat and physical activity can cause the body to lose water at a faster rate than normal, mostly through sweat. In hot weather or during physical activity, it is important to remain hydrated, so exceeding the recommended 2 liters of water becomes especially important. In all cases, the goal is to replace any water lost from sweat or urination. Any situation that could lead to lost bodily fluids should be treated with caution by drinking extra water.

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