This was an actual news report on the radio

They actually reported on the radio that consumption of more than 8, 8 oz glasses of water a day causes liver damage. Is there any validity to this. I drink a gallon a day at least and accordnign to that report I am exceeding it by a lot. That has to be mis-information. Hell even before I began lifting I drank way more than that…

…and we wonder why 60% of Americans are overweight…obesity in children is becoming epidemic…heart disease is as high as ever…


At least ONE reason is the proliferation of “health” advice like this…

ha no way. every strength coach, trainer,and bodybuilder has told me to drink a gallon or more a day. (i drink about 2.5-3). even my doctor said he wanted me drinking like at least 2 b/c of such large protein consumption/calories and supplements.

Oh Lord…What’s next? All food is bad!

Mis-information? Hell, it is pure bullshit!!!

if they’re drinking tap water that is contaminated with lead, mercury, and other nasty stuff, I can see why. Otherwise, I think the newsreporter is full of hot air.

After seeing a few news reports on nutrition issues and being involved in a couple of news stories, I’ve decided to not believe anything I hear from the mass media. They get it wrong or partially wrong every single time.

The story is wrong, plain and simple.

I’m getting interested in this. I don’t think liver damage is an issue, though. Do a Google search on the phrase “Drinking too much water” and look at all the hits. Many of them refer to hyponatremia, which is a plasme sodium imbalance that occurs during endurance exercise when people drink more than 16 oz per hour, with some variance allowed for individual conditions. I have frequent kidney stones. My doc advises me to drink lots of water, with no concern for excess. Urine production and pain pills are the preferred way to push small to medium stones through the ureter and beyond. Some days, I have drunk more than 2 gallons of water. I wonder what harm all this water may do to my body, as I seem to feel fatigued often (at 40, I could just be getting old!). I don’t want to drink Gatorade, with all those excess calories, to replenish electrolytes! Any comments?

Maybe Mexican water :-).

My brother was drinking about 16L of water every day (about 4 gallons).

After a couple of months, the low sodium levels triggered some schizophrenia and he went bat-shit crazy for about a month. Heard demons, etc. True story. So you CAN drink too much water.

PPAAASSHHHEEEIIIIT !!!.. must’ve been a comedy skit… water is the only thing you can do in excess and doesn’t harm you…

Theoretically, the point should be made that one can actually consume too much water. Apparently, one can actually attain a feeling of being “high” then halucinating and can even overdose if intake is continued (it has to do with electrolite balance/dilution I believe). The amount required to do so is rather rediculous however and is limited to a short time frame.

And if you do get the water high, you will most likely die from it. I think you have to drink 2-3 gallons at one time to get this effect.


Just as a technical note, schizophrenia is not “triggered” by excessive water intake. Schizophrenia is a very specific mental illness. Now, some schizophrenics and people with schizo-affective disorders can actually retain too much water, which is referred to as ‘water intoxication.’ Those that are affected by this tend to excrete extra levels of vasopressin (which causes water retention), and have a smaller medial temporal lobe. The medial temporal lobe appears to be one of the key areas to influence the abnormalities of schizophrenia, and is also the region that regulates vasopressin release.


In short, a normal person will not be ‘turned into’ a schizophrenic by water consumption. Schizophrenia or a schizoaffective disorder would have to be latent, first.

I think that there is such a thing as too much water. If you drink a shit load, you will flush a lot of things in your system. But that is the average person. If there is an abundance of supplements that you put in your system,then you need that water, plus with intense exercise you need to put lost fluids back in your system. As far as the electrolytes are concerned, just a little Gatorade will do. I get the half gallon and drink a glass or so after workout. It all depends on what you do as to how much fluids need to be replenished.

8, 8oz. Glasses,that is never too much. However, there is a limit.If you spend your day drinking 4 or 5 gallons of water something is wrong. It is alright, but only if you’re a fish or a horse

Wouldn’t cosuming a little extra salt prevent the effects of extreme water consumption?

Yes, taking in extra salt and potassium in addition to the water will help balance things out. I would never recommend gatorade, however.