A growing number of young people in China are carrying oversized bottles of water in the name of health. But doctors warn that drinking too much water in a short span can lead to water intoxication, a condition that can turn life-threatening.
Drinking 2 Liters at a Time: Water Craze Spreads on Social Media
Chinese media outlet Yangguang.net reported on the 19th that a trend of carrying and drinking 1.5-liter to 2-liter bottles of water has been spreading on social media in China.
The outlet said that millennials and members of Generation Z are putting down coffee and milk tea and gulping down 1.5-liter and 2-liter bottles of water, highlighting the new trend among younger consumers.
The craze began with health-related memes circulating online. Popular slogans include claims that drinking plenty of water and sleeping well builds firm muscle, and that the weak drink beverages while the strong drink water.
Some young people believe drinking more water improves skin, flushes out waste from the body, reduces body fat and strengthens immunity.
Drinking water has become a challenge in itself. Users are posting logs of how much water they drank in a day, along with photos proving they emptied an entire oversized bottle.
Even Water Turns Toxic in Excess, Specialist Says Match Intake to Your Condition
The problem is that some people force down water even when they feel no thirst. Believing it must be good for them, they habitually drain large tumblers regardless of their own physical condition.
Wu Liting, an endocrinologist at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, said replacing sugary drinks with water is the single best dietary habit young people have adopted, but added that drinking as much water as possible is not necessarily good.
"There is a limit to how much fluid the kidneys can process at once," Wu said. "Beyond that limit, the water cannot be excreted and it dilutes the sodium concentration in the blood."
Consuming excessive amounts of water in a short time can cause hyponatremia, in which sodium levels in the blood fall abnormally low. The condition is also known as water intoxication.
Early symptoms can be relatively mild, such as fatigue or difficulty concentrating. They are easy to dismiss as ordinary tiredness, but as the condition worsens, headaches, nausea and unsteady walking can follow. In severe cases, seizures, reduced consciousness and respiratory depression can occur, and brain swelling can put the patient's life at risk.
Women with lower body weight are especially at risk, because they carry relatively less water in their bodies and their blood sodium levels can drop more easily even after drinking the same amount.
People who exercise intensely also need caution. Drinking only water in excess after heavy sweating from activities such as marathons, without replenishing sodium and other electrolytes, can raise the risk of hyponatremia.
"The recommended daily water intake differs from person to person depending on body weight, exercise levels, temperature, fever, and whether someone is pregnant or breastfeeding," Wu said. "Drinking water has a low barrier to entry and costs little, so it is easy to copy, but you have to drink an appropriate amount for your own condition."
