It is known that adequate hydration is necessary for the body but do you know that overhydration can be harmful to your body too?
Water is essential for maintaining healthy body processes, including kidney function. A balance must be maintained between getting enough water into your system and overhydrating, which can be harmful to your body and, specifically, the kidneys. This is a serious issue for those receiving hemodialysis and who also have kidney disease. Maintaining water levels with such patients is challenging and risky.
What causes overhydration?
Some common overhydration causes are:
Excessive Water Consumption: Drinking an excessive amount of water without considering individual hydration needs or accounting for other fluid intake sources can lead to overhydration. It is important to maintain a balance and be mindful of the body's hydration requirements.
Medical Conditions: Certain medical conditions can disrupt the body's fluid balance and increase the risk of overhydration. Conditions such as kidney diseases, heart failure, liver cirrhosis, and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) can affect the body's ability to regulate fluid levels properly.
Psychogenic Polydipsia: Psychogenic polydipsia is a psychiatric condition characterized by compulsive water drinking. Individuals with this condition may have an overwhelming urge to consume excessive amounts of water, leading to overhydration.
How overhydration affects kidney function?
Kidneys are essential for filtering waste and extra fluid from the body. In addition to producing urine, they ensure the body's electrolyte balance also. To keep the body in a balanced state, kidneys control how much water is absorbed or removed. Consuming too much water can result in hyponatremia or overhydration. The kidneys are put under stress by overhydration because they must work harder to eliminate the extra water. The side effects of overhydration may affect kidney structures as a result of the increased blood volume, which could hinder the kidneys' ability to perform at their best.
Hypervolemia: Hypervolemia makes it harder for the kidneys to work properly, which causes the body to retain too much water and dilute the blood's salt concentration. The word for this ailment in medicine is hyponatremia. Patients with chronic renal disease are more likely to develop hyponatremia because their kidneys are already weak and have a harder time processing excess fluids. Overly excessive fluid retention during dialysis might cause heart failure symptoms that endanger the patient’s life.
Signs and symptoms of overhydration and kidney strain
- Frequent urination
- Swelling in the hands and feet
- Changes in urine color
- Fatigue
- Changes in blood pressure
If these signs of overhydration persist or worsen, it is crucial to seek medical attention.
What is the best way to treat hyponatremia?
Depending on how severe your illness is, different treatments are available. You could be required to follow any or all of the following recommendations, depending on how serious your condition is:
IVs: Using an intravenous (IV) line, saline solutions can be administered into your body to increase the level of salt in your blood.
Medication: Medication is prescribed to help your kidneys remove more urine and maintain the salt levels in your body.
Dialysis: You might need to use dialysis to assist your kidneys in excreting waste products and filtering blood.
Also Read – Dehydration in Summer – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Home Remedies
The best water diet is:
In general, controlling fluid intake—both in terms of the proper quantity and the proper timing—plays a significant role in preventing hyponatremia.
Ideally, everybody should drink eight glasses of water a day. However, the amount of water intake varies from person to person depending on their health, age, physical appearance, and weather.
Here are some tips for preventing overhydration:
- Keep track of your liquid intake
- To eliminate dryness, try rinsing your mouth out with mouthwash
- Eat frozen fruit and veggies
- Limit your salt intake
- Adjust your dialysis requirements in accordance with your needs, as recommended by your doctor.
The key to promoting kidney health is to maintain a balance of fluid consumption, comprehend your unique hydration requirements, and be aware of the symptoms of overhydration. Consultation with medical experts can offer personalized advice on preserving a healthy fluid balance to promote renal function and general wellbeing.
Agilus Diagnostics, a subsidiary of Fortis Healthcare Limited
