From controlling body temperature and flushing out toxins, adequate hydration plays a vital role in our general health and well-being, water is a life essential. However, while dehydration garners significant attention, overhydration, or drinking excessive amounts of water, is a condition that can have serious and sometimes fatal consequences.

Although it may sound bizarre since drinking water is said to be the solution for most health related problems it is important to recognize how much water is considered "too much" or the risks involved with being overhydrated can maintain a healthy balance.

What Is Water Intoxication?

Water intoxication, also termed hyperhydration, water poisoning or water toxemia, develops when an individual drinks much more water than the kidney can excrete. The main function of the kidneys in the human body is the processing and excretion of excess water. However, the human kidneys can process only up to 0.8 to 1.0 liters of water at a time. Drinking an amount that exceeds this may overwhelm the kidneys and put the electrolyte balance out of sync in the human body.

Electrolytes, especially sodium, are essential in maintaining fluid balance within and outside cells. Hyponatremia is the condition when sodium levels fall below 135 mmol/L, resulting from excessive water intake. This causes water to shift into cells, swelling them. In the brain, this can cause severe complications, including coma or even death.

Symptoms of Water Intoxication

The symptoms of water intoxication vary from mild to severe. Early symptoms are often similar to dehydration, which makes self-diagnosis challenging. Common symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Muscle cramps or weakness
• Fatigue or drowsiness
• Confusion and disorientation

In more serious cases, water intoxication can cause seizures, loss of consciousness, or swelling in the brain. These complications can be fatal if left untreated.

A notable case occurred in 2007 when a woman participating in a water-drinking contest tragically died after consuming nearly two gallons of water in under two hours. More recently, actress Brooke Shields experienced a grand mal seizure attributed to excessive water consumption.

Causes of Water Intoxication

Water intoxication is rare, but certain scenarios can increase the risk:

1. Sporting Events and Endurance Training

These endurance athletes are prone to water intoxication, especially if they drink large amounts of water without replacing lost electrolytes. Hyponatremia usually happens during long races or marathons as individuals mistake fatigue and muscle cramps for dehydration and continue drinking water in excess.

2. Military Training

Overhydration among military personnel is usually due to severe physical activity in extreme environmental conditions. The total number of hyponatremia cases documented from 2007 through 2022 for the active duty in the United States exceeds 1,600, with a note to this problem on exertion-related overhydration.

3. Mental Health Conditions

Compulsive water drinking, known as psychogenic polydipsia, is linked with some mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and psychosis. People with these conditions tend to drink too much water, causing a hazardous electrolyte imbalance.

4. Drug Abuse

Drugs such as MDMA (ecstasy) raise the body temperature and make people thirsty, and at times, some people tend to drink excess water at events like music festivals. MDMA also leads to urine retention, thus exacerbating the dangers of water intoxication.

How Much Water Is Too Much?

The exact amount of water that causes intoxication varies from one person to another. However, drinking more than 1 liter of water per hour for several hours raises the risk. For healthy individuals, the risk of overhydration is low unless taking part in extreme physical activity or ignoring thirst cues.

Certain medical conditions, such as kidney or liver disorders, can impair the body's ability to process fluids, and even moderate water intake may be harmful. Similarly, certain medications, such as diuretics and antipsychotics, can affect the perception of thirst or fluid regulation.

How Much Water Is Enough?

The widely touted recommendation of eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day has little basis in fact. According to the National Academy of Medicine, a daily total fluid intake is about 15 cups (3.7 liters) for males and 11 cups (2.7 liters) for females, from beverage sources and from food. Usually, about 20 percent of daily hydration comes from foods such as fruits and vegetables.

A better rule of thumb is to listen to your body and drink water based on thirst. Use the color of your urine as an indicator:

• Light yellow urine indicates proper hydration.
• Dark yellow urine may indicate dehydration.

Older adults, whose thirst mechanisms may decline with age, should be proactive about maintaining hydration, especially during illness or hot weather.

Water Intoxication vs. Dehydration

The symptoms of water intoxication—such as headaches, fatigue, and muscle weakness—are similar to those of dehydration. If you are unsure which condition you are experiencing, seek medical attention immediately rather than self-treating with more water.

Preventing Water Intoxication

To avoid the dangers of overhydration:

• Drink water gradually throughout the day rather than consuming large amounts at once.
• Replace lost electrolytes post high-intensity exercise or heavy sweating.
• Consider using sports drinks or salty snacks to help replenish sodium.
• Keep track of fluid consumption during long-duration activities, and do not consume more water than the body is losing in terms of electrolytes.
• If on medications or have specific medical conditions, check with your doctor regarding the safety of drinking water.

For signs of severe water intoxication-including confusion, drowsiness, seizures, and loss of consciousness-customer is advised to seek medical assistance immediately. In the meanwhile, a salty snack would help to temporarily correct low sodium levels.

Hydration is important to health, but overhydration can be a serious risk; the secret is in finding a balance. Drink enough water to satisfy your body, but not so much that it overwhelms your system. Remember, water is life, but moderation keeps it that way.

Hyponatremia (low sodium level in the blood). National Kidney Foundation. 2023.

Water Toxicity. NIH. 2023

Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia: 2017 Update. Front Med (Lausanne). 2017

Update: Exertional Hyponatremia Among Active Component Members of the U.S. Armed Forces, 2007–2022

Before "brain health" became a buzzword, Rudolph E Tanzi started to write the science behind it. Tanzi is a neurology professor at the Harvard, and co-director of the Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital is known for discovering three key Alzheimer's genes. In his 46-year career, he wrote hundreds of journal articles that helped in shaping the modern understanding of neurodegenerative illness.

In 2023, neuroscientist also teamed up with holistic health advocate Deepak Chopra to write Super Brain, a book that pushed against the idea that brain has fixed limits. The belief also sits at the heart of SHIELD, which a lifestyle framework developed by Tanzi to protect long-term brain health. It focuses on six pillars:

• Sleep
• Handling stress
• Interaction with others
• Exercise
• Learning
• Diet

Tanzi now 67, says these principles are not just theoretical, but he credits his own research and daily habits for helping him stay mentally sharp, physically active and deeply engaged in his work.

“I’m doing more work and having more fun and excitement than ever,” he says. “Your world can feel young or stagnant based entirely on the health of your brain. Most people do not realize that.”

Let us look deeper into SHIELD:

Sleep

Tanzi aims for seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night. Sleep, he explains, is not just rest. It is active maintenance for the brain.

During deep sleep, the brain clears out toxins, including amyloid proteins that are linked to Alzheimer’s disease years before symptoms appear. Each deep sleep cycle works like a rinse for the brain.

Rather than following a fixed bedtime, Tanzi plans backward from his wake-up time to ensure at least seven hours of sleep. An hour before bed, screens go off and phone scrolling stops. If sleep falls short, he recommends short power naps, even brief ones.

Handling stress

Chronic stress is one of the biggest threats to brain health. It raises cortisol levels, which Tanzi describes as toxic to the brain over time.

He believes modern life has amplified stress through constant notifications, emails and social media. His primary tool to counter this is meditation, especially practices that quiet the constant internal chatter many people experience.

Tanzi suggests closing your eyes periodically during the day and focusing on images rather than words. Let thoughts come and go without turning them into sentences. He also warns against living mentally in the past or worrying excessively about the future instead of staying present.

Reducing this internal noise, he says, boosts creativity, intuition and mental clarity.

Interaction with friends

Social connection matters more than many people realize. Loneliness has been linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline.

The key, Tanzi says, is interacting with people you genuinely enjoy. Stressful social interactions do not count. Even regular texting or phone calls can help.

Because many of his friends live far away, Tanzi stays connected through small, intentional check-ins with different friend groups each day. Used this way, social media can actually support brain health instead of draining it.

Read: Neurologist Shares 10 Eating Habits For A Longer, Healthier Life

Exercise

Regular movement improves blood flow to the brain and helps form new nerve cells, particularly in areas affected early by Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise also releases hormones that help break down harmful amyloid buildup.

Tanzi cycles on a stationary bike for 30 minutes every other day and walks on alternate days. He points to research showing that even modest increases in daily steps can meaningfully reduce dementia risk.

Learning new things

Learning builds new synapses, the connections that store memories and support thinking. When these connections weaken, cognition suffers.

As people age, Tanzi says they often become less adventurous and rely on the same mental patterns. That stagnation harms the brain.

To counter this, he constantly learns new music on the keyboard, writes his own compositions, reads widely and watches documentaries. New experiences keep the brain flexible and resilient.

Diet

Diet plays a central role in brain health, largely through the gut microbiome. When gut bacteria are balanced, they produce compounds that reduce inflammation and help clear amyloid from the brain.

Tanzi follows a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, nuts and seeds. He is mostly vegan but not rigid. His snacks tend to be crunchy whole foods that gut bacteria thrive on.

He is also increasingly focused on environmental factors that affect the brain. His upcoming book will explore what he calls the “killer P’s,” including plastics, pollution, periodontal bacteria and processed foods, and how they quietly shape long-term brain health.

Deadly Nipah Virus Outbreak: Nipah virus outbreak reported in West Bengal, India started with the cases of two nurses, one of whom is in "critical condition". Nearly 100 people are quarantined, and India's Ministry of Health shared precautions to prevent Nipah virus infection in a post on X.

However, how did it all start?

Nipah Virus: The Evolution And Where It All Began

The original infection was first identified in September 1998 in Perak, Malaysia, which was followed by second and third clusters in the state of Negri Sembilan, notes a 2021 study that tracks the evolution of the virus. The cases were prominent in adult men who were in contact with swine. By March 1999, a cluster of 11 similar cases were identified in Singapore, mostly common in slaughterhouse workers, who were in contact with pigs imported from Malaysia. This is how the virus started to become global. While people there were isolated, the outbreak in Malaysia continued to spread. This led to restrictions on swine imports to Singapore, followed by nationwide testing among pigs in Malaysia, and ultimately mass culling of over one million pigs from any farm in Malaysia with a confirmed infection.

Read: Nipah Virus Outbreak India: How Contagious Is It And Who Is Most At Risk?

Then appeared a new, distinct strain of Nipah virus with infection which was characterized largely by severe respiratory symptoms. In 2000-2001, Bangladesh and India were affected. Epidemiological studies revealed clustering around household members and hospital contacts without any clear animal exposure. This raised suspicion for human to human transmission.

Nipah Virus In Bats: How Did Scientists Know?

When Nipah virus (NiV) was first identified, scientists noted that the closely related Hendra virus persisted in fruit bats of the Pteropus genus, raising early suspicions that these bats could also be the natural reservoir for NiV. Later research confirmed the presence of NiV genetic material and neutralising antibodies in urine, saliva, blood and various organs of several Pteropus bat species across Asia, including in countries with no recorded human cases.

This raised doubts, and it was later revealed that due to the consumption of raw date palm juice, the infection developed. This is because bats also are carrier of the virus and they may bite into raw fruits or lick them, and consuming juice from such fruits could spread the infection. This was a common practice in Bangladesh and much of South Asia.

Read: Nipah Virus Outbreak in India: 100 People Quarantined, Doctor Issues Food Warnings

Studies examining human exposure patterns found a strong link between NiV infection and the consumption of raw date palm sap. The sap, typically harvested between December and February, is often contaminated by bats that feed on it, leaving behind saliva and urine. In Bangladesh, this route has been identified as the main pathway of transmission from bats to humans, although the possibility of additional human-to-human spread remains.

Nipah Virus Went Global

In 2014, a serious outbreak of illness hit two villages in southern Philippines, with people developing brain infections, meningitis and flu-like symptoms. Tests later confirmed Nipah virus as the cause. Among those who developed acute brain infection, the death rate was extremely high at 82 percent. While some infections spread from person to person, this was the first outbreak linked to the slaughter of horses and the consumption of horse meat. Around the same time, several horses and other domestic animals that had eaten horse meat also fell sick and died.

In 2018, another outbreak occurred in Kerala, India, where 23 confirmed and suspected cases were reported. The virus spread across three hospitals, with both primary and secondary infections traced back to one initial patient. Samples collected from the patient’s home and workplaces, including pets and partially eaten fruits dropped by bats, all tested negative for the virus, and the exact source of the infection could not be identified.

Read: Doctor Debunks Five Myths Around Nipah Virus

Nipah Virus Outbreak In India's West Bengal

Currently, two nurses, a doctor, hospital staff and some patients have reported to be infected by the virus. A survey conducted on bats in West Bengal found no active Nipah virus infection. Though there were antibodies detected in one specimen, which indicated prior exposure. This was confirmed by a senior state forest department official. The survey was conducted amid the identification of two confirmed Nipah virus cases.

To conduct the survey, nine bats near Kuberpur on the Kolkata-Barasat Road in Madhyamgram were tested using RT-PCR. All samples were negative, however, one bat, tested positive for antibodies. However, it only suggested prior infection, meaning there was no current risk of transmission.

Read: Nipah Virus Outbreak In India: How Is The Virus Being Contained?

The survey was conducted by the state forest department in collaboration with scientists form Pune-based National Institute of Virology. "The findings are reassuring, but caution is warranted. Surveillance and prevent measures will continue until we are fully assured that there is no risk," confirmed a senior official of the West Bengal Health Department.

Nipah Virus: What Is It And What Are The Symptoms?

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic illness that is transmitted to people from animals, and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from person to person.

In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.

Although Nipah virus has caused only a few known outbreaks in Asia, it infects a wide range of animals and causes severe disease and death in people.

Nipah Virus Symptoms

• Fever
• Headache
• Breathing difficulties
• Cough and sore throat
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Muscle pain and severe weakness

Your weight not only affects your heart health but also your brain health. A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism has revealed a powerful connection between your body weight, heart and brain.

After studying over 500,000 people, scientists discovered that having a high Body Mass Index (BMI) can nearly double your chances of developing brain-related illnesses later in life, which confirms that being overweight and having high blood pressure are not just general health concerns, they are direct causes of dementia.

How Does Your Weight Affect Brain Health?

The study focused heavily on vascular dementia, a specific type of memory loss that occurs when the brain is damaged because of a lack of blood flow.

Think of your blood vessels like a system of pipes. If those pipes are narrowed or blocked due to weight-related issues, the "engine" (your brain) doesn't get the fuel it needs. Over time, this lack of oxygen and nutrients leads to permanent brain damage and the loss of memory and thinking skills.

Researchers found that high blood pressure, often caused by carrying extra weight, is the main "middleman" in this process. Blood pressure is measured with two numbers, and both play a part in brain health:

Systolic

This is the pressure when your heart beats. It accounts for about 18 percent of the link between obesity and dementia.

Diastolic

This is the pressure when your heart rests between beats. It accounts for about 25 percent of the link. When these numbers stay high, they constantly "batter" the delicate vessels in the brain, causing them to weaken or clog.

How Weight Affects the Brain

Beyond just blood flow, a high BMI impacts the brain in several other ways:

Increased Inflammation

Obesity often causes the body to be in a constant state of "alarm" or inflammation. This can irritate the immune system and eventually damage brain cells.

Metabolism Issues

When the body struggles to process energy and food properly, it changes how the brain uses energy, which can lead to cognitive decline.

Heart Strain

A heart that has to work harder to pump blood through a larger body eventually becomes less efficient at sending blood all the way up to the brain. Your heart essentially has to do twice as much work as it would at a lower weight.

Can Preventing Obesity Help Dementia?

The most encouraging takeaway from this study is that dementia isn't always a matter of bad luck or "old age." Researchers call this an unexploited opportunity.

By managing your weight and blood pressure early in life, through a healthy diet, consistent exercise, and good sleep, you are essentially "dementia-proofing" your brain. The researchers suggested that intervening early, possibly even with weight-loss medications before symptoms start, could be a key strategy for protecting brain health in the future.

How Much Does Obesity Affect Worldwide?

According to the World Health Organization, one in eight people in the world are living with obesity. In 2022, about 2.5 billion adults were overweight. Causes of it vary, from things like diseases or chronic conditions, to the kind of food that is available to consume.