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

A newly recognised form of diabetes is reshaping how scientists and doctors view the condition, particularly in countries like India. In 2025, global health authorities officially acknowledged Type 5 diabetes as a separate and distinct form of the disease.

This recognition ended decades of confusion around a type of diabetes that did not fit neatly into the existing categories of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. The formal classification, backed by the International Diabetes Federation and supported by research published in The Lancet Global Health, is expected to transform diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care for millions of people worldwide.

But what exactly is Type 5 diabetes, and how does it differ from the types of diabetes that are more widely known?

What Is Type 5 Diabetes?

Type 5 diabetes is now recognised as a distinct form of the disease caused primarily by severe, long-term malnutrition, often experienced during childhood. This undernutrition can lead to profound insulin deficiency and an underdeveloped pancreas, resulting in significantly reduced insulin production.

Unlike Type 1 diabetes, which is autoimmune, or Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to insulin resistance, Type 5 diabetes arises from nutritional deficiencies that impair the pancreas’s ability to function properly.

It most commonly affects lean young adults in low-income regions. For years, people with this condition were misdiagnosed as having Type 1 diabetes or an unusual form of Type 2, often leading to inappropriate treatments that failed to address the root cause.

Type 5 Diabetes Symptoms

Symptoms of type 5 diabetes can resemble those seen in other forms of diabetes, such as excessive thirst, frequent urination, persistent tiredness, unexplained weight loss, blurred vision, and slow-healing wounds. However, they are often paired with indications of malnutrition, including a lean physique, delayed growth or puberty in young people, anemia, and recurring infections.

These arise from nutritional deficiencies during early life rather than solely from insulin resistance or autoimmune causes, and they usually present before the age of 30, according to the International Diabetes Federation.

Type 5 Diabetes: Scientists Demand Recognition

Researchers have been studying this condition for decades, particularly in parts of Asia and Africa. Yet, without official recognition, the disease remained poorly understood, and patients were rarely diagnosed correctly. Experts argued that grouping these patients under existing categories obscured the true cause of their illness.

The 2025 classification now formally separates Type 5 diabetes from other types, making it easier to study, identify, and manage. In India, where diabetes prevalence is already high, this recognition is particularly relevant. Tens of millions of people live with diabetes in the country, many of whom remain undiagnosed. Type 5 diabetes highlights a different pattern: it develops not from excess calories, but from too little nutrition during childhood, creating a double burden in regions where obesity and undernutrition coexist.

Implications for Diagnosis and Care

Although there is no new treatment specifically for Type 5 diabetes yet, official recognition marks a major step forward. Doctors can now approach lean patients with a history of malnutrition more carefully, avoiding a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Clearer classification could lead to better guidelines, more personalised care, fewer complications, and improved long-term outcomes.

Experts believe that understanding the role of childhood undernutrition in diabetes could eventually reshape how we prevent, monitor, and manage the condition—something countries like India urgently need as diabetes numbers continue to rise.

An early sign of dementia can sometimes look like a common winter-related issue. When this symptom appears along with other warning signals, it may be wise to speak to a doctor. Dementia is a syndrome marked by a collection of related symptoms that point to a gradual decline in brain function. Over time, this can affect memory, behaviour, thinking, and even movement. In its early phase, however, dementia often shows up through subtle changes that are easy to overlook or mistake for something less serious.

This Common Cold Like Symptom Might Actually Be An Early Sign of Dementia

Dementia UK notes that one possible early indicator of dementia is “low mood, anxiety or depression”. Its specialists explain: “In the early stages of dementia, people often begin to notice symptoms that interfere with day-to-day life.” The difficulty is that low mood or depression can also be linked to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression that tends to appear during winter and ease as the days become longer and brighter.

Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

The NHS lists the following possible symptoms of SAD:

• Low mood
• Loss of interest in activities you usually enjoy
• Feelings of guilt, hopelessness or worthlessness
• Feeling restless, tense or easily irritated
• Problems with concentration
• Increased appetite and eating more than usual
• Feeling very tired and sleeping more than usual
• Thoughts of suicide or self-harm

Dementia Early Symptoms

• Problems with memory and concentration
• Difficulties with language and communication, such as struggling to find words or follow conversations
• Difficulties with planning, problem-solving and making decisions
• Getting lost in familiar places because of problems with orientation and reduced ability to recognise usual cues, such as signs or landmarks
• Changes in behaviour and personality, such as becoming more withdrawn or less patient

How Early Symptoms May Differ Between Dementia Types

The organisation explains: “A person experiencing early symptoms of dementia may notice these changes themselves, or they may be picked up first by family members, friends or colleagues. Memory problems are not always obvious in the early stages of some types of dementia, such as frontotemporal dementia, where changes in behaviour and personality may appear first.

“People with young onset dementia, where symptoms begin before the age of 65, are also less likely to have memory loss as an early symptom.”

Emotional Changes Linked To Specific Forms Of Dementia

The charity also points out that emotional changes can be linked to two specific types of dementia. In vascular dementia, a person may experience “changes in mood, behaviour and personality”, while Lewy body dementia can cause “mood changes, including anxiety and depression”.

Dementia: Why These Symptoms Can Be Hard To Identify

That said, it is often difficult to know at first whether dementia is the cause of these warning signs. Dementia UK advises: “Many symptoms associated with dementia can also be caused by other physical or mental health conditions, such as thyroid disorders, menopause, vitamin B12 deficiency, depression, anxiety, work-related stress or relationship difficulties.

“This means that experiencing symptoms linked to dementia does not automatically mean someone has the condition. However, if you or someone close to you is showing signs or symptoms of dementia, it is important to visit a GP to understand what might be causing them.”

When To Seek Medical Advice

If you or someone you know is showing symptoms that resemble dementia, seeking advice from your GP is an important first step.

Gonorrhea poses a far more serious challenge than many realise. Over the years, doctors treating the infection have seen their treatment choices steadily shrink. The bacteria responsible, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, has repeatedly adapted to antibiotics, rendering many once-reliable drugs ineffective. As a result, clinicians have been forced to depend heavily on a single injectable medication, a situation that has raised growing concern.

That dependence is becoming increasingly risky. Data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that reported cases of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis have climbed by nearly 90% since 2004. In 2023 alone, the country recorded more than 2.4 million cases of sexually transmitted infections.

FDA Clears First New Gonorrhea Drug In 30 Years

This month, however, marked a significant shift. The US Food and Drug Administration approved two new oral antibiotics to treat gonorrhea: zoliflodacin and gepotidacin. These approvals represent the first entirely new gonorrhea treatments in more than three decades.

“These approvals mark a significant milestone for treatment options for patients with uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhea,” said Dr Adam Sherwat of the FDA in an official statement.

Why Gonorrhea Has Become Harder to Treat

If left untreated, gonorrhea can lead to serious complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and in rare cases, infections that spread to the joints or bloodstream, as per Cleveland Clinic. Many people experience no symptoms at all, allowing the infection to spread quietly. Despite years of research, there is still no licensed vaccine, leaving antibiotics as the primary line of defence.

What the FDA’s Decision Changes

The newly approved treatments offer a fresh sense of hope. Zoliflodacin, developed by the nonprofit Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership in collaboration with Innoviva Specialty Therapeutics, is designed as a single-dose oral medication. Gepotidacin, developed by GSK, is taken in two doses and is also approved for treating certain urinary tract infections.

Both medicines eliminate the need for injections, a shift that could make treatment simpler and more accessible, particularly in settings where access to clinics is limited.

FDA Clears First New Gonorrhea Drug: How the Two New Medicines Work

As per Medscape, clinical trial results for both drugs have been encouraging. Zoliflodacin was tested in a large international study involving more than 900 participants across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the US. The drug successfully cured about 90.9% of patients, a rate comparable to the 96.2% success rate of the current injectable standard. Most reported side effects were mild.

Gepotidacin showed similarly strong results in a separate Phase 3 trial that included around 600 patients from six countries. The cure rate reached 92.6%. Some participants reported digestive issues, but these effects were generally described as mild.

What the Trial Results Show

Importantly, both medications were effective against strains of gonorrhea that no longer respond to older antibiotics. That said, public health experts stress that these drugs are not a permanent solution.

“Bacteria are smart. They can pass resistant mechanisms between each other,” said Dr Manica Balasegaram of the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership, speaking to CNN.

Why Experts Say Caution Is Still Needed

Several uncertainties remain. Neither drug has yet shown strong effectiveness against throat infections, known as pharyngeal gonorrhea, which are more difficult to detect and treat. There is also ongoing debate about how best to use the new medications. Some experts argue they should be reserved as last-line treatments, while others believe earlier use could help slow resistance.

Dr Tereza Kasaeva of the World Health Organization described the approvals as “an important and timely development” amid rising global infection rates and limited treatment options, according to The Guardian.

For now, the new drugs provide much-needed breathing room. Whether that progress holds will depend on careful prescribing and close monitoring of how resistance evolves.