By Jude Atupulazi
A dietitian, Mrs Oludayo Coates, has called for moderation in the intake of water to avoid complications associated with excessive consumption of water.
Coates, who is the Head of the Dietetics and Nutrition Department at the Alimosho General Hospital in Lagos, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen on tuesday.
According to her, many people found it difficult to believe that excessive consumption of water was harmful to the body.
Coates explained that drinking excess water could lead to hyponatremia – an electrolyte abnormality caused by an excess of total body water when compared to total body sodium content.
The expert warned that the medical condition was life-threatening, adding that too much water intake could also result in a bloated stomach, muscle weakness and pain, vomiting and drowsiness.
‘Too much of everything is harmful, hence, the need for moderation in our intake of water and food to ensure healthy living,’ she said.
The dietitian emphasised that access to clean, portable water was essential to the well-being and survival of every human.
Coates quoted the United Nations (UN) as saying that water was critical to sustainable socio-economic development, energy and food production, healthy ecosystems and human survival.
She said the National Academy of Science and General Medicine recommended the intake of 3.7 litres of water for men and 2.7 litres for women, approximating, it to 13 cups and nine cups respectively for both genders.
The HOD noted that inadequate intake of water often led to dehydration, which, she said, caused headache, dizziness, dry cough, high heart rate and sometimes urinary tract infection, kidney stone and failure, if prolonged.
‘The amount of (drinking) water intake for people varies and this can be as a result of the weather, body weight, environment and the kind of job undertaken by an individual.
‘We should take water when thirsty and also at intervals to ensure the well-being and proper function of the body system,’ she said.
