Water overdose proves to be a killer

Jul 9 2008

A British man who drank 17 pints of cold water in eight hours, five times the recommended daily amount, in order to relieve a painful gum condition has died as a result.

It seems 44 year old Andrew Thornton, 'overloaded' his body by drinking such a vast amount of water and the excessive water killed him.

Thornton who had been suffering from gingivitis for 20 years, had been drinking water at a similar rate for the previous two days as it helped to numb his mouth, and was he thought an alternative to painkillers.

At an inquest into his death it was revealed that the physically active divorcee, who played football regularly was taken to hospital last December after collapsing at the home he shared with his mother.

The vast amount of water had made him unsteady and his legs eventually gave way and he fell and cut his eyebrow and bit through his tongue, before he was finally persuaded him to go to hospital.

While doctors initially thought he was drunk because he was staggering and slurring his words his symptoms were found to be caused by swelling in the brain brought on by excess fluid.

Doctors found the level of sodium in his blood was only 115 instead of the correct level of 140 so put salt back into his body to counter the effects of his water intake, but the following day he had a fatal heart attack.

Pathologist Dr. Alan Padwell told the inquest Thornton claimed drinking water relieved the problems with gum trouble, though he vomited a lot afterwards and had overloaded with water.

Dr. Padwell said the human body normally tells you how much you need to eat and drink and the body will regulate itself.

Death from drinking too much water can occur because if more enters the body than can be removed, it dilutes body fluids and sodium, causing blood cells to swell and cease functioning.