An expert has explained how drinking too much water can be fatal after the tragic passing of a mother-of-two.
As previously reported, a woman named Ashley Summers, 35, was enjoying a visit to Indiana’s Lake Freeman with her husband and two daughters on the Fourth of July weekend.
Summers began feeling extremely dehydrated and severely light-headed, so she decided to quench her thirst with water, but it did not relieve her symptoms, therefore she ended up consuming the equivalent of four 16oz bottles in 20 minutes, as reported by WRTV.
Two liters is the recommended amount the average person should drink per day, so as a result, Summers ended up collapsing in the family's garage and was then rushed to IU Health Arnett Hospital.
Unfortunately, the mother never regained consciousness due to ingesting multiple bottles of water in a short span so Doctors informed her devastated family that she had tragically died from water toxicity.
Her brother, Devon Miller, was in disbelief when he heard about his sister’s condition, saying: "It was a shock to all of us. When they first started talking about water toxicity. It was like this is a thing?"
Water toxicity - also known as water poisoning - happens when too much water is swallowed in a short period of time, or if the kidneys retain too much water due to underlying health conditions. The symptoms include feeling unwell as well as having headaches, soreness, nausea, and muscle cramps.
An expert named Alex Ebner, Owner of ACE Medical Company, shared with The Mirror that "according to scientists, a person will only live three days without water," adding: "By staying hydrated, a person can enjoy several important benefits in quality of life: more efficient brain function, higher energy, a healthier cardiovascular system, and fewer aches and pains."
However, there is such a thing as drinking too much water, as he explained that water intoxication is when someone consumes so much that they "dilute the electrolytes (minerals and salts that regulate several bodily functions) in their bloodstream".
Dr. Alok Harwani, a physician at the hospital, echoed this sentiment as he told WLFI that when you are spending time outside in hot weather, you need to eat or drink things with electrolytes, like fruit, as well as plain water - as this allows your body to maintain the balance of water and sodium in the blood.
Furthermore, Dr. Elena Salagean advised people that the amount of water considered "too much" will depend on their body size, weight, and general health condition as there isn't "a generic cut-off," while Dr. Naheed Ali shared that while water intoxication is a rare condition, it is mainly prevalent among people who engage in high-level physical activities such as athletes.
Summers' heartbroken family revealed to WRTV that she was an organ donor, and was able to donate her heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, and some of her long bone tissue - ultimately saving five other lives.
There is also a Venmo account set up for her children and medical bills. If you would like to donate, the username is @Cody-Summers-16.
Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.