Woman drinks so much water she dies

[Blue_Tires]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/13/water.intox.ap/index.html


SACRAMENTO, California (AP) -- A woman who competed in a radio station's contest to see how much water she could drink without going to the bathroom died of water intoxication, the coroner's office said Saturday.

Jennifer Strange, 28, was found dead Friday in her suburban Rancho Cordova home hours after taking part in the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest in which KDND 107.9 promised a Nintendo Wii video game system for the winner.

"She said to one of our supervisors that she was on her way home and her head was hurting her real bad," said Laura Rios, one of Strange's co-workers at Radiological Associates of Sacramento. "She was crying, and that was the last that anyone had heard from her."

It was not immediately known how much water Strange consumed.

A preliminary investigation found evidence "consistent with a water intoxication death," said assistant Coroner Ed Smith.

[bigwillq]

1. Some X-heads died of this same thing

They drank so much water while 'rolling' on Ecstasy that they died.

How sad. It all cases.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

2. When I was pledging a sorority

that was one of the things they liked to do to pledges...make them drink a full glass of water whenever one of the sisters said, "You, drink up." I'll never forget that night. I thought I was going to explode. However they did allow us to pee. I never did go back and never regretted it. :silly:

[Briarius]

3. There was an article in playboy a couple months ago about that

a pledge died of water intoxication during a hazing like that. Good for you!

[graywarrior]

4. Wow, that's strange.

[spacelady]

5. Makes you wonder about how you are encouraged to drink 8

8oz. glasses of water per day & then how students in schools are penalized when they have to use the bathroom more than what is considered "appropriate".

[elocs]

6. Also happens to runners:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_intoxication

"Marathon runners are susceptible to water intoxication if they drink only water while running. Although sweat is relatively hypotonic compared with body fluids, marathon runners perspire heavily for long periods, potentially causing their sodium levels to drop when they consume large amounts of fluids to quench their thirst. The replacement fluids may not contain sufficient sodium to replace what has been lost, and this puts them at high risk for water intoxication. Medical personnel at marathon events are trained to immediately suspect water intoxication when runners collapse or show signs of confusion. Properly designed electrolyte-replacement drinks and some sports drinks include electrolytes that make them roughly isotonic with sweat, which helps to prevent water intoxication."

[Ilsa]

7. I think dizziness occurs sometimes when electrolytes are too

low due to dilution with water. I have had too much to drink (but I was drinking to thirst level) when exercising, and it is scary. Most poeple don't realize you can drink too much water.

Not only are electrolytes diluted, but circulating hormones might be diluted as well.