There's a Serious Downside to All That Water You're Drinking

Online, #WaterTok has notched a billion-plus views on TikTok in barely a year. Water is seriously trending. But our hydro-obsession can put us on a slippery slope. Thousands of those #WaterTok videos extol the virtues of water fasting—consuming nothing but flavored water—and powering through a gallon each day. Water influencers (which, yes, are a thing now) flood our feeds with misinformation—Drink eight glasses a day! No, drink an ounce for every pound you weigh!—while bro science—Excessive water consumption flushes out toxins!—surges. The high-water line of H2O’s toxic trendiness may have come late last year, when the actress Brooke Shields turned blue, began frothing at the mouth, and collapsed at a New York restaurant. The culprit? Excess water caused her sodium levels to plummet, leading to a seizure. “I don’t think people understand: Drinking too much water is not safe and can result in serious complications such as seizures, brain swelling, and even death,” says Robert Glatter, M.D., an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital who has treated people who’ve landed in the ER due to water fasts. “Most people think more is better, but that’s not true.” [View in Browser]( [Men's Health]( [SHOP]( [MVP EXCLUSIVES]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [Alternate text] THIS WEEK'S MUST-READ [Alternate text] [There's a Serious Downside to All That Water You're Drinking]( [There's a Serious Downside to All That Water You're Drinking]( [Online, #WaterTok has notched a billion-plus views on TikTok in barely a year. Water is seriously trending. But our hydro-obsession can put us on a slippery slope. Thousands of those #WaterTok videos extol the virtues of water fasting—consuming nothing but flavored water—and powering through a gallon each day. Water influencers (which, yes, are a thing now) flood our feeds with misinformation—Drink eight glasses a day! No, drink an ounce for every pound you weigh!—while bro science—Excessive water consumption flushes out toxins!—surges. The high-water line of H2O’s toxic trendiness may have come late last year, when the actress Brooke Shields turned blue, began frothing at the mouth, and collapsed at a New York restaurant. The culprit? Excess water caused her sodium levels to plummet, leading to a seizure. “I don’t think people understand: Drinking too much water is not safe and can result in serious complications such as seizures, brain swelling, and even death,” says Robert Glatter, M.D., an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital who has treated people who’ve landed in the ER due to water fasts. “Most people think more is better, but that’s not true.”]( [READ MORE]( [Alternate text] [The Only Way to Achieve a Perfectly Shaped Beard Is With These Trimmers]( [The Only Way to Achieve a Perfectly Shaped Beard Is With These Trimmers]( [You’ve grown a beard, now what? Keep it in shape with the right beard trimmer.]( [READ MORE]( [I Loved My Dog. Then He Tried to Kill Me.]( [I Loved My Dog. Then He Tried to Kill Me.]( [When the author’s pet attacked him, he gained a visceral understanding of post-traumatic growth and learned it’s okay not to have all the answers.]( [READ MORE]( [Alternate text] [Alternate text] [Save Up to 50% at Amazon’s Secret Overstock Outlet]( [Save Up to 50% at Amazon’s Secret Overstock Outlet]( [From Under Armour accessories to sports equipment, the in-the-know section is full of discounts.]( [READ MORE]( [Build Abs Before Summer With Our Easy 4-Week Workout Plan]( [Build Abs Before Summer With Our Easy 4-Week Workout Plan]( [Everyone has a secret for a six-pack. Ours is simple: hard work.]( [READ MORE]( [Alternate text] [Alternate text] [Show Off That Arm Muscle This Summer in One of Our Favorite Tank Tops]( [Show Off That Arm Muscle This Summer in One of Our Favorite Tank Tops]( [Let your underarms breathe.]( [READ MORE]( [Alternate text] [What Are 'Primal Movement' Workouts, Anyway?]( [What Are 'Primal Movement' Workouts, Anyway?]( [This type of training is more than just a hyped-up trend. Here's what you need to know.]( [READ MORE]( [Alternate text] Shop Our Men's Health Favorites Dive into award-winners, editors' picks, and more, now in the Men's Health Shop. [Bala
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