A dietitian, Oludayo Coates, has called for moderation in water intake to avoid complications associated with excessive consumption.

Ms Coates, the head of the dietetics and nutrition department at the Alimosho General Hospital in Lagos, gave the advice in an interview with journalists on Tuesday.

The dietician said that many people find it difficult to believe that excessive water consumption can harm the body.

Ms Coates explained that drinking excess water can 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 is life-threatening.

She added that too much water intake can 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.

Ms Coates quoted the United Nations (UN) as saying water is 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, approximately 13 cups and nine cups, respectively, for both genders.

The HOD, however, noted that inadequate water intake often leads to dehydration, which causes headache, dizziness, dry cough, high heart rate and sometimes urinary tract infection, kidney stone and failure if prolonged.

“The amount of water intake for people varies, and this can be 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 well-being and proper function of the body system,” she said.

(NAN)