When Water Becomes Dangerous: The Hidden Risk of Overhydration (opinion)

By Kekeli Bansa

We are constantly told to drink more water. But what happens when “more” becomes too much?

You finish a long day under the Ghanaian sun. You are tired, sweating and thirsty, so you reach for a bottle of water.

Then another.

And another.

After all, water is healthy, right?

For the most part, yes. Water is essential for life. It helps regulate body temperature, supports circulation and digestion, and allows the body's cells to function properly.

But there is a point at which drinking more water can stop being beneficial and begin to disturb the body's delicate fluid and electrolyte balance.

The result can be a condition known as hyponatremia, in which the concentration of sodium in the blood becomes abnormally low.

The body needs both water and electrolytes to function properly. Sodium is particularly important because it helps regulate fluid balance and supports normal nerve and muscle function.

When a person consumes excessive amounts of water, particularly faster than the body can eliminate it, the water can dilute the sodium concentration in the bloodstream.

If sodium levels fall significantly, water can move into cells and cause them to swell. When brain cells are affected, the consequences can become serious. Severe or rapidly developing hyponatremia can cause confusion, seizures, loss of consciousness and, in extreme cases, death.

Importantly, not every case of hyponatremia is caused by drinking too much water. Certain illnesses, medications and other medical conditions can also cause low blood sodium.

The early symptoms can be easy to overlook.

A person may experience headache, nausea, vomiting, weakness, unusual tiredness or confusion. As the condition becomes more severe, neurological symptoms such as seizures and loss of consciousness can occur.

This becomes particularly important during prolonged exercise or physically demanding work.

Someone working outdoors in the heat may develop a headache and assume that dehydration is the problem. The natural reaction may be to drink even more water.

But if excessive fluid intake is contributing to low sodium levels, more water may not be the answer.

A study published in 2026 by researchers from the University of Health and Allied Sciences explored factors influencing water intake among 16 public health nursing students in Ghana. The study used in-depth interviews to understand students' experiences and attitudes towards water consumption.

One participant explained how physical activity influenced their water intake:

“Sometimes when I undergo some activities. Let’s say, maybe I jog or I walk or bike sometimes. I take in more.”

Another participant linked water consumption to the weather:

“If the weather is … hot I take more and when it’s cold too it reduces.”

The study does not examine cases of water intoxication or hyponatremia. Instead, it provides a glimpse into how physical activity, weather, thirst and other everyday factors influence people's drinking habits.

The issue has also been discussed by Ghanaian health professionals.

In a 2023 GhanaFact fact-check examining claims about water and dehydration, RD Maxwell Bisala Konlan, a Senior Clinical Dietitian at the University of Ghana Medical Centre, explained that drinking water helps prevent dehydration.

He also described taking in more water than necessary as “fluid overload.” GhanaFact reported that he had encountered a patient who consumed extremely large quantities of water and developed serious complications.

The important message is simple: water is essential, but more is not automatically better.

For athletes and people engaged in prolonged physical activity, the balance becomes more complicated.

Sweating causes the body to lose both water and electrolytes. Replacing fluids is therefore important, but excessive fluid intake can also contribute to exercise-associated hyponatremia.

Medical guidance recognises excessive fluid intake as one possible contributor to hyponatremia, particularly when water intake overwhelms the body's ability to eliminate excess water.

The goal, therefore, is not to avoid water during exercise. It is to avoid treating hydration as a challenge to drink as much as possible.

In Ghana's warm climate, dehydration is a genuine concern, particularly for people who work or exercise outdoors.

The answer, however, is not to assume that continuously increasing water intake is always healthier.

A construction worker spending hours under the sun may have different fluid needs from someone sitting indoors. An athlete participating in prolonged exercise may have different needs from someone taking a short walk.

For many healthy people, responding to thirst and avoiding unnecessary excessive fluid intake is a reasonable approach to everyday hydration. People with medical conditions or those taking medications that affect fluid balance may require individualized advice from a healthcare professional.

This is not a warning against drinking water.

Water remains one of the most important substances the human body needs. The concern is the belief that if some water is good, then more water must always be better.

It is not.

If someone develops severe headache, repeated vomiting, confusion, seizures or loss of consciousness after consuming a large amount of fluid, urgent medical attention is necessary.

In Ghana, where heat and physical activity make hydration an important part of daily life, the conversation should move beyond simply telling people to “drink more water.”

We should also teach people when enough is enough.

Because good hydration is not about filling the body with as much water as possible.

It is about giving the body what it needs—and maintaining the balance that keeps it functioning properly.

Drink water. Stay hydrated. But remember: when it comes to water, more is not always better.