Experts often advise people to drink plenty of water each day. However, drinking too much water while running can pose a risk of death, and the mortality rate is significantly high. In particular, professional athletes should be especially cautious about their water intake while running.
If this principle is not followed, athletes may experience symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, and neurological disturbances. The reason is that drinking too much water dilutes the sodium or salt in the body, leading to excessive water accumulation in the lungs or brain. One athlete revealed that they consumed nearly 13 liters of water within 5 hours to complete their race, which is five times the recommended amount.
In fact, several athletes have suffered from the aforementioned conditions, with notable cases including seven athletes participating in the 2003 London Athletics Championship who required treatment at St Thomas’ Hospital in London due to low blood sodium levels. Therefore, even when feeling thirsty, it is crucial to remain vigilant and limit water intake while running.
