José Luis Górriz, nephrologist: “When we drink a lot of water, the dilution of sodium is lower and hyponatremia occurs”
The health professional has appeared on ‘Your Friends the Hormones’, where he has spoken about the risks linked to excessive water consumption.
In the world of health, drinking water has always been considered one of our greatest allies. It not only keeps us hydrated, but also helps transport nutrients throughout the body, regulate body temperature, improve digestion, and prevent constipation, among many other functions.
However, too much of anything, even something beneficial, can be harmful. In this context, José Luis Górriz, a nephrologist, appeared on ’Tus amigas las hormonas’ (‘Your Friends the Hormones’), a podcast hosted and presented by Isabel Viña. During the episode, the health professionals addressed various topics related to health and self-care, paying special attention to substances like water that, when consumed in excess, can put the body at risk.
“Why did Bruce Lee die?” José Luis asked at the start. “I was actually at that clinical case review, what a coincidence… it was hyponatremia,” Isabel Viña replied, visibly surprised. “The head of the department, who is brilliant, analyzed different aspects of the case and the existing literature, and everything lined up. In fact, they published in a journal that the cause of death and the seizures was hyponatremia because he insisted on drinking so much water,” the nephrologist explained.
@isabelvinabas Sí, beber mucha agua puede ser peligrosa y producir convulsiones como le pasó a Bruce Lee y por eso falleció. Si quieres escuchar la conversación completa con el nefrólogo sobre café, tensión arterial y salud renal, ya está disponible en Spotify, YouTube y todas las plataformas de audio gratuitas. Busca 🔎 : “Tus Amigas Las Hormonas: EP 119. Cómo Cuidar tus Riñones: Proteínas, Sal y Señales de alarma con el Dr. Górriz.
♬ sonido original - Isabel Vina
He then described what happens in the body when we consume excessive amounts of water. “We have the ability to concentrate urine when we are dehydrated, have diarrhea, or are in a desert,” the expert explained.
"On the other hand, when we drink a lot of water, there is a limit to how much free water the body can eliminate. When that limit is exceeded… sodium becomes increasingly diluted, which leads to hyponatremia,” he concluded.
“So where does that leave us?”
The video, which has accumulated more than half a million views, eight thousand likes, and three hundred comments in just a few days, has caught the attention of hundreds of users. Many have expressed confusion, saying they do not understand how drinking between 2 and 3 liters of water per day is commonly recommended, yet some people can die from consuming too much of it.
“So where does that leave us? I drink more than 3 liters of water a day,” “I wasn’t crazy when I told my doctor I felt dizzy when I forced myself to drink a lot of water,” and “So is the recommendation to drink 3 liters of water good or bad?” are just some of the many reactions posted in response.
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