Too much water

ThrownAway

I'm just back from a doctors appointment. The main reason I made one is because I feel very weak, rundown and tired all the time.

I told him that I drink about 3 litres maybe more of water a day. It's such a bad habit I've gotten into. This is draining away minerals. But he's not quite sure if that's the problem so he took four blood samples from me to test for iron in my blood stuff like that. He told me I need to reduce my water intake by only drinking a pint a day. He also told me that I need isotonic drinks.

Can anyone help me out about where to find them?? He said that Lucozade Sport was an isotonic drink but I don't like the sound of Lucozade. I usually don't drink any other liquids besides water and maybe some milk. But processed drinks creep me out.

Thanks.

is_that_so

Lucozade is fine but there are others you can buy. Nothing scary about them. Other liquids will provide other nutrients - milk, juices etc. I believe we are only supposed to put 2 litres of water a day into our body. The only alternative is supplementary vitamins , minerals etc.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

*Tripper*

Second opinion perhaps but he is a doctor, maybe he got his degree on the internet?

ThrownAway

I just popped down to the shops [perfect excuse to get a bit of sun and avoid studying ] and bought a bottle of Powerade and two bottles of Lucozade Sport.


I could try out supplementary vitamins next week.
daveirl, are you saying they won't supply my body with minerals at all?
Maybe he meant substitute water with these drinks and drink a pint of water. Since there has to be water in them right?
My doctors about 50 something and been our family doctor for decades.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

honru

Is there actually such a thing as too much water?

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

ThrownAway

Yeah that's another reason why I only drink water - to avoid extra calories. I can't really see myself sticking to these as a long-term thing. How many calories would there be in a 500ml bottle? :eek:

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

I have banana slices in my porridge in the mornings. I eat allot of fruit actually after that I'd have maybe two oranges and two apples throughout the day.

I eat meat maybe four times a week with my dinner and could have a turkey/chicken roll for a lunch. Sometimes instead of porridge I might have salmon on toast for breakfast.

The only vegtables I eat are carrots or dark green cabbage and it depends on what dinner I'm having.

What kind of foods would I need to eat to make up for what I'm possibly lacking? I'm not really happy with drinking prossesed drinks with all additives.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

sunnyjim

ThrownAway wrote:

This is draining away minerals. But he's not quite sure if that's the problem so he took four blood samples from me to test for iron in my blood stuff like that. He told me I need to reduce my water intake by only drinking a pint a day. He also told me that I need isotonic drinks.

Maybe he said "reduce it by a pint a day"?

kluivert

sounds like thyroid or iron levels

is_that_so

TBH measuring life in calories is not healthy. It can lead to obsession. IMHO diet should really be looked in terms of overall effect. There is a reason why we need fat, carbs and proteins along with all the other bits.

I would look at what you are getting in terms of the different food groups, vitamins and especially minerals.

Are you at the "right" weight for your height?

Even if you are at an appropriate weight you may still be missing some vitamins or even undereating.

How old are you?

If you are in your teens you could still be growing/developing and may need to eat more.

RealJohn

I'm not a doctor so this isn't exactly an expert opinion but I have done several courses on nutrition or with a significant element of nutrition in them and all of them said that for a healthy adult to be properly hydrated, they should drink about 4 litres of water (or other liquids) every day and this doesn't account for people taking part in physical exercise where they would need to take in more to replace fluids lost through sweat. It's quite hard to stay properly hydrated (I know I rarely drink that much in a day). Drinks like coffee and tea don't count by the way because caffeine is a diuretic and so they tend to dehydrate you more than they hydrate you.

To be honest, going on the diet you've described, I'm not sure you're taking in enough protein and if you're not eating red meat or the green cabbage regularly, you're definitely not getting enough iron. Did you describe your diet to your doctor?

<edit> And I agree with is_that_so that calorie counting isn't a good way to a healthy diet.

ThrownAway

kluivert wrote:

sounds like thyroid or iron levels

Funny you said that I've an underactive thyroid gland. I found this out about 2 years ago when I was 16. My doctor had to test my blood three times because he couldn't understand how I was so skinny and have an underactive thyroid at the same time. I was about 7 1/2 stone at the time.

My medication has been regulated now I'm on 100 mgs of Eltroxin so I don't think that's the problem.

If you are in your teens you could still be growing/developing and may need to eat more.

I'm 18. I was told the other day that I could still grow another two centemetres I'm 5'6 at the moment and 138 pounds which is close to 10 stone I think.

Did you describe your diet to your doctor?

No he just asked me do I have a good appitite and what I drink. I don't really have a strict calorie diet I'd eat anything at the moment regardless how fattening it is, to boost my energy levels since my LC starts on friday and I'm terrified that I'll be too weak to get up like I usually am.

Degsy

You could be depleted in electrolytes..these are esential salts that need to be replaced,especially if you're sweating or have the runs for example.Try Dioralyte from the chemist and see what happens.

kluivert

ThrownAway wrote:

Funny you said that I've an underactive thyroid gland. I found this out about 2 years ago when I was 16. My doctor had to test my blood three times because he couldn't understand how I was so skinny and have an underactive thyroid at the same time. I was about 7 1/2 stone at the time.

My medication has been regulated now I'm on 100 mgs of Eltroxin so I don't think that's the problem.


I'm 18. I was told the other day that I could still grow another two centemetres I'm 5'6 at the moment and 138 pounds which is close to 10 stone I think.

I was diagnois four years ago with Graves Disease where my Thyroid was over active. Where because I was feeling weak and tired, I use to fall asleep in class and my teachers would be pissed but when they found out about my condition they where great help.

Now when that was brought under control I was on no medication for two years then last year I started getting the same syptoms, weakness, tired, lack of concentration etc, went to the docs and now I am under activate which would explain the weight gain etc.

Anyway I am on the same as you but 50mg a day and I feel it working, I have to go to the maher hospital once every three months for a check up.

I have started back into training, in the last two years I have gone from 12 stone to 16 stone now 15 stone. I reckon that I can help my metobilism in other ways. Balanced diet and routine work outs and exercise.

Research the thyroid its actually very interesting and you will find ways to improve your syptoms over time. Its a hard battle and I understand the weakness and tireness, its not nice at all.

floor_pie

Your doctor is talking Shi'ite.I drink about 4-6 litres of water a day,depending on excercise levels,and feel grand.Marathon runners in extremely hot conditions have been recorded to sweat as much as 17 litres a day.
I know you're not in doing marathons and not in extreme heat.But surely it would depend how much excercise you are talking.You should try an electrolyte replacement drink.

tunney

I'd love to see the 17 litres claim backed up. sounds like w*nk to me.

With regard to electrolytes try Nuun tablets. Ironman racers use them, all the electrolytes none of the calories.

"nuun is a refreshing portable electrolyte replacement and hydration solution.

In real words? Imagine being out on a long run or ride, or being in the gym. Rather than settle for water or buy a sugary drink from a convenience store, you just fill up your water bottle and drop in a couple of nuun tabs. By the time you’ve tied your laces or put on your pack, you’ve got a complex electrolyte drink that recharges your salts, but is refreshing and more efficiently absorbed than water alone or most sports drinks on the market."

floor_pie

Tunney my information is taken from "Bicycling Medicine" by Arnie Baker,M.D. on page 19 in section "Fluid loss" it also states that with fitness and with acclimitization to heat and humidity,sweat is produced at lower core temperatures- you sweat more easily.As you get fitter the concentration of electrolytes in sweat decreases.

Tunney try this experiment weigh yourself last thing before you go to bed then first thing in the morning without taking a slash.The difference in the two weights is the amount of water you have lost during the night.
1 litre of water weighs 1kg

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

floor_pie

sorry about that,I had written down quart,then decided to edit it to litre and forgot about the lbs to kgs.d'oh