Bruce Lee may have died from drinking too much water, new study suggests; is overhydration harmful?

“In other words, we propose that the kidney’s inability to excrete excess water killed Bruce Lee,” they wrote, adding that Lee possessed “multiple risk factors for hyponatraemia”(low level of sodium in blood). The study authors claimed that Lee may have been consuming unusually high quantities of liquid due to his fluid diet, which consisted of a lot of juices and protein drinks, and the use of marijuana that leads to increased thirst.

“In summary, Lee had multiple risk factors predisposing him to hyponatraemia resulting from interference with water homeostasis mechanisms that regulate both water intake and water excretion. We hypothesize that Bruce Lee died from a specific form of kidney dysfunction: the inability to excrete enough water to maintain water homeostasis,” the researchers wrote.

This, according to them, may lead to “hyponatraemia, cerebral oedema, and death within hours if excess water intake is not matched by water excretion in urine, which is in line with the timeline of Lee’s demise”.

Consumption of too much water can be harmful! (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

They concluded by saying, “The fact that we are 60% water does not protect us from the potentially lethal consequences of drinking water at a faster rate than our kidneys can excrete excess water. Ironically, Lee made famous the quote ‘Be water my friend’, but excess water appears to have ultimately killed him.”

This shocking and revealing study brings us to an important question: Is the consumption of too much water harmful? “There have been numerous accounts of deaths due to excessive water consumption. Too much water consumption can increase intracranial pressure which can result in a variety of symptoms and, in extreme situations, be fatal. ‘Overhydration’ and ‘water intoxication’ occur when an individual consumes more water than their kidneys can eliminate through urine,” Dr Manoj Mehta, Senior Consultant, General Physician, Sterling Hospitals, Vadodra told indianexpress.com.

Dr Aditya Chowti, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road, Bengaluru said that it is a very rare possibility of someone dying due to excessive intake of water. “Excessive drinking of water is known as water intoxication or hyper hydration. It provokes disturbances in the electrolytes in our body which can, in turn, lead to a decline in sodium levels in the body, causing seizures, cerebral oedema, and eventually, death,” he said.

Dr Mehta explained that while normal kidneys are capable of excreting up to one quart of fluid every hour, consuming more than than can result in hyponatremia. “Mild hyponatremia causes minimal symptoms, but severe cases can result in ‘brain oedema’ and increasing ‘neurological’ symptoms, such as confusion, disorientation, seizures, coma, and even death,” he said.

So, how much water should you drink? “There are no official water consumption recommendations. Some sources recommend consuming no more than 0.8 to 1.0 litres of water each hour to avoid water intoxication. Over intake of water also causes psychiatric illnesses,” the expert said.

Several factors, including your health and lifestyle, may necessitate that you adjust the total amount of fluids you consume each day. “As a general rule, one can do simple calculations. Water (in litres) to drink each day = your weight (in kg) x 0.033. For example, if you are 60kg, you should drink around 2 litres of water each day,” the expert suggested.

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