Man nearly dies after drinking excess water to cure COVID-19

A man from UK nearly died after drinking five litres of water a day - in a bid to cure suspected coronavirus. Luke Williamson, 34, from Patchway, Bristol, took on too much fluid and in the process flushed almost all the natural sodium from his body, and it nearly proved fatal. Williamson, a civil servant, thought he was suffering from Covid-19 during the first lockdown so began drinking four to five litres of water a day, which is double the recommended daily amount. But the increased volume caused water intoxication, which means his body's salt levels became dangerously low, leading to a collapse in the bathroom.

Fortunately, his wife Laura reacted quickly and called an ambulance. Laura said her husband was unresponsive for over 20 minutes while being taken to the hospital, where he was kept on ventilator support for two to three days. While it is recommended those who test positive for Covid-19 to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, this method is not an effective way to help prevent the virus and no such thing has been proved by doctors either. According to experts, consuming too much water can lead to fluid overload and imbalance in the body. The excess consumption can also lead to lower sodium levels which may further result in nausea, cramps fatigue, and vomiting. Doctors have concluded that the man suffered water intoxication and flushed the sodium out of his body, leading to swelling of the brain. He estimates he had been drinking four to five litres a day. The recommended amount is six to eight glasses. The 34-year-old has now recovered and on his way back to full health.