Bad News: Water-Drinking Contest Results in Deathby Heather Long | More from this Blogger 14 Jan 2007 10:59 AM A local radio station in Sacramento, California recently held a "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest that challenged participants to drink as much water as they could without going to the bathroom. One of the contestants, a woman named Jennifer Strange, 28 years old and the mother of three, died after participating in the contest in order to win a Nintendo Wii for her children. The coroner listed her cause of death as water intoxication. Water Intoxication Strange complained of a bad headache to her supervisor and left work early Friday just a few hours after participating in the contest. At this time, there is no information on exactly how much water Ms. Strange consumed. The preliminary investigation has found evidence consistent with the cause of death being water intoxication. The radio station personnel and other contestants who took part in the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" were stunned. The contestants began by drinking eight ounce bottles of water every fifteen minutes and told not to continue if they didn't feel up for it. One contestant described 5 rounds of this, meaning the contestants drank about 40 ounces in an hour and fifteen minutes. Those who remained after the first 5 rounds were then given bigger bottles to drink. So how could water have been the cause of Jennifer Strange's death? It's important to understand how water intoxication works. Also known as water poisoning or hyperhydration, water intoxication can cause a fatal disturbance in the brain when the normal balance of electrolytes are pushed out of safe limits by too rapid consumption of large quantities of water. Water intoxication has been listed a cause of death in fraternity hazings including one where a 21 year old student drank huge amounts of water while performing exercise in a freezing cold basement. He died of heart failure. Other water intoxication deaths included a Boston Marathon runner and a Washington D.C. police officer. The body requires water for survival, but too much of any good thing can have a detrimental effect on the body. You have to remember that your body receives hydration from a number of sources and drinking too much, too fast can create a toxic effect on your biology. My thoughts and my prayers go out to Jennifer Strange's family and children today. For more information on water intoxication, check out an Too Much Water? Related Articles: Raspberry Water - A Cool and Refreshing Alternative Prevent Dehydration While Working Out Exercise With Caution: The Heat Can Kill Learn more about Heather Long  Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago. Relevantfitness tags Kids | Food | family | parenting | children | holidays | relationships | weight loss | pregnancy | ideas User Comments  Linda Hansen (1796) 14 Jan 2007 11:37 AMMy oldest just asked me the other day if you could die from drinking too much water. Apparently this sad story has made the rounds at his high school. Frankly, I had no idea how to answer, I told him it was unlikely because you would urinate enough to evacuate any excess water. Your story explains it now. Artcraft  Julie Gentry (5915) 14 Jan 2007 03:37 PMWow. Interesting story. I wonder how much liability insurance the radio station has.  Heather Long (16954) 14 Jan 2007 07:31 PMI don't know, it's a pretty unpleasant ending to something this mom tried to do for her kids and it's not something you think about. Until a few years ago, I never knew that you could drink too much water and that a contest like this could be so dangerous. I imagine there won't be anything more like this for a long time -- at least I hope not.  Libby Pelham |
Fitness categories
More fitness tagsKids | Food | family | parenting | children | holidays | relationships | weight loss | pregnancy | ideas |
