When someone is hot or overheated, the first thing they want is a glass of water. In most cases, people prefer it as cold as possible. Since cold water can help bring the body temperature down, it seems like it the best thing for someone who is overheated. One man recently found out that this might not be true.
Adam Schaub shared his story of how a cold glass of water almost killed him.
He said:
“So, we’ve all heard not to drink really cold water in the heat, but a lot of us haven’t heard the why or experienced it first-hand.
“Cold water is good, so how could it be bad? Well, yesterday I found out. We were out working in 100° weather (not a good idea in itself) when my dad noticed my face was getting pretty red and suggested that I take a break. I immediately grabbed a cold bottle of water and drank it.
“After we did a little more work he suggested that I get in the truck and blast the air conditioning. I drank some more cold water (another bottle) and very shortly started feeling strange… I started seeing spots, my stomach got extremely nauseous and my hands and feet started tingling. I felt like I was going to throw up, so I opened the truck door and the next thing I know I’m face first in the ground and my dad’s rolling me over and wiping off my face. He said my eyes had rolled back a bit and I didn’t come to for a few minutes.
“EMT arrived and asked what was going on. Immediately the guy knew what happened. Apparently, if you’re too hot and chug a bottle of cold water, it can send your body into shock. Your body thinks that the stomach is going hypothermic and so it takes the warm blood and sends it to the stomach. You can lose consciousness. He said cold water is good, but only in sips.”
His story may help save the lives of many other people.
Most people don’t think water could hurt you. In most cases, it can’t. Our bodies are made of mostly water, but in this case, water almost took this young man’s life.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t drink plenty of water.
It’s good for you, and as long as you don’t drink lots of ice-cold water while you are hot, you have nothing to worry about. Drinking enough water daily can improve your mood, energy, and overall health. According to the CDC:
“Water helps your body:
- Keep your temperature normal
- Lubricate and cushion joints
- Protect your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues
- Get rid of wastes through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements
“Your body needs more water when you are:
- In hot climates
- More physically active
- Running a fever
- Having diarrhea or vomiting”
You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
Many doctors recommend drinking at least a gallon per day. That can seem pretty tough, but it can help improve your health. Water helps organs function better, can improve your immune system, and even helps people lose weight. Water doesn’t contain any calories, and when substituted for sugary drinks, it can reduce the number of calories a person consumes on a regular basis.
While Adam Schaub probably won’t be ordering ice water anytime soon, he will still drink plenty of room temperature water to keep his body functioning properly
His story reminds us all to think before we act and to only trust our bodies to a certain extent. A person may be craving ice water on a hot summer day, but it may not be the best option for them.
It’s OK to enjoy a cold glass of water now and then, but not when the body is on the verge of overheating.
Hopefully, this story doesn’t scare people away from drinking water but can help save some lives by preventing shock. Ice water might be refreshing, but in some cases, it can be dangerous.
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