In a tragic accident, an Indiana mother of two has collapsed and died from water toxicity after drinking too much water in a short period of time.
35-year-old Ashley Summers was enjoying a July 4th weekend with her family at Lake Freeman near Monticello, when she was suddenly hospitalized with brain swelling. According to her brother, Devon Miller, it was believed she had drank four bottles of water (64 ounces) within a twenty-minute period, which was more than the daily recommended fluid intake for women (92 ounces).
Summers had been indicating she was feeling dehydrated, lightheaded, and had a headache. Thinking the solution was to drink more water, Summers drank an excessive amount of water and ultimately passed out from the water toxicity. She was then taken to a hospital, but unfortunately never regained consciousness. Doctors confirmed that Summers died of water toxicity, also known as hyponatremia, which is an abnormally low sodium concentration in the blood. When a person drinks too much water, it increases the amount of water in the body and the cells start to swell. This is when health problems, ranging from mild to life threatening, may occur.
In the wake of this tragedy, Summers’ family has decided to turn the heartache into hope by donating her organs. Through organ donation, Summers was able to help five other individuals with her heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, and bone tissue.
This includes, in particular, when exercising or engaging in activities where you will be sweating and need to replenish your hydration. During hot weather, the Mayo Clinic recommends drinking sports beverages that contain electrolytes in order to fully receive the necessary fluids and nutrients.
We send our condolences to Summers’ family and hope that her legacy can help spread the word for individuals to drink water in moderation.
