Can drinking a lot of water flush the potassium from your system?
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 at
7:25 AM
I'm trying to figure out why my muscles (esp. hamstrings) hurt and won't stretch. I'm drinking 2 to 3 liters of water a day, because it is so dry inside this time of year. I take calcium, and magnesium now and then. I'm wondering if maybe my potassium is getting flushed out with all the water I'm drinking. I've been checked for everything under the sun and nothing is apparently wrong. Thanks!
Filed under: Water
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No, M.
Hyperhydration can result in electrolyte abnormalites and associated symptoms ("Water Intoxication"), but the primary mechanism is serum dilution, not "flushing potassium`. Functioning kidneys will regulate potassium levels..
There are many causes of excessive potassium excression, but this is not one of them. Certain diuretic medicines specifically excrete more potassium through their mechanism of action, but this is different from drinking too much water.
Even if your potassium is low, it would not present as "tight hamstrings when I stretch". The most common symptom is painful muscle cramps.
If you are still concerned about the possibility of low electrolytes, your physician can test them very easily. I suspect he/she already has if you've "been checked for everything".
Try substituting a sports drink like gatorade for 3 of your glasses of water, especially with exercise.
Our kidneys are designed to hold on to sodium and flush potassium. It is a remnant from our caveman days, when foods were high in potassium (to dangerous levels) and low in sodium. Our diets have changed, but our kidneys haven't evolved yet, so it is very possible that you are losing potassium.