Doctor Sermed Mezher advises checking one thing when you go to the toilet to make sure you are healthy
A warning has been issued over drinking water. We are well aware of the importance of staying hydrated.
Not drinking enough liquid on a daily basis can leave you headachy, tired and dizzy, and have even more serious consequences in the long run. However, taking it too far the other way can also pose a severe risk to your health.
A GP has issued an urgent warning about the amount of water you should be drinking as overconsumption could lead to seizures, coma and even death. Doctor Sermed Mezher took to TikTok to say that the colour of your urine should be a good indicator of whether you are drinking too much.
Speaking to his more than 278,000 followers he said: “If your pee stream could be sold in Swarovski, then you’re doing it wrong. And look, I know doctors are partially to blame for this.
“I’ve seen it before when I’ve been shadowing someone, the patient comes in and has a symptom, the doctor doesn’t understand what the cause is and just tells the patient to drink more water even though he hasn’t quite established what their current intake is. That I can put people up here [he indicted to the top of a urine colour chart] which quite frankly can be dangerous.”
Dr Mezher referenced the case of a young boy who ended up in hospital as a result. “Just like Ray here who became unconscious, and just woke up after being in a hospital with water intoxication,” he said.
He explained more about the damage it can cause to your body. “When we drink too much water that can drop the sodium levels in our blood, which means that water will then float to the higher salt level tissues and in most places that doesn’t cause a problem but it does in the brain,” he said.
“See believe it or not, we like to keep our brain inside our skulls and this is an enclosed cavity with limited space so when this starts to swell, the only way it can go is down.” When advising how much water we should be drinking per day, he said two litres is “good for most”.
In a caption under his video Dr Mezher added: “When sodium levels drop too low, cells start to swell, which can affect essential organs like the brain, leading to symptoms such as headaches, nausea, confusion, seizures, and in severe cases, coma or death.”
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To know if you’re drinking enough or too much water you can check the colour of your urine. Dr Mezher said: “It’s also important to note that your urine shouldn’t be completely clear all the time. While staying hydrated is crucial, some yellow tint in your urine is normal and indicates healthy hydration.
“Urine that is pale yellow reflects a proper balance of water and waste, while clear urine may suggest overhydration. On the other hand, dark yellow or amber urine could signal dehydration. Maintaining a balance is key—hydrating adequately without overconsumption ensures that your body can regulate fluids effectively.”
