When we are sick, the phrase we hear most from friends and family around us is: "drink more hot water." It seems as if this hot water is a panacea. But this is not the case. There are 5 types of people who should absolutely avoid hot water.
From the perspective of modern medicine, as long as the water source is clean, it will not have a negative impact on health. However, if you are sick or have other health problems, the situation should be considered differently.
When suffering from these illnesses, drinking a lot of hot water is not advisable!
1. Patients with glaucoma should not drink too much hot water.
After drinking a large amount of water, a great deal of it is absorbed by the body, causing the aqueous humor in the eye to increase as well. A healthy person can regulate this by accelerating metabolism to excrete the excess aqueous humor. However, in glaucoma, due to impaired function of the filtration angle, the drainage of aqueous humor is abnormal, leading to an increase in intraocular pressure. Therefore, patients with glaucoma should not drink too much water, and generally should not exceed 500 milliliters per time.
2. For those with heart problems, drinking hot water should be done in small amounts and frequently.
People with heart problems should drink water in small amounts and frequently, and should never drink a large amount at once to avoid加重 the burden on the heart. This is because after a large amount of water enters the body and is absorbed, it will significantly increase the body's fluid volume, diluting the blood and increasing blood volume. This places a heavier load on the heart, forcing it to increase the force and speed of blood circulation. While this increase in workload is not a problem for healthy individuals, for patients with heart disease, their already compromised hearts often struggle to handle such changes, which can therefore trigger or worsen their condition.
3. Patients taking medication for stomach ulcers should not drink too much hot water.
Certain medications for treating stomach ulcers, such as aluminum hydroxide gel, have a specific mechanism of action. When taking these medications, drinking a lot of water can actually dilute the drug, reducing the number of drug particles covering the damaged gastric mucosa and thinning the protective layer, thereby losing its therapeutic effect. Moreover, one should not drink water within half an hour after taking such stomach medication, as drinking a large amount of water in a short time can wash away the newly formed protective layer, exposing the damaged gastric mucosa to corrosive gastric acid again. Therefore, patients should carefully read the usage instructions on the medication label before use.
Cough syrups and other similar medications have the same usage instructions. These medications are quite viscous, and after being taken, the drug adheres to the throat, acting directly on the affected area to provide an anti-inflammatory effect. Drinking too much water will wash away the active ingredients from the throat, reducing the local drug concentration.
4. Patients with severe viral colds should not drink too much hot water.
Some patients with more severe viral infections like bronchitis or bacterial pneumonia may find that drinking more water increases the secretion of antidiuretic hormone. This leads to the body retaining too much fluid, causing fluid overload and an imbalance in electrolytes, which can result in symptoms such as hyponatremia and fluid overload. Therefore, daily fluid intake should be controlled within 2000 milliliters. This way, it can meet the fluid needs for a common cold without adding to the impact on the respiratory tract infection.
5. Infants under 6 months of age should not drink too much hot water.
Infants under 6 months of age should not be given too much water to avoid symptoms of water intoxication. This is because the kidneys of infants under 6 months are not yet fully developed. Drinking too much water will cause them to excrete not only the excess water but also sodium from their bodies. They should be fed more breast milk or formula, rather than too much water. Sodium loss can affect brain activity, leading to early signs of water intoxication in infants such as irritability, drowsiness, low body temperature, and facial swelling. This can progress to seizures, convulsions, or spasms, which require prompt treatment. For infants over 6 months, avoid over-diluting their formula and prevent them from drinking beverages containing electrolytes.
So, the next time someone is unwell, you should be cautious about saying "drink more hot water" and try to avoid well-intentioned but counterproductive advice.