Tag Archives: water intoxication

Water Danger: Know the Risks

Water intoxication? I didn’t know there was such a thing and that it could be deadly. Water intoxication is also known as hyperhydration. Jennifer Strange died, recently, because of it. Just drinking water, moderately, doesn’t harm you. However, if you consume large quantities and hold your urine, that’s another story. It can result in hyponatremia, a condition related to water intoxication. Taking in more water than your body can release causes an imbalance of electrolytes. The imbalance occurs when the sodium level in the blood drops significantly (below 135 mmol/L). This eventually leads to swelling in the brain. A person … Continue reading →

In the News: Radio Station Staff Fired

Last week I wrote about the sad story of the mother who died of water intoxication after competing in a contest at a local radio station. Today I wanted to give you an update on what’s happening with this issue as well as some facts we didn’t have last week, 10 employees of this Sacramento-area radio station were fired including the three morning disc jockeys that were involved in the on-air water-drinking contest. Currently there are no criminal charges being explored by the local sheriff’s department because it was a contest and the contestants were not coerced. However, there was … Continue reading →

Bad News: Water-Drinking Contest Results in Death

A local radio station in Sacramento, California recently held a “Hold Your Wee for a Wii” contest that challenged participants to drink as much water as they could without going to the bathroom. One of the contestants, a woman named Jennifer Strange, 28 years old and the mother of three, died after participating in the contest in order to win a Nintendo Wii for her children. The coroner listed her cause of death as water intoxication. Water Intoxication Strange complained of a bad headache to her supervisor and left work early Friday just a few hours after participating in the … Continue reading →