Water intoxication, also known as hyponatremia or water poisoning, normally is linked to marathon runners' drinking too much water after a race. When this happens, there is so much water in the body that it dilutes vital minerals such as sodium down to dangerous levels. This can lead to confusion, headaches and in extreme cases fatal swelling of the brain. This highly unusual death cause has very few cases recorded. Among them is the British man, Shaun McNamara, a non-Marathon runner.
McNamara was found dead on the floor of his bathroom last September after downing a massive quantity of water.
It was initially believed he had suffered a heart attack - but a post-mortem revealed that he had drunk too much water in a short time and got his brain swollen.
"In 35 years as a pathologist, I have never come across such a case." said Dr Ian Reed, who carried out the post-mortem. Source: Dailymail Water Rriplling photo: Iowastormwater.org
