Can Drinking Too Much Water To Get Hydrated For A

Posted on Tue, 23 Apr 2019

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 Answered on

Last reviewed on

Question : can drinking too much water to get hydrated for a blood test lower your sodium blood levels

Answered by Dr. Dr. Antoneta Zotaj (55 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Drinking plenty of water may reduce sodium levels in blood

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome at "Ask a Doctor" service,

Drinking too much water can cause reduced sodium levels in blood. If you had tests done and sodium level was lower than the normal value for the lab, this may be due to the fact that you have been drinking a lot of water.

On the other hand there are other causes for low sodium as well like due to some medications or certain medical conditions. To make sure of the cause of low sodium it might be advisable to repeat the test (avoiding drinking plenty before the test).

I hope this answers your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj,
General & Family Physician

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T