How much saline should you drink?

Answer 1

You should never DRINK additional saline (sodium+water). Our bodies make "saline" from the water we drink and foods we eat (foods contain sodium). The body has a complex and intricate homeostasis balance, meaning, mechanisms that keep our cells and organs in a continuous state of "good" balance. Homeostasis is only interrupted if we become ill, are chronically ill, or do dumb things like: alcohol, drugs, restrict or overdue water consumption, restrict foods too much, deliberately vomit and use laxatives, and other such actions.

If you drink excess saline (sodium+water), you will upset the balance between sodium (Na) and potassium (K+). These two maintain a reverse balance, meaning, when one value goes up, the other goes down. Either one being too high OR too low can cause several severe medical conditions. Potassium is used, as just one of its functions, to contract the heart muscle and other muscles throughout the body. An imbalance of potassium can affect heart rate and perfusion (how your blood circulates throughout the body).

As well, the increased sodium by drinking saline can result in fluid retention with significant edema (swelling). The cells will not be able to rid the body of enough sodium to compensate because drinking saline means you've put yourself in an artificial (unnatural) state of dehydration.

The only time a person should have additional "saline" put into the body is if they are hospitalized and receiving IV therapy, under controlled circumstances and with repeat bloodwork to measure Na and K+ levels.