Playing with salt and water

While we're talking about the risks of low salt and high water intakes, this hit the news today: You want to try a "detox" diet?

Don't!

It's arguable whether a detox diet is more or less likely to precipitate a hyponatraemic crisis than either Ecstasy or psychogenic polydipsia (a psychosis). Never forget the massive press misinformation about Leah Betts. This is what really happened to her:

"Hyponatraemia is an uncommon complication of MDMA ingestion. Only a few cases have been reported. The death of Leah Betts achieved wide publicity in the popular press, and it became clear that fatal water intoxication can be precipitated by excessive water drinking in ecstasy users. Fifteen cases were identified between August 1994 and December 1995 by the National Poisons Information Service (London), with serum Na+ concentrations of <130 mmol litre–1. The clinical pattern was remarkably uniform, with initial vomiting and disturbed behaviour, followed by drowsiness and agitation and, in seven cases, epileptiform convulsions. Drowsiness, a mute state and disorientation were observed for up to 3 days (Hartung TK, Schofield E, Short AI, Parr MJA, Henry JA, unpublished)"

Detox time or too much water after taking E at a party? Neither is beneficial and both can be fatal. Play safely!

Peter