There is a new theory floating around about what caused the death of the famous Martial Artist and Movie star, Bruce Lee at age 32. I have seen a number of articles on the topic expressing that theory over the last several months. The news articles were as a result of a study published in the Clinical Kidney Journal, which was circulated widely at the time.
The theory is that he drank too much water. He had too much water in his system with virtually no sodium to balance it. The official name for it is Hyponatremia.
Why do I bring this up? Mainly because about the same time as I saw the news articles about Bruce Lee, my wife encountered a similar situation that could have possible ramifications for YOU if you unknowingly drink too much water without the electrolytes and encounter a low sodium situation.
My wife had the problem a number of months ago when she had some routine lab work done at the hospital as a result of a “bug”. They discovered a severe low sodium count and she was immediately admitted to the hospital to remain overnight for observation.
The normal range for blood sodium levels is 135 to 145 milliequivelent per liter of blood (mEq/L). Her sodium count was 122 mEq/L, which was considered a dangerously low level. Her sodium count had always been on the low end, but never to the point of emergency treatment. She was put on a saline solution to bring up the sodium level and was kept overnight. The entire thing was a bit of a surprise to us since we are both in good health and physical condition. mEq/L is simply the unit of measurement used.
In my wife’s case, the cause of the low sodium level was a prescription blood pressure medication she was taking. The doctor subsequently changed the medication and her blood sodium level increased. She’s fine now.
While hyponatremia is not particularly uncommon, it is unusual for it to be a cause of sudden death as it appears to have been in Bruce Lee’s situation. It can be caught with a normal blood test when you get your annual physical (I mean Wellness) exam.
It often happens to endurance athletes who drink excessive amounts of water with not enough salt or other electrolytes. That’s why Gator-Ade was such a huge hit with athletes — to allow a lot of fluid into the system, but with the necessary electrolytes to go along with it.
Does any of this mean you should drink less water. NO WAY! Most of us need to drink MORE WATER! It does mean that we should get to know our bodies better and be aware of how they work.
The chances are slim of Hyponatremia happening to you. Your doctors should be monitoring your water/sodium balance when they review you lab work. But with the constant messaging about drinking more and more water, it’s a good idea to be aware of the possibilities of it occurring. Ask about your sodium levels the next time you have lab work done or your annual wellness check-up.
Forewarned is fore-armed.
Thank you for reading this SeniorFlow Minute.
