It is important to note that whilst drinking too little water can hamper weight loss and be bad for you, so drinking too much water can also be bad for you.

It was reported at the begining of 2007, that a woman in the United States of America had died from drinking too much water. Jennifer Strange had been involved in a competition - “Hold your wee for a Wii”, with the winner promised a Nintendo Wii. After the contest she went home reportedly complaining of head pains, where she was later found dead, with tests suggesting the diagnosis was water intoxication.

After a while, if you drink too much water, your kidneys will not be able to work quickly  enough to remove sufficient amounts from the body. Your blood becomes more dilute and the salt concentrations decrease.

When this happens, water will move from the blood into organs where there is less water. It is this extra water that can make these organs swell, and when the brain swells, being constrained within the skull, it can lead to increased pressure in vital areas, such as those regulating breathing.

The symptoms would normally present themselves soon after drinking the water, with warning signs including confusion and headaches. Drinking several litres over a short period of time could be enough to cause water intoxication. Treatments include giving diuretics or drugs to reduce the swelling.

Drinking too much water is thankfully, relatively unusual. If you follow the guidelines of one and a half to two litres of water a day, so that your urine is a clear colour, you should maintain a happy balance.