Drinking excessive cold water in summer? It may not be ideal

The summer is here. Things are heating up across India. Searing sun and unbeatable heat waves are making us feel thirsty and dehydrated.

To quench our thirst, we head straight to the fridge for that cold water bottle. However, drinking that cold water out of a need to satisfy thirst may not be as harmless as you think. According to experts, it can mess with your digestion and nutrient absorption.

Here's how and why.

Why super cold water isn’t for everyone

According to Dr Harry Emmerich, a Pennsylvania Emergency Doctor, this cold water is hard for the digestive system to handle and can also lead to oesophageal spasm, which causes stomach pain and chest pain.

"It's kind of the equivalent to getting a brain freeze when you drink a slurpee. You get such a significant difference between your body temperature and the ice cold water, that will be at 32 degrees, which will cause spasm, cause your heart rate to drop, and cause your blood temperature to drop,” Emmerich said, The Independent reported.

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Experts also note that drinking chilled or ice water may not cause a stroke; however, it can cause loss of consciousness.

Family physician, Dr Karla Robinson, told WCNC, "There are reports of rare cases where when they consume cold beverages, they do pass out. This is an unrelated illness it doesn't relate to heat. This can happen to someone, whether they are in warm temperatures or cold temperatures — it's just a nerve-related consequence that can happen," the news outlet reported.

Another doctor, David Schultz, advised that those facing heat exhaustion should consider drinking water at a temperature closer to their body temperature.

“The cold ice water gets into the oesophagus and the stomach, and there are nerves along the oesophagus and stomach known as the vagus nerves. These nerves can fire up, send a signal to the brain and actually cause an individual to pass out and lose consciousness briefly," Schultz explained, the report noted.

Health risk associated with chilled water

The potential health risk associated with drinking chilled water is as follows:

-Sore throat and swallowing difficulty.

-Triggers migraine and headaches.

-Poor digestion and constipation.

-Worsens body pain.

-Raises blood pressure.

-Constricts blood vessels.

Drinking very cold water may cause blood vessels to narrow, which can slow blood circulation and sometimes raise the heart rate. For people with heart disease or high blood pressure, this puts extra strain on the cardiovascular system, which can pose potential heart risks.

Cold water may also affect the body’s temperature balance, making it harder for the heart to function efficiently.

In which condition should one avoid chilled water?

In some significant conditions, chilled water should definitely be avoided:

-During extreme cold water, immediately eat.

-After workout/exercise

-After prolonged sun exposure

-During gastric, stomach issues

-With sore throat or cough

-During a cold or flu

-In case of a heart condition

Water is best consumed at a moderate temperature — neither too cold nor too hot. Ideally, it should be around 20–25°C (68–77°F), which is close to the body’s temperature. This helps the body absorb it more efficiently while you stay cool and properly hydrated.

With inputs from agencies