Thegallonchallenge on TikTok invites you to drink 4 liters of water a day for 30 days to regain energy and a beautiful skin tone. A practice of no health interest and even dangerous. Details.
On TikTok, sometimes all you need is one twist come across videos promising us the moon in terms of health. Among them is #thegallonchallenge, a challenge broadcast by thousands of TikTokeurs that has garnered nearly 15 million views. It’s inspired by the maxi pumpkin adopted by some celebrities, including Kendall Jenner, and consists of drinking one gallon of water a day for 30 days, which is the equivalent of 3.7 liters. Among the purported benefits of this extreme hydration? Improved skin quality, increased energy, flat stomach or weight loss. Really?
In the video, the diet necessary for a healthy brain
Risk of overhydration
Like a lot of advice on social media, this one isn’t based on any scientific research, Vincent Valinduk, a general practitioner and author of the book, is quick to point out. 70 gestures of health (1). “There is no interest in drinking so much water a day, it is even dangerous for health,” continues the doctor, who first of all urges you not to treat yourself on social networks.
Consuming too much water can actually be toxic to the body. “Our body, being 65 percent water, we must maintain this natural balance,” says the doctor. In the case of an imbalance, one can suffer from water intoxication, also called “hyperhydration”.
The symptoms are serious. Overhydration “decreases the concentration of salt and sodium in the blood and causes nausea, vomiting or even headaches,” notes Vincent Valinduk. In some extreme cases, neurological disorders can develop, even brain swellings, which pose a threat to life.”
In the video: 5 refreshing fruit water recipes
The keys to good hydration
No need to resort to a maxi-flask. To stay properly hydrated, your doctor reminds you to drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water each day, depending on your age, environment, or health. During sports practice and high heat, “we increase our intake to about 2.5 liters because sweat dehydrates.”
The ideal is to listen to yourself and hydrate yourself regularly according to your needs, while keeping in mind that “the feeling of thirst disappears with age”. In addition to the recommended water intake, the doctor reminds us that it is important to have a balanced diet, particularly with fruits and vegetables that can replenish hydration.
(1) 70 health gestures: prevention rather than cureby Vincent Valinducq, published by Albin Michel, €16.90.
Source: Le Figaro
