Drinking saltwater can make you throw up. When the body ingests water with a salt concentration higher than its own, it triggers a physiological response to expel excess sodium. This reaction is a protective mechanism to prevent severe internal imbalances, often leading to nausea and vomiting as the body attempts to rid itself of the ingested salt.
How Saltwater Affects Your Body
When saltwater enters the body, its high sodium concentration, much greater than that found in human blood, disrupts the body’s balance of water and electrolytes. To counteract high salt levels, the body initiates osmosis, where water moves from areas of lower solute concentration to higher solute concentration. Water is drawn out of the body’s cells, including brain cells, into the bloodstream to dilute excess sodium.
This cellular dehydration, particularly affecting the brain, can trigger symptoms. The kidneys, responsible for filtering waste and regulating electrolyte levels, must work harder to excrete the salt load. However, human kidneys cannot produce urine saltier than seawater. To eliminate excess salt, the body loses more water than it consumed. This intensifies dehydration, prompting the body to expel saltwater through vomiting to prevent further absorption and mitigate internal imbalance.
Signs of Too Much Saltwater
Ingesting too much saltwater can lead to hypernatremia, an abnormally high sodium level in the blood. One of the earliest signs is intense thirst, as the body signals a need for fresh water to dilute excess salt. A dry mouth can also develop, reflecting overall dehydration.
As hypernatremia progresses, individuals may experience reduced urination, as kidneys conserve water despite efforts to excrete salt. Weakness and dizziness are common as fluid shifts and dehydration impact bodily functions. More severe neurological symptoms can emerge, including confusion, irritability, and muscle cramps. These are consequences of cellular dehydration and electrolyte imbalance affecting nerve and muscle function.
When to Seek Medical Attention
While mild symptoms from accidental saltwater ingestion might resolve, certain signs indicate a need for medical help. Persistent vomiting, especially if it continues, can lead to dangerous dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, requiring immediate attention. Neurological symptoms such as severe confusion, disorientation, loss of consciousness, or seizures warrant emergency care.
Individuals who are very young, such as infants, or those with pre-existing health conditions like heart or kidney disease, are vulnerable to the effects of saltwater ingestion and should seek medical evaluation promptly if symptoms occur. As a first-aid measure, avoid further saltwater intake. If possible, sipping small amounts of fresh water might help, but the priority is to seek medical help for severe or worsening symptoms.