New guidelines from an international expert panel have called for drinking water only when feeling thirsty in order to keep exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH) at bay.

Severe health risk is being posed by drinking excessive water as disruptions are caused in functioning of kidneys to excrete excess water load and sodium in the body becomes diluted. As a result, cells swell and pose a life- threat.

Lightheadedness, dizziness, nausea, puffiness and gaining weight during an athletic event are symptoms of mild EAH. In extreme cases, a sufferer experiences vomiting, headache, altered mental status (confusion, agitation, delirium, etc.), seizure and coma.

Many cases of EAH have been witnessed during endurance competitions such as marathons, triathlons, canoe races, swimming and military exercises.

Many athletes have this wrong notion of drinking water more than their thirst urges them to. They must understand that excessive fluid plays no roles in preventing fatigue, muscle cramps or heat stroke.

Dehydration is not linked to muscle cramps and heatstroke, said James Winger, sports medicine physician at Loyola University Medical Center and a member of the 17-member expert panel.

"Modest to moderate levels of dehydration are tolerable and pose little risk to otherwise healthy athletes. An athlete can safely lose up to three percent of his or her body weight during a competition due to dehydration without loss of performance", said Winger.

A concentrated saline solution that is three percent sodium - nearly three times higher than the concentration in normal saline solution - can be used to treat EAH, say the guidelines.