SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- A Sacramento woman is thought to have died of water intoxication after taking part in a radio station’s water drinking contest. Jennifer Strange, 28, was found dead in her home Friday afternoon by her mother. Assistant Sacramento County Coroner Ed Smith said a preliminary investigation found evidence consistent with water intoxication.
Strange had called her supervisor to say she was heading home in terrible pain after competing in KDND 107.9’s contest.
Contestant Vince Lundgren said the premise of the competition was to "drink water every 10 minutes and the last person that goes to the bathroom wins the contest." He said he talked with Strange at the radio station who told him she wanted to win the prize for her three children.
The winner took home a Nintendo Wii game console.
Dr. Cosmo Fraser, a nephrologist and UCSF medical professor, has done extensive research on the risks of taking in too much water. He told KCBS that women and children in particular are at a higher risk of the condition, known as hyponatremia.
Hyponatremia stems from low levels of salt in the blood. Fraser said the combination of taking in large amounts of water without letting any out leads to brain swelling, headaches, nausea, and in rare cases, death.
Hear the full interview with Fraser.
(RdD)
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