Tag: Drinking sea water

According to the National Ocean Service, the average salinity of seawater is about 3.5%, a concentration far too high for human kidneys to process effectively. When a person drinks too much seawater, the resulting medical condition is officially called hypernatremia, or high sodium levels in the blood, which can lead to a dangerous form of salt poisoning.

While the ocean covers over 70% of the Earth's surface, only a small fraction is freshwater suitable for consumption. Is it safe to drink sea salt water daily? The answer is a resounding no, as consuming the high-salinity water of the sea is extremely dangerous for the human body.

The human kidney can only produce urine with a salt concentration less than that of seawater, which is why consuming ocean water leads to dehydration, not hydration. The critical question is, can too much sea water be bad for you, and what are the specific dangers?