5 scary things that can happen if you drink too much lemon water

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Maggie AngstSep 25, 2020, 02:01 IST
5 scary things that can happen if you drink too much lemon water

Lemon water may have some benefits in moderation, but too much can lead to negative side effects.Sandra Mu/Getty Images

  • Many celebrities, and even medical experts, promote the benefits of drinking lemon water, but in excess, it can actually cause some damaging side effects.
  • Drinking lemon water regularly can cause enamel erosion or tooth decay because of the acid in the citrus fruit.
  • Too much lemon water can also lead to heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and other gastroesophageal reflux symptoms.
  • If you enjoy drinking lemon water at restaurants, it's best to leave the rind out as it can be a host for germs and bacteria.

Lemon water is touted by some experts and celebrities for its long list of benefits, including preventing dehydration, assisting with digestion, and supporting weight loss.

But, like most things in life, you can have too much of a good thing.

Here are six dangerous things that can happen when you drink too much lemon water:

Editor's note: Keep in mind most of these would take quite a large consumption of lemon juice before becoming a problem.

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It can damage your teeth.

It can damage your teeth.
Drinking too much lemon water might erode your tooth enamel. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Since lemons are highly acidic, frequent exposure can erode your tooth enamel, according to the American Dental Association.

If that doesn't convince you to totally ditch lemon water, at least try to drink it out of a straw to cut down on the direct acid exposure on your teeth. You should also avoid brushing your teeth right after consuming lemon water and drink plenty of plain water alongside glasses infused with citrus.

Too much lemon water can upset your stomach.

Too much lemon water can upset your stomach.
Lemon water can cause heartburn, nausea, and vomiting. Catherine McQueen/Getty Images

Although lemon water's wide range of benefits often centers on gut health, according to Medical News Today, squeezing too much in your water can worsen common maladies like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and acid reflux.

GERD and acid reflux are triggered by acidic foods, like lemons, and can cause heartburn, nausea, and vomiting.

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Lemon skins serve as a host for unpleasant germs.

Lemon skins serve as a host for unpleasant germs.
Squeeze the lemon into your drink to avoid germs on the rind. Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

You may want to steer clear of putting lemon wedges in your water when you're at a restaurant.

In a 2007 study from the Journal of Environmental Health, researchers tested 76 lemon samples from 21 different restaurants during 43 visits and found that many of the lemons contained microorganisms, including some pathogenic ones that may cause diseases.

To minimize your risk a bit, squeeze the lemon into your drink instead of dropping the whole wedge in. And if you see employees handling lemons with their bare hands, it might be best to stick to plain water.

The acidity of lemon water may cause or worsen canker sores.

The acidity of lemon water may cause or worsen canker sores.
Lemon water will exasperate canker sores. Boontoom Sae-Kor/Shutterstock

Nothing is worse than waking up to the painful irritation of a newly formed canker sore. Although most will clear up on their own within a week or two, drinking too much lemon water has the potential to exacerbate canker sores, according to the American Dental Association.

Additionally, according to WebMD, if you're consuming a lot of citrus fruits, they could even be the underlying cause of your canker sores.

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There may be a connection between citrus fruits and migraines.

There may be a connection between citrus fruits and migraines.
Some researchers have found a link between lemons and headaches. Sarah Schmalbruch/INSIDER

Even though there is no proven link, yet, some studies over the years have discovered a connection between migraines and citrus fruits.

Fruits like lemons are on doctors' radars as possible triggers for migraines and headaches, neurologist Rebecca Traub told Health in 2015.

According to WebMD, this link may be due to the fact that lemons are higher in tyramine — a natural monoamine that's often linked to headaches — than other fruits.

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