A 19-year-old survived a dangerous sodium overdose after drinking more than a quart of soy sauce on a dare, according to a case study in the Journal of Emergency Medicine.
After drinking a quart of the sodium-heavy condiment, the teenager slipped into coma with seizure-like activity. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors determined he was suffering from hypernatremia, a metabolic condition in which there is a salt imbalance in the bodily fluids.
Eventually doctors determined that he had ingested 160 to 170 grams of sodium from the soy sauce, a potentially lethal dose for his weight and build. He had effectively overdosed on sodium.
I – Word Understanding
Quart – liquid measurement equal to .946 liters
On a dare – challenge
Condiment – something added to food for flavour
Seizure – a state of being unconscious and body shakes violently
Metabolic – related to the body’s process of using food, water, etc
II – Have your say
1.Soy sauce is the most important Japanese condiment and is used to flavor all types of Japanese dishes.
2.In ancient China, salt overdoses were one traditional way to commit suicide.
3.The body uses sodium to control blood pressure and blood volume. Sodium is also needed for your muscles and nerves to work properly.
