[SkepticalDebunker (OP)]

I've seen several people going to the news claiming to have an internal allergy to water to the extent that drinking a sip of water causes a (potentially fatal) internal allergic reaction, such as anaphylactic shock or swelling of the throat. Why don't they have an allergic reaction whenever they swallow their saliva? Isn't it mostly water molecules? Saliva constantly coats the mouth and throat so why aren't their throats swollen shut constantly? Saliva is 99.5% water. It's even more pure than seawater.

Tessa Hansen Smith, an Instagram celebrity who goes under the Instagram handle of livingwaterless, is one of the latest claimants of internal water allergy. She claims she has an internal (mouth, throat, internal organs, veins/bloodstream) and external (skin) allergy to water molecules. She claims she has a very painful internal reaction to intravenous saline, explaining that this is because saline contains water molecules, and the immune cells in her blood are reacting to the presence of water molecules.

[Bored chemist]

"Why don't people internally allergic to H2O react to swallowing their saliva?"
Because they don't actually exist.
Some people say they are allergic to water.

[Kryptid]

As I explained in your other thread, you can't be allergic to water.

[SkepticalDebunker (OP)]

As I explained in your other thread, you can't be allergic to water.

Aquagenic Urticaria, known as an allergy to water, seems legitimate though. Unless it's perhaps one big hoax?

[Bored chemist]

It's  sort of plausible that water on what should normally be dry skin will cause damage to some people.
It's hard to see how it works but, I guess you could say it''s an extreme example of the wrinkling of skin you see if you are in the bath for too long.
But that's it, in the human body, only the skin is ever actually dry; so it's only the skin where adding water could make a difference.

[Kryptid]

Aquagenic Urticaria, known as an allergy to water, seems legitimate though.

According to who? If it was possible to be allergic to water, then that person's body would be in a permanent state of allergic reaction, seeing as how the human body is mostly water.

[Origin]

Unless it's perhaps one big hoax?

It's actually a little hoax that nobody really gives a hoot about.  Except you seem absolutely obsessed about it for some reason.

[Deecart]

According to who? If it was possible to be allergic to water, then that person's body would be in a permanent state of allergic reaction, seeing as how the human body is mostly water.

You forget the first rule when someone ask you to help him.
(when you do computer troubleshooting this is obvious)

Dont believe the diagnosis of the user !!!!
.
The person is actually facing some problem, so he is trying to understand himself his own problem, and this is how he is telling what we can tell "bullshit".
His problem is real, but if you believe that his diagnosis is correct then you are what we can tell "a rooky".

Now try just to understand that the facts are real.
"I drink water, and it makes me ill !!!"

What is your diagnosis if you are some science expert ?
1. He tell lies..
2. I can give some hypothesis.

[Kryptid]

According to who? If it was possible to be allergic to water, then that person's body would be in a permanent state of allergic reaction, seeing as how the human body is mostly water.

You forget the first rule when someone ask you to help him.
(when you do computer troubleshooting this is obvious)

Dont believe the diagnosis of the user !!!!
.
The person is actually facing some problem, so he is trying to understand himself his own problem, and this is how he is telling what we can tell "bullshit".
His problem is real, but if you believe that his diagnosis is correct then you are what we can tell "a rooky".

Now try just to understand that the facts are real.
"I drink water, and it makes me ill !!!"

What is your diagnosis if you are some science expert ?
1. He tell lies..
2. I can give some hypothesis.

I don't see how I've forgotten that "rule". I've already made it clear that a diagnosis of being allergic to water isn't correct and explained why.

[Bored chemist]

According to who?

Well, you could start with WIKI.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquagenic_urticaria
Or, with a bit more kudos, the World Health Organisation.
So, yes, according to WHO

ICD.png (63.76 kB . 1112x727 - viewed 3583 times)

[Kryptid]

According to who?

Well, you could start with WIKI.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquagenic_urticaria
Or, with a bit more kudos, the World Health Organisation.
So, yes, according to WHO
 [ Invalid Attachment ]

Ah, well I see it isn't considered a true allergy, so there's that.

[Bored chemist]

Ah, well I see it isn't considered a true allergy, so there's that.

I'm sure I read that somewhere..
Oh yes, I remember now.

"Why don't people internally allergic to H2O react to swallowing their saliva?"
Because they don't actually exist.

[Deecart]

I've seen several people going to the news claiming to have an internal allergy to water to the extent that drinking a sip of water causes a (potentially fatal) internal allergic reaction, such as anaphylactic shock or swelling of the throat.

So then lets stay focused on the "swelling of the throat".
This is some raw observation and dont constitute a "diagnosis" (anaphylactic shock is already a diagnosis).

This lead to the real question :
How can we even drink water ?

Osmosis should make the cells of the intestines and stomach swell, like it happens when water enter the lungs.
 

[Origin]

This lead to the real question :
How can we even drink water ?

Osmosis should make the cells of the intestines and stomach swell, like it happens when water enter the lungs

Which leads me to the question, "WTF?"

[Deecart]

Which leads me to the question, "WTF?"

It is a very good argument.
I will try to answer this profound tought:

WTF.

[evan_au]

Osmosis should make the cells of the intestines and stomach swell

This is true if there is nothing else going on.

However, the lining of the stomach has mechanisms to release water into the stomach (to help with digestion of dry food), and also release water into the bloodstream (which is more salty than the insides of cells).
- Some of these functions take energy, and your body diverts a fair amount of energy to the gut so it can process food and drink

Just like "reverse osmosis desalination", you can make osmosis go "backwards" by applying energy.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_osmosis

[Bored chemist]

Also, the stomach is lined with mucous.

[Deecart]

This is true if there is nothing else going on.

And this is the point.
If the biological systems used by the living organism so as to couteract the eventual effect of osmosis due to "pure" (even distilled water can be drunk normaly) water is defect, this could have some effect like the one stated by some individuals.

Also, the stomach is lined with mucous.

And so forth.
I think there are many systems i dont know that also permit to resist to water.

[paul cotter]

The consumption of water or aqueous fluids is invariably fatal to the individual. However this may not happen immediately and depends to a large extent on the age of the individual. Times delays of up to 80 years or more have been recorded in the relevant toxicology annals.

[alancalverd]

Fish urinate in water, people drown in it. Dangerous stuff. But if tempered with 3 - 5% ethanol, a little malt sugar, saponins, CO₂ and Humulus lupulus extract, it is healthy and enjoyable in pint (0.6 liter) quantities. And in most supermarkets, cheaper too!