Potential side effects of coconut water consumption

Drinking excessive amounts of coconut water can lead to hyperkalemia ^[1], which can cause potentially fatal arrhythmias and ventricular fibrillation. ^[2] In one case, a previously healthy, 42-year-old man consumed eight 11-oz bottles of coconut water (equivalent to approximately 5,500 mg of potassium) in a single day, which caused an excessive build-up of potassium in the blood stream, which in turn caused loss of consciousness, very low blood pressure, low heart rate, and required treatment in a hospital for several days with a temporary pacemaker. ^{[2] [3]}