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VERIFY: No, drinking cold water when it's hot outside will not make you pass out

According to Dr. Robinson, people can pass out if they get overheated, and drinking cold water or cooling someone down with cold water is a remedy.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With it heating up this week, many are making sure to stay hydrated and cool, but some claim drinking too cold of water in this heat can actually make you pass out. Our VERIFY team looked into that claim.

THE QUESTION 

Can drinking cold water when it's hot outside make you pass out? 

THE SOURCES

THE ANSWER

No, medical professionals say drinking cold water when it's hot outside will not make you pass out.

WHAT WE FOUND 

"For those who experience feeling lightheaded or dizzy as it relates to warm temperatures it's usually associated with heat exhaustion or a heat-related illness rather than it being related to the cold drink that they had just consumed," Dr. Robinson said.

According to Dr. Robinson, people can pass out if they get overheated, and drinking cold water or cooling someone down with cold water is a remedy.

RELATED: 'Get ready for the heat': The 'feel-like' temperature will be over 100 degrees this week

"When people come into the emergency room with a heat-related illness or they are having heat stroke or something like that we actually treat them by cooling them rapidly," Dr. Robinson said. 

The CDC recommends that people drink more water with warm temperatures, limit outdoor activity, and find a way to cool down like air conditioning or a pool. 

"There are reports of rare cases who when they consume cold beverages they do pass out. This is an unrelated illness it doesn't relate to heat. This can happen to someone whether they are in warm temperatures, cold temps -- it's just a nerve-related consequence that can happen," Dr. Robinson said. 

Medical professionals encourage people to drink cold water and keep cool, especially in these warm temperatures. 

Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.

VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600 or visit /verify. 

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