A dieter suffered permanent brain damage after being advised to drink six pints of water a day and cut salt intake to lose weight.

Dawn Page, 52, has been awarded £810,000 in damages from her nutritionist, although the practitioner denies fault.

Mother of two Mrs Page, who weighed 12st, became ill within days of taking up the Amazing Hydration Diet.

Brain damaged: Dawn Page became ill within days of taking up the Amazing Hydration Diet

She had been told by the nutritionist to drink four extra pints of water a day and drastically reduce her salt intake.

The first stage of the regime left her suffering from severe vomiting and stomach cramps, but she was told these were just part of the detoxification process.

She was then told by her nutritionist to increase the amount of water to six pints and consume still less salt.

Days later she suffered a massive epileptic fit and brain damage caused by severe sodium deficiency.

Settlement: Nutritional therapist Barbara Nash

It has left her with 'cognitive deficit' which affects her memory, concentration and speech and she suffers frequent mood swings.

She has been forced to give up her job as a conference organiser and has relied on her husband Geoff, 54, for help since going on the diet in 2001.

Practitioner Barbara Nash, who refers to herself as a 'nutritional therapist and life coach', continues to deny any fault following the payout from her insurance company, which was made without mention of liability. 

The award was ratified by High Court in London at a hearing on Friday.

Yesterday Mr Page warned others of the dangers of 'fad' diets.

Speaking from the family home in Faringdon, Oxfordshire, he said: 'She was not obese or even mildly obese, but like a lot of women, Dawn liked to look after her weight.

'She had tried Weight Watchers and calorie control diets.

This was just another potential route for her to lose weight. Her life has been seriously affected, perhaps ruined, by this fad-type way of losing weight, which I can only say is a
dangerous method of weight loss.'

Mrs Page had paid £50 for a consultation with Mrs Nash. But less than seven days later she was struck down with stomach cramps and sickness.

She contacted the nutritionist about the side effects, but was assured that vomiting was a normal part of the detox programme.

In October 2001, Mrs Page collapsed at home with a serious epileptic fit and was rushed to hospital in Swindon where doctors diagnosed a shortage of plasma sodium levels.

The salt-rich plasma acts as a protective layer around the brain, but because Mrs Page's contained such low levels of the mineral, water had entered the brain, causing permanent damage.

Dependent: Dawn Page has relied on husband Geoff since her severe epileptic fit in 2001

Since the fit, she has had to rely on written notes to remember basic instructions, and finds it hard to recall simple information.

Mr Page, a project manager for a packaging company, said: 'Everything's so difficult for her now. She can't comprehend what's being said or relate to what's going on around her.

'She can't drive, can't work, and takes medication every day and will for the rest of her life.'

Mr Page, who launched the six and a half year legal action, added: 'It's important that people understand how dangerous diets like these are, and not to enter into them without knowing all the dangers.'

Mrs Nash, who is based in Wheatley, Oxfordshire, has a diploma of natural nutrition gained from the College of Natural Nutrition, based in Tiverton, Devon. She was unavailable to comment last night.

Plexus Law, the firm which represented her in court, released a statement after the hearing, which read: 'We wish to make it clear that all allegations of substandard practice made on behalf of Mrs Page in the litigation have always been and continue to remain firmly denied.

'In our view as a recognition of this, the settlement amount agreed to be paid was less than half of the total amount claimed and the compromise which was offered and accepted was on the basis of no admission of liability.'

Warning on 'Hydration'

Hydration diets are sometimes prescribed to those suffering from fluid retention, which can cause weight gain in the fingers, ankles and legs.

Fluid retention can be caused by the kidneys not working properly and it is thought some nutritionists claim additional water can ‘kick start’ the kidneys.

But registered dietician Nigel Denby said: ‘If hydration ever leads to weight loss, it is simply because the extra water makes you less inclined to eat because you feel full.

Hydration diets do not work. I have no idea what the reduction of sodium is supposed to achieve, but no qualified professional would recommend this sort of diet.’

A serious loss of sodium can lead to weakness, dizziness, memory loss and nausea.

If the deficiency becomes severe, the circulatory system can collapse and the body can go into shock, causing fatigue, muscle twitching and fits.