How Does Water Help To Lose Weight?

You can lose weight with one simple step: Drink more water. As easy at it sounds, getting enough water may be at the bottom of your list of weight loss strategies because it sounds too good to be true. Nevertheless, studies published in the "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism" and the journal "Obesity" both link water consumption to increased weight loss.

Metabolism

A study conducted by researchers from Berlin and Ontario, published in the December 2003 issue of "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism," found that drinking about 16 oz. of water produced a 30 percent increase in metabolism for 10 to 40 minutes afterward. The spike in metabolism was the result of thermogenesis, a process by which the body warmed the liquid from 71 degrees to 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Drinking ice water may further thermogenesis.

Before Meals

Drinking water before eating may reduce the number of calories you consume during your meal. A study published in the February 2010 issue of the journal, "Obesity," found that drinking about 16 oz. of water directly before a meal reduced the number of calories consumed and resulted in a 44 percent greater weight loss than the control group. Researchers from the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, at Virginia Tech conducted the study among overweight middle-age and older adults over the course of 12 weeks.

Misconceptions

Although drinking water may reduce the number of calories you consume from foods, your weight loss will stall if you choose juice, sports drinks or soda. Getting your calories from beverages is less satiating than obtaining them from foods, so drinking sweet drinks may be worse than drinking nothing at all, at least from the perspective of weight loss.

Weight Loss & Thirst

Because people often mistake hunger for thirst, keeping adequately hydrated also may aid weight loss by preventing eating when what you need is a glass of water. Even if you're not thirsty, the National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends drinking 96 oz. of water daily.

Side Effects

The initial effects of increasing your water consumption may be more trips to the bathroom. However, this will subside as your body becomes accustomed to processing greater volumes of fluid. Hyponatremia is a dangerous potential side effect of increasing water consumption dramatically. The condition is marked by reduced sodium concentration in the blood, and occurs most often to those who lose electrolytes through excessive perspiration and then consume large volumes of water without replacing the electrolytes.