Energy
Metabolism is a complicated process by which the body breaks down food into energy. Everything you do uses energy, and water plays a critical role in the body's metabolic processes, which regulate all the body's functions. Because water makes up at least 90 percent of blood plasma, keeping your body well hydrated keeps blood volume high. Blood is what carries oxygen and nutrients to the cells. Therefore, increasing water intake gets more oxygen to the muscles so that they can expend energy. More blood being pumped from the heart gets more oxygen to the cells, tissues and organs in the body increasing their ability to metabolize the nutrients required for proper function.
Nutrient Value
The body needs water to maintain its normal physiological functions including respiration, circulation and excretion. Few people think of water as a nutrient, but considering that water accounts for about two-thirds of a person's body weight, it's the most essential nutrient of all. Research suggests that a person can increase metabolism by drinking more water. A German study published in the December 2003 issue of the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism" showed that men in the study who drank two more glasses of water each day burned more fat. Drinking eight to ten 8-ounce glasses is generally recommended. This suggests that increasing fluid volume in the body may help to break down fat. Research also shows that the body needs three grams of fluid to break down every gram of carbohydrate a person consumes in order to increase metabolism. Furthermore, not drinking enough water leads to dehydration which can slow metabolism. A good rule of thumb is to drink water throughout the day before you feel thirsty. If you wait until you feel thirsty to drink, your body is already beginning to dehydrate.
Liver Function
Although it is the function of the kidneys to process water and eliminate toxins from the body, when the body becomes dehydrated the liver takes over. The job of the liver is to convert stored fat into energy, but if the kidneys do not get the water they need to function, the liver needs to help out. Unfortunately, this leaves the liver less time to metabolize fat as it begins to accumulate fluid instead. When the body does not get enough water, it stores it for later use. When liver function slows so does the body's metabolism. Drinking enough water can increase metabolic rate by allowing the liver to focus on its role in storing glycogen instead of fluid retention. Glycogen is the body's way of storing glucose, the body's main source of fuel for energy.
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