If you're in the market for a diet, the multitude of choices can be confusing. Most, however, have one thing in common--a push to drink more water. Water is a natural appetite suppressant that may contribute to some degree of weight loss and has the appeal of being simple and cheap. When it's used as a stand-alone diet, however, don't expect rapid results.
Function
The body is 60 percent water, so clearly this fluid is essential for daily living. Just how much benefit there is to increasing water intake is up for debate, but research done by German scientists in 2004 shows a small link between water and metabolism, the rate at which calories are burned. What's more, health and fitness expert Dr. Melina Jampolis claims on cnn.com that being even 1 percent dehydrated can result in a significant drop in metabolism.
Benefits
In addition to the metabolism link, there are various theories on how water helps weight loss. According to Jampolis, the body has a hard time differentiating hunger and thirst, so sometimes what feels like hunger is actually the body telling you it's thirsty. Drinking before mealtimes may reduce hunger and make you eat less. According to Madeline Fernstrom of the University of Pittsburgh on npr.org, this also keeps your mouth busy with something other than food.
Expected Weight Loss
Opinions vary on how much weight loss water can cause. Jampolis cites a study that found that people who drank two glasses of water before mealtimes ate 75 fewer calories and had a loss of 14.5 lbs. in a year. On the other end of the spectrum, realage.com cites research that overweight women on popular diets who raised water intake by four cups a day lost 2.5 lbs. over a year. Other estimates include that of the German study, which noted a weight loss of 5 lbs.
Considerations
Any way you look at it, weight loss is still small. Any water increase without other diet or exercise plans will likely produce limited results. Fernstrom suggests considering increased water intake a weight-loss tool rather than a diet and believes that any zero-calorie drink will serve the same purpose. Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, a kidney expert at the University of Pennsylvania, also offered npr.org the simple advice to just drink when you're thirsty. Actual dehydration is rare.
Warning
Although water's role as a diet aid is debatable, increasing water intake moderately won't do any harm. On the other hand, Jampolis describes how drinking massive quantities of water--meaning several gallons--can cause hyponatremia. This means dangerously low sodium levels in the blood, which can lead to confusion and even a coma. According to Jampolis, however, most people should worry more about drinking enough than drinking too much.
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