Why Is Drinking Water Good for Me and How Soon Will I See a Difference?

Water is said to be the staff of life, and that's because it's an essential part of your diet. When you drink a glass of water, you'll help to satisfy your body's need for hydration, so you should feel the benefits almost immediately.

If you're drinking water and wondering how long it will take to see the benefits, it should be almost immediately if you're dehydrated. If you don't consume any water, you're still probably getting fluids through your food and other drinks. But if you're thirsty, drink some water, says the Mayo Clinic. That should take care of your thirst.

Water, which makes up about 60 percent of your body weight, according to an article in the December 2018 issue of BMC Public Health, has many other benefits as well. According to the Mayo Clinic, these include:

• Gets rid of wastes through urination, perspiration and bowel movements.
• Keeps your temperature normal.
• Lubricates and cushions joints.
• Protects sensitive tissues.
• Carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells.
• Prevents constipation.

Harvard Health says if you don't drink enough water each day, you may become dehydrated. Warning signs of dehydration include weakness, low blood pressure, dizziness, confusion or urine that's dark in color. Drink 4 to 6 cups of water a day to avoid dehydration.

Read more: What Are the Benefits of Drinking a Gallon of Water a Day?

Many people associate dry skin with drinking too little water, according to the University of Wisconsin Health (UW Health). The question of whether drinking water will clear your skin has been the basis of claims that water gives you healthy-looking skin, UW Health says.

Skin is an organ made up of cells. And skin cells, like all other cells in your body, are composed in large part of water. Cells need water to work properly. Drinking enough water will help keep your skin, like all other organs, functioning properly.

But what does the research say about whether drinking enough water keeps your skin from becoming dry and flaky? According to a small study published in the August 2015 issue of Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, if you generally don't drink enough water, drinking more water will make a difference. The researchers noted a difference in the 49 women, ages 22 to 34, within 30 days.

A report featured in the August 2018 issue of Skin Research and Technology reviewed numerous studies, and the authors said despite weak study methods, drinking more water helped somewhat with dry, rough skin, and the skin became more elastic. More studies are needed to confirm these results_,_ the authors said.

Read more: Healthy Body Water Percentage

Researchers in studies of rates described in an article in the June 2016 issue of Frontiers in Nutrition concluded that an increase in drinking water can lead to weight loss. One likely reason is an increase in metabolism, because this increases the breakdown of fats and other lipids to release fatty acids.

More research is needed, the authors said, especially with humans. "Body weight regulation is a complex process, and increased water intake should be part of the measures required to reduce the overall risk factors," the authors wrote.

Read more: The Beginner's Guide to 16:8 Fasting for Weight Loss

If you're wondering whether you can lose weight if you just drink water, it may be possible, under limited circumstances. According to an article published in June 2018 by Harvard Health, participants in a limited, intermittent fast, who ate their meals in the space of eight hours each day and drank only water, tea, coffee or broth, lost weight. You should only try this under your doctor's supervision, however.