Is Water Good for Weight Loss?

Do you have a few extra pounds you’d like to take off? If so, chances are you’ve been told you need to drink more water. Some diet experts recommend drinking eight glasses of water a day to help speed up the weight loss process. Many people end up following this advice, but not everyone reaps the benefits. Is water good for weight loss or is drinking more water only going to increase the time you spend in the bathroom?

Should You Drink Water for Weight Loss?: Does It Increase Metabolism?

In one respect water may be good for weight loss. In a study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, researchers measured the metabolic rate of seven men and women after they drank seventeen ounces of water. To their surprise, they found that the metabolic rate of both men and women increased by thirty percent within the first ten minutes after drinking the water. Researchers explained this effect by suggesting that the body produces more heat in an attempt to warm the water, so this effect may only be seen when drinking cold water. Unfortunately, this was a small study and it’s difficult to say whether it would hold true in larger clinical tests.

Drink Water for Weight Loss: Does It Decrease Appetite?

A study done at Virginia Tech showed that older adults between the ages of sixty and eighty who drank a large glass of water before eating an unlimited lunch, consumed nine percent fewer calories and reported feeling less hungry when it came time to eat. The younger adults, under the age of thirty-five, unfortunately, didn’t experience a reduction in calorie consumption, nor did they experience a reduced appetite after drinking the water. Researchers speculate that drinking water before a meal may depress appetite in older people because they have a slower rate of gastric emptying, so the water stays in their intestines longer.

How Drinking Water for Weight Loss Could Work

Even though these studies don’t show dramatic benefits from drinking water for weight loss, if you drink water in place of soft drinks or other sweetened beverages it would significantly reduce your calorie intake. Also, studies have shown that eating foods that are high in water such as soups and salads before eating a meal reduces overall calorie intake. Enjoying a bowl of soup before lunch or dinner may fill you up so you’ll eat fewer calorie dense foods.

Is Water Good for Weight Loss? The Bottom Line

Drinking water for weight loss is unlikely to have a dramatic impact, but adding more water based foods to your diet is a smart move. Try drinking water in place of other liquids with meals and during the day and start each meal with a bowl of soup or a salad. Do this consistently and you could reap real weight loss rewards.

References:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20040105/drinking-water-may-speed-weight-loss
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, December 2003; vol. 88: pp. 6015-6019.
http://www.eufic.org/page/en/page/LS/fftid/Drinking-water-before-meal-may-help-reduce-calorie-intake-in-the-elderly/