There is one advice that is common in all the weight loss guides.
Drink more water.
Water is often thought of as the holy grail for weight loss. Healthcare professionals, physical fitness experts, your favorite influencer, and even those fit and fab celebrities, no one seems to stop raving about how water can help you lose weight.
But is this true? Is water really the holy grail for weight loss?
In this article, we take you through research that puts this claim to the test. The results will leave you by surprise. Be sure to read till the end!
Diving Into Research: Is Water Truly the Holy Grail of Weight Loss?
If you look up the health benefits of water, you may find weight loss taking center stage.
It is true that water can positively influence weight loss. However, the role it plays is secondary. It works only if all the primary aspects of your weight loss journey are in place.
What this means is, you cannot lose those extra pounds simply by drinking multiple glasses of water throughout the day.
A study proved this fact to some extent. The research included eight studies with 1034 participants. All the participants were overweight with a BMI above 25 for adults and
The purpose of the study was to analyze the impact of water intervention on weight loss. The outcome was measured through waist circumference, body weight, and BMI.
3 of the studies involved increasing the water intake while the remaining 5 aimed at studying the effects of drinking water in place of other beverages. Out of these 5, 3 aimed at giving participants water in place of sugary beverages (think a can of Pepsi). 2 of the studies looked at the effects of drinking water instead of artificially-sweetened beverages (think Diet Coke).
The Moment of Truth: Increasing Water Intake = Better Weight Loss?
The truth is : Increasing water intake had no significant impact on weight loss.
It did nothing to reduce the weight of the participants. The body weight, BMI, and waist circumference of every participant either remained the same. If there was a change, the difference was insignificant.
It shows that you cannot lose weight if your only weight-loss strategy is to drink more water. The study also reveals that the importance of water in weight loss may be overexaggerated. Sure, water is a zero-calorie drink that does a fantastic job of quenching your thirst and essential for human body function. However relying simply on water for weight loss may yield disappointing results.
Why people lose weight by Substituting Sugary Beverages with water
As the name suggests, sugary beverages are loaded with sugar and are generally high in calories and carbohydrates.
This is why, replacing these drinks with water had a significant impact on weight loss. The participants experienced a drop in their body weight, waist circumference and of course, BMI.
This makes perfect sense. A 330-ml can of Coke has 139 calories. If someone used to consume 3 cans of Coke per day but then replaced them with water, they will end up going in a +400 calorie deficit. This calorie deficit will eventually help them lose weight.
So, in this case, it is the calorie deficit working its magic and not water itself that’s aiding weight loss.
Why you should not replacing all Artificially-sweetened Beverages
Some people think drinking water instead of diet sodas and drinks will help you lose weight. However, the studies show that articipants who replaced artificially-sweetened beverages with water saw an increase in their body weights, BMI, and waist circumference.
But why?
Artificially sweetened drinks are still sweet. The good part is that they have almost zero calories. These drinks tend to satisfy your sweet tooth without adding more calories to your diet. As a result, it may save you from consuming those calorie-dense, processed foods. This, in turn, may promote weight loss.
As opposed to that, when you eliminate these artificially sweetened beverages with water, you may continue to crave for something sweet, and giving into these cravings may lead you to indulge in sugary snacks, which may lead to weight gain.
I am NOT asking you to replace all water consumnption with artificially-sweetened drinks, Instead, consider striking a balance between artificiallysweetened drinks and water. Again, this is not a prescription for you to start consuming diet drinks. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, sticking to plain water may be fine.
How Much Water Should You Drink?
Water by itself may not do much to help you lose some extra pounds. However, it does promote and optimize other bodily functions that can help you live a healthier, more productive life.
Human body is 55-60% water. Therefore, you need to give your body as much water as it needs to make sure it can continue to perform optimally. In case your body doesn’t get enough water, you can end up being dehydrated. And dehydration can have some pretty negative health consequences, like:
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Abnormal blood pressure
- Rapid heartbeat
- Lower metabolism
Furthermore, dehydration may limit your ability to exercise. It is easier to get fatigued and end up finishing your workout sooner when dehydration. Not to mention heat exhaustion, which can be fatal.
Therefore, even if water has no significant impact on weight loss, you should prioritize drinking enough water to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Now, the question arises, how much water is enough water?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer here.
Yes, you may have heard people recommending 8 glasses of water per day. But the truth is, every individual’s water needs are unique and depend on numerous factors, such as air temperature, humidity, sex, body weight, fat-free mass, and so on.
Therefore, that 8-glasses-per-day recommendation is general at best and cannot be applied to everyone. You may need much more than 8 cups of water. And if you do, drinking only 8 cups may lead to mild dehydration.
Even mild dehydration can impact physical performance and increase perceived pain and fatigue during exercise. All the consequences you most certainly want to avoid.
So, it is best that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional to figure out your body’s water requirements. And while you work towards that, you can use your thirst and the color of your urine as indicators of hydration.
Image credits: Researchgate [2]
It is better to be colorless or light yellow. If it’s a darker color, you may be dehydrated and may benefit from increasing your water intake.
Takeaway
Water is a power drink packed with numerous benefits. Drinking more water can make your skin look fresh. It may also improve your workout’s efficiency and help you think more clearly.
However, water does not have a direct impact on weight loss and cannot be relied upon as a primary factor in your weight loss efforts. It may help you lose weight if you drink water instead of sugary beverages.Also, including some artificially-sweetened beverages might be helpful for your weight loss journey!
Lastly, don’t forget to adopt other beneficial habits like eating a balanced diet and exercising to get the scales moving.
References
[1] Reference : Chen QY, Khil J, Keum N. Water Intake and Adiposity Outcomes among Overweight and Obese Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2024 Mar 27;16(7):963. doi: 10.3390/nu16070963. PMID: 38612997; PMCID: PMC11013432.
[2] Development of Urine Hydration System Based on Urine Color and Support Vector Machine.