The problems related to having an increased weight have been increasing alarmingly throughout the world, among these is overweight and obesity, which obesity is considered the main nutritional disorder in many countries and considered an epidemic and, consequently, a public health problem [1].
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Obesity is defined by a body mass index greater than 30 kg/m2, this is obtained based on a person’s height and weight. Overweight and obesity have increased drastically since 1974, in 2014 it was reported that up to 14% of adults had obesity. It is known that having excess weight increases the risk of suffering from non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, among others, causing a decrease in life expectancy [1].
The goal in the treatment of excess weight is to lose weight. There are different treatments to lose weight, which are lifestyle interventions, drugs and bariatric surgery [1]. As for lifestyle interventions, it is known that an adequate diet can work, but most likely it had not been said that drinking water can help to lose weight [1].
Life needs water to exist, this liquid is essential for every living being. Without food humans can survive for weeks, however without water they could not survive more than a few days. Since our body is practically water [2].
Drinking water can help to lose weight, different techniques have been studied, among which are simply increasing daily water consumption, drinking 2 glasses of water before each meal and replacing sweetened drinks with water. In this way, calorie consumption is reduced and helps to lose weight. By drinking water, energy expenditure increases, metabolism is altered, increasing the metabolism of body fat. In addition, satiety is slightly increased, contributing to lose weight [1].
What does water do in our body?
Drinking water it’s important, this liquid is essential for the proper functioning of the human body, it works for digestion, transport of nutrients, excretion of waste products, maintaining body temperature, eliminates toxins, transports oxygen and among other functions. It also protects us from dehydration [2].
What is the recommended daily water consumption?
Human body it’s mainly water, many organs of our body work together to maintain adequate water levels. There are some variables that are necessary to maintain water levels, these are those responsible for water loss, such as sweat, breathing, urine and feces, this means that we are always using our water reserve, so that our body is always regulating water levels. The water reserves in the body are not enough for those water losses, that is why drinking water is very important [2].
Every person has different water needs, because it depends on a lot of factors, such as gender, age, diet, physical activity, climate, and body mass index. It is very important to meet the daily water requirements to have proper functioning [2]. The water needs will not be the same for an adult man, who is working in construction in summer, to a girl who is at home in winter. You should drink enough water, the needs of each person vary, however it is recommended to drink 2.5 liters of water per day for adult men, this is equivalent to 10 glasses of water, for adult women it is recommended to drink 2 liters of water per day, which is equivalent to approximately 8 glasses of water [2].
Drinking water in adequate quantities can improve body composition. Eating fruits and vegetables is recommended, because they have a lot of water, helping with the daily water needs [2]. Of the total water we consume, the majority corresponds to liquids, such as water and drinks, the remaining is through food. Therefore, diets rich in vegetables and fruits provide significant amounts of total water intake, while fast food products have a low contribution to daily water consumption due to their low water content [2]
Drinking water burns calories
Thermogenesis is the process by which the body generates heat; by generating this heat, calories are burned. This process is regulated by a set of nerves in our nervous system, known as the sympathetic system. There are substances that, when consumed, activate this system indirectly, increasing the thermogenesis of our body. One of these examples is water, our most vital liquid. It has been seen that drinking half a liter of water in an instant increases the stimulus to the sympathetic system, causing an increase in thermogenesis and indirectly contributing to weight loss [2]
Consuming water in adequate quantities influences increasing energy expenditure, since when drinking water, there is a distention of the stomach, this brings with it a decrease in the sensation of hunger, as well as a stimulation of the nerves in charge of metabolism, causing metabolism to be accelerated and burn calories. Drinking at least 2 liters of water per day can increase the calorie burn of the body and help to lose weight. It has been seen that drinking cold water at 3 to 4°C increases energy expenditure a little more since cold water tends to generate greater satiety [2]
How much water should I drink to lose weight?
Drinking water instead of sugar-sweetened drinks reduces considerably the amount of calories ingested. Sweetened drinks contain a lot of sugar and a large amount of calories, also they almost don ́t produce satiety, resulting in a large calorie consumption since normally, people do not reduce the amount of food consumed, contributing to gain weight. However, drinking water does not provide any calories, it increases satiety, causing less feeling of hunger and therefore food consumption decreases and helps to lose weight [2].
Drinking between 1 to 2 glasses of water 30 minutes to 1 hour before each meal helps reduce food consumption and the total calories ingested, and it will cause more satiety if the water is cold, and help to lose weight. This is because drinking water has short-term effects, these are increasing satiety and reducing the feeling of hunger, thus contributing to weight loss since less food is consumed [2].
Not drinking water in an adequate amount can predispose a person to dehydration and eat more, this is because when drinking water, the stomach is “full” causing one not to feel hungry as quickly, so by not drinking water adequate, the stomach is empty, causing hunger and therefore the person will eat more [2].
Drinking water to lose fat
Water consumption to lose weight consists of two main mechanisms, decreasing calorie intake and increasing fat metabolism [2].
When a person eats, insulin levels rise and this causes the energy that the body obtained from food to be stored, however when fasting, insulin decreases, causing the body to use the energy it has stored and a One of its sources is body fat, this means that when fasting the body burns fat to have energy. Water doesn’t have calories and nutrients so does not increase insulin, promoting the use of energy reserves like body fat, helping to lose weight.
Furthermore, increasing water consumption increases blood volume, stimulating hormones that increase the metabolism of fat [2].
Consuming sugary drinks is not good, as they have been associated with an increase in chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, they can also cause health problems by increasing the risk of overweight and obesity, and increasing body fat. That is why it is recommended to drink water, since it does not generate any health problems, on the contrary it brings benefits. By simply increasing your daily water consumption you can lose weight and fat [2].
In summary
Water is essential for human beings and for life, it is used by our body for many functions to function properly, without water we would not live.
It is important to consume water in optimal conditions to be able to function well. Water does not affect us in anything bad, on the contrary it is good for us, since it does not provide any calories and increases satiety, making us eat less.
Drinking water has an effect on fat metabolism, causing the body to use fat reserves as an energy source. In summary, according to the evidence, consuming 500 ml of water helps burn calories, by increasing water consumption by 1.5 L, you can reduce weight by up to 2 Kg, also consuming cold water helps increase energy expenditure and metabolism.
Drinking 500 ml of water before each meal makes us eat less. Likewise, an efficient technique is to change sugary drinks for water, since these drinks provide too many calories and almost do not produce satiety, causing you to eat more food. Drinking water reduces calorie intake, reduces the feeling of hunger and burns fat. If you add to this a proper eating plan and exercise, you can achieve greater weight loss. So, what are you waiting for to start drinking water?.
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Dr. Liza María Pompa González and her bariatric team at LIMARP International Center of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery, located at Tijuana, Mexico, have performed thousands of gastric sleeve surgeries to patients who travel from all over the world. LIMARP offers an integral bariatric program that tackles obesity from a multidisciplinary approach, considering bariatric interventions along with psychological, nutritional and physical counselling. Our bariatric solutions include surgical interventions such as the gastric sleeve surgery, the gastric bypass, the mini gastric bypass, and the duodenal switch; and non-surgical solutions like the intragastric balloon. We also offer cosmetic solutions after bariatric surgery for those patients seeking further enhancements.
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If you are interested in knowing if a bariatric surgery is the right choice for you, give us a call to our phone number (619) 270-8823 or send us a message through this webpage or any of our social media accounts. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation. Our team of experts will take you through all your options for obesity treatment and will offer a personalized plan tailored to your specific needs.
References
- [1] Bracamontes-Castelo, G., Bacardí-Gascón, M., & Jiménez Cruz, A. (2019). Effect of water consumption on weight loss: a systematic review. Efecto del consumo de agua sobre la pérdida de peso: revisión sistemática. Nutricion hospitalaria, 36(6), 1424–1429. https://doi.org/10.20960/nh.02746
- [2] Çıtar Dazıroğlu, M. E., & Acar Tek, N. (2023). Water Consumption: Effect on Energy Expenditure and Body Weight Management. Current obesity reports, 12(2), 99–107. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-023-00501-8