You may have heard that water drinking can make an individual lose weight. But we will also let you know that it can make you gain weight.
Sadly, water drinking has time attached to it, but people do not know.
For instance, the rain falls at certain times of the year and gives way at other times. This emphasises the role timing plays in provision of water to the earth’s plants and humans.
Therefore, if this is how the earthworks, what makes you think water drinking could be done at any time, just like that. When there is drought, the plants suffers. Same way, when the body is poorly hydrated, it suffers.
Truly, water comprises about 60% of our body weight and is critical for life (See research finding) (1).
This means that low level of water or excess of it in the body is a big trouble.
It is often easy to think that you take enough water each day. But water drinking can change so much, especially your weight.
Water Drinking And Weight Loss
A 2009 study showed that water consumption acutely reduces meal energy intake (EI) among middle-aged and older adults (2).
And you know that one of the reasons people add weight is over eating and not using the energy that the food provided.
The research looked at water consumption and whether it facilitates weight loss among overweight/obese middle-aged and older adults.
It was also meant to determine if the ability of premeal water consumption to reduce meal EI is sustained after a 12-week period of increased water consumption.
The study found that weight loss was ~2 kg greater in the water group than in the non-water group, and the water group showed a 44% greater decline in weight over the 12 weeks than the non-water group.
It further showed the result of another group of individuals who took water before meal and those who did not.
The research read: “When combined with a hypocaloric diet, consuming 500 ml water prior to each main meal leads to greater weight loss than a hypocaloric diet alone in middle-aged and older adults.
“This may be due in part to an acute reduction in meal EI following water ingestion”.
Water drinking also reduces the desire for much food.
According to a 2016 study increased hydration leads to body weight loss, mainly through a decrease in feeding, and a loss of fat, through increased lipolysis (3).
Another study of 2010 showed that water drinking could also lower your weight.
Interestingly, you can also achieve weight loss if you replace your sweetened beverage with water.
The study stated that weight loss maintainers drank more water servings (4.7 vs. 3.5, P=0.002), with larger portions (2.03 servings vs. 1.35 servings, P = 0.0001).
How Much Water Should I Drink Daily?
Individuals who drank greater than 1L water/day over 12 months had greater losses in weight (2.3kg) and waist circumference (2.3cm).
Replacing 1% of sweetened beverage intake with water also significantly reduced weight (0.03 kg [P<0.05)], waist circumference (0.03 cm (P<0.05), and body fat (0.02%, P<0.05).
You May Find Our Article On Stress And Weight Gain: What Research Reveals
While water drinking could aid weight loss, reduce calories intake, there is need to be sure of how much to consume.
There is a recommendation that an individual should take between 6 to 8 glasses of water, about 2.5 litres daily (4).
However, there are other considerations and this is because water could come from fruits you take and other foods.
Also, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should pay attention to the amount of water they take.
Sadly, the headache, fatigue or restless condition you feel could be as a result of dehydration. Just a glass or water could change everything.
Water Drinking And Cancer
A publication on journal of physiology showed that water intake could lower risk of certain forms of cancer (5).
“In a 10-year study involving nearly 48,000 men, Michaud and coworkers (57) found that the incidence of cancer of the urinary bladder was reduced significantly by a high fluid intake.
The top 20% of subjects who participated in the study drank 2,531 ml per day or more while the bottom 20% drank 1,290 ml or less. The authors calculated that within this range, the risk of bladder cancer decreased by 7% for every 240 ml (1 cup or one 8-oz glass; Table 1) of fluid added.
There was a significant decrease in risk even in men who drank only 1,440 ml.
Another cancer that water intake can also lower the risk is colon cancer.
“A similar correlation has been reported for colorectal cancer and premalignant adenomatous polyps (53, 79, 86).
“Taking account of the many known risk factors for these tumors, these multivariate studies found significant, inverse correlations between the total intake of fluids, or specifically of water, and the risk of colorectal cancer.”
Kindly share this article with your friends and loved ones to help them see the need for adequate water intake.