Common carbs include bread, rice , and pasta. Replacing some daily sources of carbs with high protein foods , such as lean meats, eggs , and soy products , can reduce the buildup of water weight.

Vitamin B-6 and calcium can be effective natural remedies for fluid retention. These supplements work with the kidneys to help the body flush extra water and sodium from the system. Studies show that these two supplements are very effective at relieving the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome or PMS, including water retention.

They can also reduce abdominal bloating , swelling in the legs, and breast tenderness. It is best for someone to talk with a doctor before taking new supplements, as they can have side effects or interactions with other medications.

Exercise lets the body sweat out extra water, which causes water weight. A workout also stimulates blood flow and improves circulation, which can reduce fluid buildup throughout the body, especially in the legs and feet. Exercise reduces water weight even more by burning through glycogen energy stores.

However, replacing lost fluids is vital after any physical activity to avoid dehydration. Water pills can treat mild fluid retention, as prescribed by a doctor. These pills work as diuretics , meaning they make a person urinate more often. Urination lets the body get rid of excess water and sodium.

Water pills are not recommended for long-term use. They should always be used as instructed by a doctor to avoid dehydration or mineral deficits. Anyone can experience fluid retention, but some risk factors increase the chances of it occurring.

These include:. Key causes of water weight include :. The American Heart Association recommends doing 2. Keeping the body active can prevent fluids from building up and reduce water weight.

People should be sure to stay hydrated during exercise. Women can plan for menstruation-related fluid retention by incorporating vitamin supplements, such as iron , calcium, and vitamin D , into their monthly routine. Water weight is rarely a cause for medical concern, although, in some cases, it can be a symptom of a more serious underlying condition.

Severe or serious water retention may include a tight appearance of the skin and skin that keeps a dimple when it is pressed. This is called pitting edema. Fluid retention that occurs alongside coughing and shortness of breath, especially while lying down, may be a sign of fluid in the lungs or heart failure.

This requires urgent medical attention. Even if the water retention is not severe, it is always best to consult a doctor if a person is worried about their symptoms.

Tips for getting rid of water weight include reducing sodium and carbohydrate intake, drinking more water, exercising, and taking Vitamin B-6 and magnesium oxide supplements. The length of time it takes to lose water weight may depend on the amount of water retention.

Someone who retains more water may take longer to lose water weight. Strategies such as reducing salt and carbohydrate intake, drinking more water, and exercising may help a person to lose water weight. Reducing salt and carbohydrate intake, keeping hydrated, and frequently exercising are all good ways to lose water weight and prevent it from returning.

If water weight is accompanied by coughing and shortness of breath, especially while lying down, it could be a sign of heart failure. A person should seek immediate medical attention.

Find out how to lose weight that is due to medication using 10 methods. We also discuss why some medications sometimes cause weight gain. To stay hydrated, females need around 9 cups of water per day and males need around 13 cups.

Drinking adequate water may help people lose weight. Fad diets and rapid weight loss can be unsafe and often lead to people regaining the weight later on. In this article, learn how to lose weight safely….

Subcutaneous fat is the fat that is visible just under the skin. Causes include eating more food than is needed and not exercising enough. It can also…. Researchers say bariatric surgery can help with weight loss, but it can also help improve cognitive functions including memory.

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Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Your muscles contract from sitting too long. Your feet and legs may swell in response as fluid pools there. Water weight is not typically a cause for concern. You can typically lose water weight using home remedies.

Still, excess fluid build-up and swelling are sometimes signs of a severe health condition, such as heart, liver, or kidney disease. See a healthcare provider if you have:. There are many possible causes of water weight, including eating a lot of salty and sugary foods, sitting for long periods, and taking certain medications.

Try these tips to help you get rid of that extra fluid. Some lifestyle changes might help. Try getting enough sleep, reducing your salt intake, and staying hydrated.

Talk to a healthcare provider for additional help if water weight affects your quality of life and makes you uncomfortable. Water weight and edema are sometimes signs of severe health conditions, such as congestive heart failure and DVT.

You might require medications, like blood thinners or diuretics, to manage those illnesses. NIH News in Health. When body parts swell.

Tobias A, Ballard BD, Mohiuddin SS. Physiology, water balance. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; Moreb NA, Albandary A, Jaiswal S, et al. Fruits and vegetables in the management of underlying conditions for COVID high-risk groups.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Brain basics: Understanding sleep. Solocinski K, Gumz ML. The circadian clock in the regulation of renal rhythms. J Biol Rhythms.

Sodium in diet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sodium and health. Fernández-Elías VE, Ortega JF, Nelson RK, et al. Relationship between muscle water and glycogen recovery after prolonged exercise in the heat in humans.

Eur J Appl Physiol. Fluid and electrolyte balance. Gerbino A, Russo D, Colella M, et al. Int J Mol Sci. Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B6 - health professional fact sheet. Khadka S, Joshi R, Shrestha DB, et al. Amlodipine-induced pedal edema and its relation to other variables in patients at a tertiary level hospital of Kathmandu, Nepal.

J Pharm Technol. Hunter RW, Ivy JR, Bailey MA. J Physiol. Endocrine Society. Adrenal hormones. Raff H, Carroll T.

Cushing's syndrome: From physiological principles to diagnosis and clinical care. Sawicka-Gutaj N, Ziółkowska P, Wojciechowska K, et al. Eye symptoms in patients with benign thyroid diseases. Sci Rep. Contraception: Do hormonal contraceptives cause weight gain? Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care IQWiG ; Tacani PM, Ribeiro Dde O, Barros Guimarães BE, et al.

Characterization of symptoms and edema distribution in premenstrual syndrome. Int J Womens Health. Sawai A, Tochigi Y, Kavaliova N, et al. MRI reveals menstrually-related muscle edema that negatively affects athletic agility in young women.

PLoS One. Molnár AÁ, Nádasy GL, Dörnyei G, et al. The aging venous system: From varicosities to vascular cognitive impairment. Congestive heart failure. Blood clots. Rakova N, Kitada K, Lerchl K, et al. Increased salt consumption induces body water conservation and decreases fluid intake. J Clin Invest.

Pavlidou E, Papadopoulou SK, Fasoulas A, et al. Clinical evidence of low-carbohydrate diets against obesity and diabetes mellitus. Foot, leg, and ankle swelling.

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Also interesting: Although diet soda contributes no calories, replacing diet beverages with water may be a factor that contributes to weight loss in certain groups of people. Overweight and obese women who replaced diet beverages with water after their main meal showed greater weight reduction during a weight-loss program in a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The researchers noted that the extra weight loss in those who drank water could be attributed to consuming fewer calories and carbohydrates, but more research is needed. All that said, since many diet beverages still hydrate and reduce calorie intake when used as a replacement for sugary beverages, they may help certain individuals lose weight.

Water is essential to the body during exercise: It dissolves electrolytes—minerals that include sodium, potassium, and magnesium—and distributes them throughout the body, where their electrical energy triggers muscle contractions required for movement, Jampolis explains.

An electrolyte imbalance can lead to cramping, but that's not the only side effect of drinking too little. What's more, the body loses fluids more quickly during exercise because it generates heat that's shunted to the skin's surface, where perspiration and subsequent evaporation a cooling process help with temperature regulation.

Staying properly hydrated also helps maintain your blood's volume, so you can optimize the expansion of blood vessels at the skin's surface to release heat, Jampolis says.

Drinking water facilitates the production of urine, which is largely made up of water, and the movement of feces, since water keeps stools soft. In other words, the more hydrated you are, the easier it is for your system to move things along and the less likely you are to suffer from constipation and bloating.

In addition, adequate hydration promotes kidney function , flushes harmful bacteria from the urinary tract, and prevents kidney stones, which can occur with more concentrated urine, according to Huggins. Upping your water intake may increase lipolysis, the process by which the body burns fat for energy, according to a mini-review of animal studies published in Frontiers in Nutrition.

Another theory posed in the animal studies: Water expands cell volume, which could play a role in fat metabolism. However, it remains unproven among human subjects.

When you're dehydrated, you may experience symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, and confusion—and who makes healthy decisions under those conditions?

Dehydration, the researcher of the mini-review found, also may be linked to sleepiness and reduced alertness. And another study , published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine , found that dehydration increases your body's production of cortisol, the stress hormone.

These are just a few examples of what else water can do:. Scientists still don't know the exact mechanism, but given water's important role in the majority of your bodily functions, it makes sense that it would be instrumental in skin health, too.

In a study published in the journal Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology , researchers found that increasing water intake would affect the skin the same way as a topical moisturizer and could positively impact normal skin physiology, including elasticity the loss of which is related to sagging and wrinkles.

This makes it tougher for blood to flow where it needs to flow, increasing the stress placed on the heart. In addition, when your body's cells don't have enough water, the brain secretes a chemical that constricts the blood vessels, which can lead to hypertension or high blood pressure, which in turn can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease.

Staying hydrated keeps your blood vessels from constricting so blood can flow normally. You've probably heard the common "eight 8-ounce glasses per day" rule, but the reality is, the amount of water needed varies greatly depending on age, gender, health, physical activity, tendency to sweat, and more.

The majority of healthy people adequately meet their daily hydration needs by letting thirst be their guide, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, or NASEM.

The average American adult drinks nearly five cups of water a day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The general recommendation from the NASEM is approximately 91 ounces about 11 cups of water each day for women and approximately ounces about 15 and a half cups for men.

One way to determine whether you're drinking enough water is to peek in the pot after you pee. Aim for light yellow. The science does show that drinking water may facilitate weight loss and encourage other positive health outcomes.

But drinking more water should be only one small part of your wellness journey. As always, she says, it's important to embrace a more comprehensive and sustainable approach.

Browse our category menus to discover hundreds of online resources frequently used by faculty and staff, or use the search to find people. Adults should drink around 2 liters of water a day. Carbohydrates , or carbs, also cause the body to store extra water.

When we eat carbs, the energy that we do not use right away is stored as glycogen molecules. Each gram g of glycogen comes with 3 g of water attached.

Cutting down on carbs is a quick way to use up the glycogen stores, which means that the water weight will also be reduced. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults need at least g of carbohydrates to function each day, but the average American diet includes much more than this.

Common carbs include bread, rice , and pasta. Replacing some daily sources of carbs with high protein foods , such as lean meats, eggs , and soy products , can reduce the buildup of water weight. Vitamin B-6 and calcium can be effective natural remedies for fluid retention. These supplements work with the kidneys to help the body flush extra water and sodium from the system.

Studies show that these two supplements are very effective at relieving the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome or PMS, including water retention.

They can also reduce abdominal bloating , swelling in the legs, and breast tenderness. It is best for someone to talk with a doctor before taking new supplements, as they can have side effects or interactions with other medications.

Exercise lets the body sweat out extra water, which causes water weight. A workout also stimulates blood flow and improves circulation, which can reduce fluid buildup throughout the body, especially in the legs and feet.

Exercise reduces water weight even more by burning through glycogen energy stores. However, replacing lost fluids is vital after any physical activity to avoid dehydration.

Water pills can treat mild fluid retention, as prescribed by a doctor. These pills work as diuretics , meaning they make a person urinate more often. Urination lets the body get rid of excess water and sodium.

Water pills are not recommended for long-term use. They should always be used as instructed by a doctor to avoid dehydration or mineral deficits. Anyone can experience fluid retention, but some risk factors increase the chances of it occurring.

These include:. Key causes of water weight include :. The American Heart Association recommends doing 2. Keeping the body active can prevent fluids from building up and reduce water weight. People should be sure to stay hydrated during exercise. Women can plan for menstruation-related fluid retention by incorporating vitamin supplements, such as iron , calcium, and vitamin D , into their monthly routine.

Water weight is rarely a cause for medical concern, although, in some cases, it can be a symptom of a more serious underlying condition. Severe or serious water retention may include a tight appearance of the skin and skin that keeps a dimple when it is pressed.

This is called pitting edema. Fluid retention that occurs alongside coughing and shortness of breath, especially while lying down, may be a sign of fluid in the lungs or heart failure. This requires urgent medical attention. Even if the water retention is not severe, it is always best to consult a doctor if a person is worried about their symptoms.

Tips for getting rid of water weight include reducing sodium and carbohydrate intake, drinking more water, exercising, and taking Vitamin B-6 and magnesium oxide supplements. The length of time it takes to lose water weight may depend on the amount of water retention.

Someone who retains more water may take longer to lose water weight. Strategies such as reducing salt and carbohydrate intake, drinking more water, and exercising may help a person to lose water weight.

Reducing salt and carbohydrate intake, keeping hydrated, and frequently exercising are all good ways to lose water weight and prevent it from returning. If water weight is accompanied by coughing and shortness of breath, especially while lying down, it could be a sign of heart failure.

A person should seek immediate medical attention. Find out how to lose weight that is due to medication using 10 methods. We also discuss why some medications sometimes cause weight gain. To stay hydrated, females need around 9 cups of water per day and males need around 13 cups.

Drinking adequate water may help people lose weight. Fad diets and rapid weight loss can be unsafe and often lead to people regaining the weight later on. In this article, learn how to lose weight safely….

Subcutaneous fat is the fat that is visible just under the skin. Causes include eating more food than is needed and not exercising enough.

To manage water weight, limit your carb consumption to the daily recommended value of grams. This can reduce glycogen stores and reduce water retention. Watch your sodium intake as well and keep it around 2, milligrams per day to avoid fluid retention and other health impacts.

For a well-balanced diet, try to incorporate healthy fats, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains into your plates.

In more certain cases, your doctor may prescribe a water pill. These pills are also known as diuretics, which means they help you excrete the extra water stored in your body. The diuretic effect helps to eliminate excess fluid, reducing overall water weight.

Remember, dehydration is a key contributor to edema. To defeat dehydration, drink an appropriate amount of water and incorporate hydration boosters like DripDrop to your drinks.

One of the best ways to fight water weight gain from dehydration is to manage your hydration levels. To avoid dehydration, replenish your hydration with DripDrop.

When you're in a state of dehydration, drinking water alone is not enough. With the precisely balanced ratio in DripDrop, you can replenish vital electrolytes and fluids and relieve dehydration quickly.

Plus, DripDrop supplies vitamins like zinc, potassium, and magnesium, which are essential to support your overall health. They also taste amazing and come in a variety of flavors you can enjoy.

For cases of mild to moderate dehydration, DripDrop is a fast, effective, and great-tasting remedy. The convenient packaging allows you to have DripDrop when you need it, where you need it.

Get started with our most popular multi-flavor pouch for dehydration relief fast. Explore all of our flavors and find what best suits you. COPY CODE. Code Copied to Clipboard. How it Works. Our Story. Start a Subscription. Fan Favorites. Use Cases. Heat Travel Cold Weather Altitude Sleep Exercise Wellness Performance.

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Our Mission. Several other studies have monitored overweight people who drank They found a significant reduction in weight, body mass index BMI , waist circumference and body fat 8 , 9 , These results may be even more impressive when the water is cold.

When you drink cold water, your body uses extra calories to warm the water up to body temperature. Drinking 0. Some studies show that this can lead to modest weight loss. There actually seems to be some truth behind this, but almost exclusively in middle-aged and older adults Studies of older adults have shown that drinking water before each meal may increase weight loss by 2 kg 4.

Although this may be very beneficial for middle-aged and older people, studies of younger individuals have not shown the same impressive reduction in calorie intake.

Drinking water before meals may reduce appetite in middle-aged and older individuals. This decreases calorie intake, leading to weight loss. This is mainly because you then drink water instead of other beverages, which are often high in calories and sugar 13 , 14 , Drinking water may also help prevent long-term weight gain.

In general, the average person gains about 1. It is especially important to encourage children to drink water, as it can help prevent them from becoming overweight or obese 17 , 3. A recent, school-based study aimed to reduce obesity rates by encouraging children to drink water.

They installed water fountains in 17 schools and provided classroom lessons about water consumption for 2nd and 3rd graders. Drinking more water may lead to decreased calorie intake and reduce the risk of long-term weight gain and obesity, especially in children.

Many health authorities recommend drinking eight, 8-oz glasses of water about 2 liters per day. However, this number is completely random. As with so many things, water requirements depend entirely on the individual For example, people who sweat a lot or exercise regularly may need more water than those who are not very active.

Older people and breast-feeding mothers also need to monitor their water intake more closely Keep in mind that you also get water from many foods and beverages, such as coffee , tea , meat, fish , milk, and especially fruits and vegetables.

If you find you have a headache, are in a bad mood, are constantly hungry or have trouble concentrating, then you may suffer from mild dehydration. Drinking more water may help fix this 22 , 23 , Based on the studies, drinking liters of water per day should be sufficient to help with weight loss.

However, this is just a general guideline. Some people may need less, while others may need a lot more. Also, it is not recommended to drink too much water either, as it may cause water toxicity.

This has even caused death in extreme cases, such as during water drinking contests. According to the studies, 1—2 liters of water per day is enough to assist with weight loss, especially when consumed before meals. Some studies suggest vaping may help manage your weight, but others show mixed….

The amount of time it takes to recover from weight loss surgery depends on the type of surgery and surgical technique you receive. New research suggests that running may not aid much with weight loss, but it can help you keep from gaining weight as you age.

Here's why. A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic? How Well Do You Sleep? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect.

Nutrition Evidence Based 8 Easy Ways to Lose Water Weight Fast and Safely. Medically reviewed by Imashi Fernando, MS, RDN, CDCES — By Rudy Mawer, MSc, CISSN — Updated on November 27, Exercise Increase potassium Manage salt intake Magnesium supplements Try dandelion Eat certain foods and herbs Cut carbs Consume caffeine Causes FAQ When to see a doctor Takeaway Water weight, also called edema, is when you have a build-up of fluid in your body.

Exercise on a regular basis. Increase potassium consumption. Manage salt intake. Take a magnesium supplement. Take a dandelion supplement.

Consider certain foods and herbs. Cut carbs. Take caffeine supplements or drink tea and coffee. Causes of water weight. Frequently asked questions.

When to see a doctor. How we reviewed this article: Sources. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Nov 27, Written By Rudy Mawer. Medically Reviewed By Imashi Fernando, MS, RDN, CDCES. Oct 20, Written By Rudy Mawer. Share this article. Read this next. By Kris Gunnars, BSc. By Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD and Hrefna Palsdottir, MS. How Drinking More Water Can Help You Lose Weight.

By Adda Bjarnadottir, MS, RDN Ice. Everything You Need to Know About Water Retention Water retention, known as edema, is swelling in parts of the body. READ MORE. GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic and Mounjaro Linked to Lower Risk of Depression Patients with diabetes who used GLP-1 drugs, including tirzepatide, semaglutide, dulaglutide, and exenatide had a decreased chance of being diagnosed… READ MORE.

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