How beneficial is avoiding dehydration in weight loss?

jackhansford579
jackhansford579 Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've seen studies claiming that drinking water in an excess can boost your metabolic rate by up too 30%. I'm unsure of the validity of these claims, however staying hydrated is obviously beneficial to your health. I was just wondering what your guys opinions were?

Replies

  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    There is a difference between "avoiding dehydration" and staying properly hydrated. Obviously, you never want to be dehydrated for any length of time for a myriad of reasons.

    As for staying properly hydrated, the benefits are just invaluable. As for boosting your metabolic rate? I have my doubts about the studies. Were they comparing the metabolic rate of a dehydrated person vs a hydrated person or were they looking at the metabolic difference between a person that isn't trying to hydrate vs a person that is told to drink X gal a day? Obviously, a dehydrated person's metabolic rate is going to be screwed up... but most of us don't walk around dehydrated for long.

    I'd say that for normal people, drinking an extra glass of water or two per day isn't going to increase much of anything other than bathroom frequency.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Drinking excessive amounts of water? No idea...but staying hydrated keeps all of your systems functioning at an optimal level, including your metabolism.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Hydration is good. It keeps all your bodily functions working as they should.

    I doubt that over-hydration would somehow boost your metabolism.

    Like all good things, too much can be very, very bad.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/basics/definition/con-20031445

    But don't worry. It is very hard to over-hydrate. You'd have to drink to the point of nausea to overdo it.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited August 2016
    GauchoMark wrote: »
    There is a difference between "avoiding dehydration" and staying properly hydrated. Obviously, you never want to be dehydrated for any length of time for a myriad of reasons.

    As for staying properly hydrated, the benefits are just invaluable. As for boosting your metabolic rate? I have my doubts about the studies. Were they comparing the metabolic rate of a dehydrated person vs a hydrated person or were they looking at the metabolic difference between a person that isn't trying to hydrate vs a person that is told to drink X gal a day? Obviously, a dehydrated person's metabolic rate is going to be screwed up... but most of us don't walk around dehydrated for long.

    I'd say that for normal people, drinking an extra glass of water or two per day isn't going to increase much of anything other than bathroom frequency.

    All of this and especially the last part. I find it silly that people are pushing themselves, and encouraging others, to drink upwards of a gallon of water per day. Now, if you're a construction working living in Tucson, AZ and outside in the heat of August you might need that much and more. An office worker who rarely breaks a sweat, though? He or she doesn't need nearly that much and all that will be accomplished is an increase the steps on their pedometer as they make more trips to the bathroom during the day.
  • mrmeza123
    mrmeza123 Posts: 34 Member
    I'm experiencing headaches from drinking too much water. I hope that you don't get this, it's an awful feeling. I try to stick to 10 tops.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    mrmeza123 wrote: »
    I'm experiencing headaches from drinking too much water. I hope that you don't get this, it's an awful feeling. I try to stick to 10 tops.

    You should see a doctor - that is one symptom of hyponatremia (low blood sodium) that can be caused or worsened by excessive hydration. It is also very dangerous and possibly lethal - if you may be experiencing symptoms, see a doctor and get blood work done to see if that is the problem and to identify the root cause.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Often in the morning I wake feeling hungry, but that feeling goes away for a few hours once I start drinking my tea. So, I stay hydrated to not confuse hunger with thirst.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,610 Member
    If I don't drink enough (water) ...

    -- my kidneys ache. I have kidney stones of various sizes and can pass most of them all right if I'm hydrated. But if I'm dehydrated, they hurt.

    -- I get sleepy.

    -- I feel lethargic.

    -- I feel randomly hungry, even if I know I'm not really hungry.


    Obviously you don't want to overdo it because ... hyponatremia (which I have experienced in the middle of a very long bicycle ride, and came close to being hospitalised), but I've sorted out a happy balance for me on a regular day to day basis.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    edited August 2016
    jackhansford579 wrote: »
    I've seen studies claiming that drinking water in an excess can boost your metabolic rate by up too 30%. I'm unsure of the validity of these claims, however staying hydrated is obviously beneficial to your health. I was just wondering what your guys opinions were?

    If water actually raised metabolism, I would have never been fat. I've always drank a lot of water and I stayed fat because I ate too much.

    However, hydration is important for overall health, including properly functioning metabolism. Drink your water and liquids, just don't overdo it.
  • hjlourenshj
    hjlourenshj Posts: 66 Member
    Yeah i often read people who drink crazy amounts of water on this forum. Slightly more then half an gallon is more then fine. If you sport a bit more ofcourse.

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