Can anyone actually show me evidence of Lemon water working?

Crazyartgrrl
Crazyartgrrl Posts: 46 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My trainer is trying to get me to try a "cleanse" diet for a week. Fine. I mean a week without copious amounts of caffeine and pino grigio will probably aid in my scale descent... But he said even if I chose NOT to live on broth and vegetables for a week, I should consider the juice of a lemon in warm water every morning first thing when I get up.
It seems so simple! I like water, I drink it all the time! And I like lemons, my mom makes a meringue that will knock your socks off! I'm in!

But wait....what is it supposed to do? Well, I've heard conflicting "reports". The trainer keeps telling me it's for my gallbladder. It energizes it and cleans things out and get's it working at full potential. (how have I survived for 33 years without this? Thank heavens for mom's dessert)

However another source tells me that it's the LIVER that benefits. Hmmmm.....

So I went online and asked the Google gods and they came up with NOT A SINGLE study via NEJM or even WebMD or MayoClinic. I found about 5,000 sites that all seem to be saying the same thing, with a few variances here and there. Actually it kind of reminded me of the telephone game.

So, did someone start this craze based on their own anecdotal evidence, and it's just so benign that it's worth trying? Have there been studies done? Does anyone know?

I'd like to believe my trainer, but while a very well trained man in exercise science and the like, he has the breath of a cadaver and quite frankly....if the lemon water can't even fix that, well........

Replies

  • Crazyartgrrl
    Crazyartgrrl Posts: 46 Member
    Exactly what I predicted......
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,420 Member
    ?? crickets ?? :laugh:
  • kamarenholland
    kamarenholland Posts: 9 Member
    I found this

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/111175-benefits-lemon-water/
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 962 Member
    It's good for you, but will it help you lose weight? Probably not.

    I like it in the morning as kind of a non-caffeinated pick-up... and it does tend to kind of *ahem* kick-start the digestive system on occasion.
  • lilred_gld
    lilred_gld Posts: 51 Member
    I'm sure the jury is still out on it, but I believe it is great for a person. here are a few things: aids digestion by increasing the saliva flow and stimulating liver functions. lemon helps dissolve and bind uric acid and other toxins in the body. a natural detoxifier. alkalines the blood and has laxative and diuretic properties. I also add a teaspoon of baking soda in with my two cups of water and juice of one lemon. it also helps to alkalize the body. even though lemons are acidic it helps the body to become more alkaline and is in turn good for weight loss :) those are the reasons i take it everyday, special diet or not! so good luck with your regime!
  • tammylalonde
    tammylalonde Posts: 2
    It's definitely good for the digestive system!! :)
  • Leiki
    Leiki Posts: 526 Member
    http://resources.metapress.com/pdf-preview.axd?code=3076201806145077&size=largest

    This article is about a study done on diabetic and non diabetic rats feed or not feed lemon water. It helped the serum, liver, and kidney of the rats. However, rats are not humans.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    My trainer is trying to get me to try a "cleanse" diet for a week. Fine. I mean a week without copious amounts of caffeine and pino grigio will probably aid in my scale descent... But he said even if I chose NOT to live on broth and vegetables for a week, I should consider the juice of a lemon in warm water every morning first thing when I get up.

    Your trainer is an idiot for recommending a cleanse, if he had a brain the recommendation would be to eat a well balanced diet (lots of fruit & veg), drink lots of water etc. The whole notion of cleansing (at least in North America) was started by the Kellog brothers at their Battle Creek Sanitarium (hence the invention of breakfast cereal) and at the time it made more sense, people generally had atrocious dietary habits (hmmmmm....some things don't seem to change) and fresh fruits and vegetables were available only in season - depending on where you lived and your economic status most of your veggies for the year were root vegetables that could be kept in the cold cellar and you probably ate too much fatty meat 3 meals a day.

    The lemon water in the morning may afford some health benefits (vitamin C, flavanoids in lemon) but it's not a miracle cure.
    So I went online and asked the Google gods and they came up with NOT A SINGLE study via NEJM or even WebMD or MayoClinic. I found about 5,000 sites that all seem to be saying the same thing, with a few variances here and there. Actually it kind of reminded me of the telephone game.

    So, did someone start this craze based on their own anecdotal evidence, and it's just so benign that it's worth trying? Have there been studies done? Does anyone know?

    I'd like to believe my trainer, but while a very well trained man in exercise science and the like, he has the breath of a cadaver and quite frankly....if the lemon water can't even fix that, well........

    :laugh: I think you answered your own question, lots of anecdotes, not much science but it probably is healthier than having a beer for breakfast.
    I found this

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/111175-benefits-lemon-water/

    I'd take any article that cites Jethro Kloss as a source with a very large grain of salt. (surprise - he was a contemporary of the Kellogs but more, shall we say, extreme in his views)
  • kalynn06
    kalynn06 Posts: 368 Member
    Evidence is anecdotal. I drink it frequently, hot and cold throughout the day, for a little pop of extra vitamin C and because I like it more than plain water. i wouldn't expect a miracle, but lemon water is fairly benign unless maybe you have ulcers and try it on an empty stomach.
  • Crazyartgrrl
    Crazyartgrrl Posts: 46 Member
    Thanks for the information folks. Leiki, I didn't find that study on my own, thanks for the link. And Brian, I think you're right. I guess I always knew that about lemons.

    Of course now you've shattered my dreams...no beer for breakfast? Drat.
  • Crazyartgrrl
    Crazyartgrrl Posts: 46 Member
    Evidence is anecdotal. I drink it frequently, hot and cold throughout the day, for a little pop of extra vitamin C and because I like it more than plain water. i wouldn't expect a miracle, but lemon water is fairly benign unless maybe you have ulcers and try it on an empty stomach.

    I agree. I enjoy it in my ice water, but because I like it, not because it will help me lose 30 lbs without trying. It is pretty yummy on a hot day isn't it?
  • SDsd
    SDsd Posts: 6
    Hi there. I realise that this is an old post but I thought I'd reply anyway for anyone else out there interested (or for you if you're still interested!).

    I've been drinking lemon water each night simply because I wanted a warm beverage without caffeine (I hate herbal teas). My old personal fitness instructor used to also tell me it was good for me, and like you I was sceptical. Also like you, I googled the topic to find a load of highly suspect links telling me it will restore my zen and other such nonsense.

    I haven't done much research into it, but I did very briefly take to the Web of Knowledge to investigate further, and have found a few articles citing citrus fruits as having health properties.

    http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996911002158

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12868495

    http://apps.webofknowledge.com/full_record.do?product=UA&search_mode=GeneralSearch&qid=3&SID=V1My64WUwhE2O1u615g&page=1&doc=10

    This article in particular states in relation to limonoids, "This group of secondary metabolites exhibits a wide range of biological properties, including anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, and antiviral activities."

    http://www.tandfonline.com.ezproxy.is.ed.ac.uk/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2011.581400#.UtRRpXmzm0s

    I can't find anything relating to drinking it with warm water, although this article here > http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.is.ed.ac.uk/science/article/pii/S0308814613002987 <
    which talks of drying methods, mentions that drying at high temperatures causes a reduction in the concentration of phenolic compounds, so perhaps sticking it in hot water isn't the best idea.

    Anyway, just thought I'd share the fruits of my last half hour of labour : ) I'm convinced at the very least that it's probably better for me than drinking a cup of black tea before bed.
  • My_Own_Worst_Enemy
    My_Own_Worst_Enemy Posts: 218 Member
    Ask and ye shall receive.

    Here,

    lemon-water.jpg

    Evidence of Lemon Water
  • michluth
    michluth Posts: 11 Member
    Interesting to see this post, as I was having this debate with my trainer last week. He urged me to drink 100 oz of water per day.

    I told my trainer that my doctor does not advise that much water intake; in fact my doc says to focus on drinking at least some water alone, but to remember that much of the coffee and food I drink and eat contains the water content the human body needs to live. He laughed when I told him I had been drinking upwards of 90-100 oz of water per day because "they" (the magazines, diet plans, etc.) told me to.

    He believes this idea of drinking so much water has taken on a life of it's own. Yes, of course water is good for us. But in my doctor's words, too much of anything is not a good thing. Don't replace too much food with too much water.
  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
    i thought your post was well written. super funny. a + stuff. however, i know nothing about lemon water.
  • latewinterwolf
    latewinterwolf Posts: 79
    Well i cant imagine it being harmfull.
  • vienna_h
    vienna_h Posts: 428 Member
    Interesting to see this post, as I was having this debate with my trainer last week. He urged me to drink 100 oz of water per day.

    I told my trainer that my doctor does not advise that much water intake; in fact my doc says to focus on drinking at least some water alone, but to remember that much of the coffee and food I drink and eat contains the water content the human body needs to live. He laughed when I told him I had been drinking upwards of 90-100 oz of water per day because "they" (the magazines, diet plans, etc.) told me to.

    He believes this idea of drinking so much water has taken on a life of it's own. Yes, of course water is good for us. But in my doctor's words, too much of anything is not a good thing. Don't replace too much food with too much water.

    your doctor is right. drink enough water to stay hydrated, how ever much you need on any given day. this amount is always going to change based on the moisture in other foods, other beverages, the weather, how much you sweat, etc.

    but the idea that drinking water is healthier than drinking juice or coke.

    adding some lemon won't hurt (except the enamel on your teeth), but it's probably not concentrated enough to give much benefits, certainly not to magically lose 30 lbs.

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