The scoop on water and weight loss

Britta, a Biggest Loser sponsor, has launched their Britta Challenge. Having used Britta products in the past, I like this company and am glad to see their partnership with Biggest Loser.


 People who sign up for the Britta Challenge are encouraged to Feel the Difference by drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day for four weeks. The goals are weight loss and feeling better. Taking the challenge also gets you motivational tips and a chance to win a trip to the Fitness Ridge Biggest Loser Resort.

 Drinking extra water for weight loss has been a long-standing tip. The heath benefits of water, pure water have been promoted for a long time. But, what are the real, proven facts about water and health?

 The water content in our bodies is responsible for roughly 50% of our body weight. Water has many important functions in the body including:

• Maintaining blood volume and circulation 
• Filtration of wastes in the kidney and liver
• Maintaining moisture in the skin 

 Water comes from a variety of sources in our diet including both liquids and foods. Checking science gives a guide on daily water needs. The national academy of science recommends the following daily goals

Adult men - up to fifteen 8 oz glasses of water per day
Adult women - up to eleven 8 oz glasses of water per day

 Daily water requirements vary based on how active you are and how hot it is in the environment. Women have a need for even more water during pregnancy and lactation. Lastly, certain medications such as diuretics cause excess loss of water from the body.

Controversy remains whether water helps with weight loss. The only recent scientific data comes from a 2004 German research study in fourteen healthy research subjects. Research participants had their metabolic rates measured after drinking 17 oz of water. Metabolic rate increased by 30% in the first hour after drinking the water.

 More scientific research will be needed to understand water's role in body metabolism and prove if extra water is capable of super-charging metabolism. In the meantime, if you are seeking weight loss, drinking will help you stay hydrated and keep a sense of fullness.

Hydration from water itself is the best way for daily water consumption. Other fluid sources of water such as diet drinks or milk are fine as well but have potential negatives of artificial sweetners or extra calories. As in all things, too much of a good thing can be bad. Drinking massive amounts of water dilutes the blood and lowers body sodium levels to a dangerous level leading to hyponatremia. Be smart and use water as a tool in your diet.