Water Weight
Have you ever stepped on a scale to be shocked you gained 10 pounds overnight? If so, it’s probably just water weight, rather than the result of months of an unrestricted diet. However, there may be those who use “water weight” as justification for gradual weight gain over time, when they don’t even know what it means. So, let’s clear things up.
What exactly is water weight?
Water weight, also referred to as “edema,” is what happens when excess water is stored within the body. It’s worth noting that “water weight” doesn’t just have to be water, but also includes other fluids in the body. Water weight differs from regular weight gain in that the former is temporary– water can be easily lost and gained within a short period of time. On the other hand, regular weight gain happens gradually and cannot be lost as easily. The normal range of gaining or losing water weight should be anywhere between five to 10 pounds for a normal person; any more would be considered excess.
Is water weight bad? What are the causes?
Despite being harmless, water weight can be recognized as symptoms of more harmful, underlying causes. Below is a list of medical conditions in which excess water retention is an included symptom:
Kidney diseases:
Acute glomerulonephritis
Nephrotic Syndrome
Chronic Kidney Disease
End Stage Renal Disease
Obstructions of the lymphatic system:
Lymphoedema
Allergies
Causes swelling (typically includes liquid swelling in body)
Liver disease
Heart failure
Emphysema
Most of these medical conditions are related to excessive water weight because of swelling (the imbalance of bodily fluids, primarily water). Swelling causes water weight on a much smaller scale, but is still considered nonetheless because fluids are retained within body tissue. Other medical conditions such as kidney diseases, liver, and heart diseases are additionally linked to the imbalance of fluids, expanded upon below.
Heart Disease - Heart failure in particular can reflect water weight. This is because when the heart doesn’t pump properly, it causes a less efficient flow of blood, and pumps less blood in general. The body recognizes this and to compensate retains some of the liquids in your body– namely water.
Liver Disease(s) - The main way liver diseases cause excess water retention is through the lack of albumin, a protein that is vital in maintaining the liquid balance in your body. Liver diseases can directly decrease albumin levels produced by your body, causing water weight.
Kidney Disease(s) - These include many conditions, usually nephrotic syndrome or glomerulonephritis, both of which have detrimental effects to internal fluid balance. Your kidney essentially acts as a filter, working to maintain water, salt, and mineral levels.
How to prevent water weight
There are a couple ways to alleviate water weight and its symptoms, listed below.
Avoiding foods with a high sodium content:
Smoked or cured meat
Excess salt seasoning
Soy sauce
Salted snacks (eg. potato chips, fries, salted nuts)
Drinking more water
Avoiding excessive sources of carbohydrates
Breaded food
Rice
Intake of supplements
Vitamin B6
Calcium
The salt to water ratio within the body needs to be balanced, meaning that if there is excess sodium in the body, you’ll retain more water in order to counteract the imbalance of that water to sodium ratio.
Conversely, drinking water isn’t as apparent and may initially sound counterintuitive. Regardless, drinking water regularly can help prevent dehydration, another direct cause of water retention. This happens because the body wants to hold onto its fluids while anticipating the intake of more fluid.
Carbohydrates that aren’t immediately used by the body are converted to glycogen (with about a one to three water ratio). For every gram of glycogen stored, you store about three grams of water in your body.
Lastly, vitamin B6 and calcium promote kidney function, which promote the balance of your fluids and thus reduce water retention.
Conclusion
Generally, water weight isn’t too significant of a problem, with little permanent impact on the body. However, it is important to at least consider the possibility of underlying medical conditions when dealing with it. Staying mindful of the potential risks with water weight will significantly reduce the risk of contracting these underlying conditions.
Sources
“Fluid Retention (Oedema).” Better Health Channel, Department of Health & Human Services, 26 Nov. 2003, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/Fluid-retention-oedema.
“Water Weight: What It Is, Causes, and How to Lose It.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320603#ways-to-lose-it. Accessed 2 Mar. 2024.
“did I Really Lose Weight—or Is It Just Water Weight?” | Women’s ..., www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19984686/weight-loss-or-water-weight/. Accessed 3 Mar. 2024.
“The Liver - an Amazing Organ.” Gastrointestinal Society, 25 Mar. 2020, badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/the-liver-an-amazing-organ/#:~:text=Albumin%20is%20a%20major%20protein,swollen%20legs%20and%20abdominal%20distension.
“Heart Failure.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 20 Apr. 2023, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-failure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373142#:~:text=Overview,lungs%2C%20causing%20shortness%20of%20breath.
“Your Kidneys & How They Work - NIDDK.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/kidneys-how-they-work#:~:text=Your%20kidneys%20remove%20wastes%20and,and%20potassium%E2%80%94in%20your%20blood. Accessed 2 Mar. 2024.
“Guidelines for a Low Sodium Diet.” Ucsfhealth.Org, UCSF Health, 8 May 2023, www.ucsfhealth.org/education/guidelines-for-a-low-sodium-diet.