In simple layman’s terms, your metabolism is the amount of energy expanded to live.  There has been a lot of interest recently in the effect of water on metabolism. Can drinking water speed up metabolism and help with weight loss. Research has shown that rats that consume lots of water are leaner.

Almost 60% of our body is made up of water. It is an essential nutrient for the proper and healthy functioning of the body. In a previous article, we explained the beneficial effects of water for those losing weight.

Water Affects Cell Metabolism in Rats

An interesting study was published in the Journal of Obesity in 2008. This study suggested that rats which were on blood pressure lowering drugs actually had a 26% reduction in body fat.

The authors postulated possibilities for the dramatic fat loss. One possibility was that the blood pressure lowering drugs affected a certain process in the body that unlocked the body’s fat metabolizing abilities. An interesting observation was that rats on the blood pressure lowering drugs actually drank twice the amount of water as compared to the other group.

The water and weight loss connection was strengthened when rats devoid of a hormone called vasopressin were studied. In the absence of vasopressin, the body is not able to hold on to water stores. The rat drinks and urinates water continuously. As a result of this, the blood is very much diluted. This is pretty much what would happen to rats or humans when they consume lots of water.

These rats that were devoid of the vasopressin hormone were found to be much leaner than other rats. Increased water consumption did speed up the metabolism of rats. The leanness in these rats indicated very much more effective fat metabolism. There was a strong correlation between hydration and fat metabolism, at least in rats.

As a follow-up to the study, a letter was  published in the Journal of Obesity in 2009 by Thornton. He followed up on the hypothesis that adequate hydration increased cell metabolism in rats. He made reference to another study. The authors of that study suggested that proper hydration was essential for optimal cell metabolism. This in turn greatly affects your daily energy production and body weight management.

The increased efficiency at which cells function helps to speed up metabolism. As such, one could speed up metabolism by simply drinking more water.

Cell Hydration Affects Cell Function

Researchers of a study published in the American Journal of Physiology suggested that cell hydration has a major effect on cell function. This includes cell metabolism which also affects fat burning. A cell that is properly hydrated can function at optimum levels. This includes transport of nutrients into the cell and transport of waste out.

Drinking Water Increases Thermogenesis

Thermogenesis is the process of heat production in humans. In a study published in 2007, scientists showed that drinking water increased thermogenesis. The researchers found that drinking 500 ml water increased energy expenditure by 24% over the course of 60 min after ingestion.

One theory is that the increased energy production may simply be the by-product of increased cell efficiency. When the cells are metabolizing more oxygen, these cells are producing more heat.

Increase Water Consumption to Boost Metabolism

Water does not directly increase the metabolism. It acts in an indirect way. Increased hydration levels have an effect of increasing blood volume. The increased blood volume facilitates the transport of oxygen to cells. It also facilitates the transport of waste out of the cells.

Increased water consumption increases the efficiency at which your cells can work. Properly hydrated cells have optimal metabolisms. Water helps speed up metabolism by increasing the efficiency at which cells work. Although water’s effect on metabolism requires more research, it can’t hurt to increase water consumption.

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