In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat Are Diuretics?Do Diuretics Help with Weight Loss?Should You Take Diuretics?The Bottom Line
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What Are Diuretics?
Do Diuretics Help with Weight Loss?
Should You Take Diuretics?
The Bottom Line
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Getty Images
“Diuretics are substances found in food (or medications) that help your body get rid of water,” says Lisa Andrews, M.Ed., RD, LD, owner ofSound Bites Nutrition. The body consists of 60% water, and there is a precise balance of fluid and electrolytes within the cells. Certain conditions—such as high blood pressure, heart failure or kidney issues—may cause fluid buildup in the body. Too much fluid is often coupled with excess sodium, which can be harmful to the body. The organs work overtime to flush out the fluid and sodium from the body, and this process may result in swelling and trouble breathing.
Diuretics tell receptors in the kidneys to reduce the uptake of sodium and remove it in the urine. “In short, diuretics make you pee more, resulting in water loss from your body,” says Andrews. Diuretics are most commonly found in medications, but there are diuretics in somefoods and beverages. “These include caffeine from coffee, tea or other caffeinated beverages, and alcohol, lemons, celery, bell peppers, garlic, onions, cucumbers, asparagus, grapes, pineapple and watermelon,” says Andrews.
Diuretics are used to treat many health conditions, but they are also popular among those with weight-loss goals. Although urinating more often may temporarily reduce the number on the scale, losing water weight isn’t a sustainable weight-loss tactic. “Diuretics cause a temporary weight loss due to loss of water, not fat,” says Sheri Berger, RDN, CDCES, owner ofSheri The Plant Strong Dietitian. “In essence, you are losing body water and ‘drying yourself out,’ which may appear to be weight loss,” adds Andrews. As soon as the water returns to the body, the weight is typically regained.
“True weight loss involves losing body fat through calorie reduction and/or increased physical activity,” says Andrews. A 2021 review in theJournal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndromestates that maintaining weight loss long-term is a result of complex factors, like the type and amount of food eaten, as well as meal timing. “While [diuretic] fruits, vegetables and caffeinated beverages may be part of a weight-loss diet, consumption of them on their own without altering overall calorie intake or exercise may not result in fat loss,” says Andrews. “For sustained weight loss that results in fat loss and improved body composition (more muscle), focus on healthy habits such as food choices, strength training and cardiovascular exercise,” says Berger.
Simply put, most health professionals don’t advise using diuretics for weight loss. “Taking diuretics may result in dehydration, as well as electrolyte abnormalities in your blood, namely potassium and sodium, which are needed to maintain blood pressure and normal cardiac rhythm,” says Andrews.
Diuretics are a type of substance that helps rid the body of excess water. Although the thought of quickly losing a few pounds may sound enticing to some, taking diuretics is not a safe or effective way to lose weight sustainably. Water weight fluctuates daily and does not play a role in long-term weight loss and maintenance. To lose weight in a healthier way, focus on an overall healthy eating pattern and exercise behaviors that you enjoy and can keep up with for the long haul.
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