Drinking sparkling water could play a role in aiding weight loss, new study claims
Drinking sparkling water could boost your metabolism enough to affect weight loss, a new report claims.
Carbonated water was found to help decrease glucose levels thereby playing an albeit minor role in weight loss, according to the findings published in the BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health by Dr Akira Takahashi from the Tesseikai Neurosurgery Hospital in Japan.
The report author stressed, however, that a balanced diet and physical activity remain the key to healthy weight loss.
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Takahashi dove into the process of digesting carbonated water and compared it to haemodialysis, a treatment through which blood is filtered through the kidneys.
The absorption of the fizzy water through the stomach lining could lead to the alkalinisation of the CO2 contained in the water.
This mechanism could lead to a metabolic boost and speed up glucose absorption, according to the report author, therefore indirectly promoting weight loss.
However, it’s far from being a miracle pathway to a slimmer figure.
"Given this minimal glucose reduction, the impact of CO2 in carbonated water is not a standalone solution for weight loss. A balanced diet and regular physical activity remain crucial components of sustainable weight management," Takahashi said.
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Criticism of the findings
He also noted that carbonated water can have unwanted effects on the digestive system, such as bloating, gas, or digestive disorders, especially for sensitive individuals or re-existing gastrointestinal conditions.
"This is a short theoretical report with no experimental data to support a claim that fizzy drinks may aid weight loss. I am sceptical of the claimed mechanism," Keith Frayn, an emeritus professor of human metabolism at the University of Oxford in the UK, said in a statement when asked about the study.
Frayn, who didn’t take part in the research, added that the potential impact on glucose in the blood “will not necessarily lead to weight loss, however minimal”.
"If fizzy drinks were to be shown to lead to weight loss, it would much more likely be through effects on feelings of fullness," he said.
