Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow to Reduce ItCommon CausesHow to Tell You Have ItHow Long It LastsWhen to Seek Medical Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How to Reduce It
Common Causes
How to Tell You Have It
How Long It Lasts
When to Seek Medical Care
Persistent signs of water retention may include swollen feet, ankles, and legs, which could indicate a serious health condition.
wera Rodsawang / Getty Images
1. Exercise Regularly
Dailyexerciseprovides several health benefits, including preventingwater retention. Exercise often causes the body to sweat, and sweat causes the body to lose water. It is possible to lose a small amount of weight from sweating after a workout.
Exercising causes water in the body to shift to muscle cells, reducing the amount of water outside of those cells.
2. Drink More Water
Drinking water to reducewater weightsounds counterintuitive, but it helps. When the body isdehydrated, it holds onto water more, which can lead to water retention and swelling.
Drink water throughout the day and eathydrating foods. Fruits and vegetables rich in water include:
How Much Water Should You Drink to Lose Weight?
3. Manage Salt Intake
Salt is made up ofsodium, one of the most commonelectrolytesin the body. Sodium is obtained through the salt in our foods, which affects our bodies' hydration levels. Sodium levels that are too high or too low can lead to a fluid imbalance.
A high amount of salt leads to water retention. This is especially true if you have certain health conditions that affect the heart or kidneys. Reducing the amount of salt in your diet can reduce fluid retention.
4. Cut Carbs
The body storescarbohydratesin the muscles and liver asglycogen, a form ofglucose(sugar) that pulls in water. A study found that every single gram of glycogen stores up to 3 to 4 grams of water. This means that eating carbs contributes to water retention.
Carbs also increaseinsulinlevels, contributing to sodium and water retention. A low-carb diet often results in quick weight loss, partly because of water loss.
5. Focus on Certain Foods and Herbs
Some foods and herbs may aid the body in removing unneeded water. These include:
6. Try Supplements
Certain supplements may aid in losing water weight.Consider talking with a healthcare provider about the following supplements to prevent water retention:
7. Up Your Caffeine Intake
A Word From VerywellA healthcare provider should assess fluid retention before implementing interventions that aim to excrete more fluid from the body.—ASHLEY BAUMOHL, RD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
A healthcare provider should assess fluid retention before implementing interventions that aim to excrete more fluid from the body.—ASHLEY BAUMOHL, RD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A healthcare provider should assess fluid retention before implementing interventions that aim to excrete more fluid from the body.
—ASHLEY BAUMOHL, RD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Several factors, including diet, medications, and lifestyle choices, affect the body’s fluid balance. Possible causes of water retention include:
How Much Weight Fluctuation Is Normal?
How to Tell If You Have Water Weight
Water weight gain often causes mild swelling in the body’s extremities. You may notice that your rings feel tight or your ankles look puffy. Normal water weight causes only minor swelling; the swollen body parts should not feel painful. Water retention often improves after working out or changing your diet or medications.
How Long Does Water Weight Typically Last?
Water weight and swelling are usually short-term issues that go away on their own. Incorporating exercise and healthy foods into your daily routine can improve water retention.Call a healthcare provider if you notice swelling that does not improve after a few days.
When to Contact a Healthcare Provider
Contact a healthcare provider any time you are concerned about new swelling, especially if the swelling does not resolve after a few days. Seek immediate medical care if you develop swelling in a body part that becomes red and painful because this could be a sign of a blood clot.
Summary
Water weight refers to the amount of water in the body. All of our bodies need water to survive. It is normal for a person’s weight to fluctuate slightly daily. Common causes of water retention include a high-salt diet, medications, hormonal birth control, and chronic health conditions.
If needed, talk with a healthcare provider about a plan to safely lose water weight. Options may include diet changes, daily exercise, supplements, and prescription medications. Contact a medical professional if you develop painful swelling that does not resolve on its own.
30 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Baker LB.Physiology of sweat gland function: The roles of sweating and sweat composition in human health.Temperature (Austin). 2019;6(3):211-259. doi:10.1080/23328940.2019.1632145
Lorenzo I, Serra-Prat M, Yébenes JC.The role of water homeostasis in muscle function and frailty: A review.Nutrients. 2019;11(8):1857. doi:10.3390/nu11081857
MedlinePlus.Fluid imbalance.
Moreb NA, Albandary A, Jaiswal S, et al.Fruits and vegetables in the management of underlying conditions for COVID-19 high-risk groups.Foods. 2021;10(2):389. doi:10.3390/foods10020389
Chrysohoou C, Mantzouranis E, Dimitroglou Y, Mavroudis A, Tsioufis K.Fluid and salt balance and the fole of nutrition in heart failure.Nutrients. 2022;14(7):1386. doi:10.3390/nu14071386
Borrelli S, Provenzano M, Gagliardi I, et al.Sodium intake and chronic kidney disease.Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(13):4744. doi:10.3390/ijms21134744
Fernández-Elías VE, Ortega JF, Nelson RK, Mora-Rodriguez R.Relationship between muscle water and glycogen recovery after prolonged exercise in the heat in humans.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2015;115(9):1919-1926. doi:10.1007/s00421-015-3175-z
Sharopov F, Valiev A, Satyal P, et al.Cytotoxicity of the essential oil of fennel (foeniculum vulgare) from tajikistan.Foods. 2017;6(9):73. doi:10.3390/foods6090073
Amos A, Khiatah B.Mechanisms of action of nutritionally richhibiscus sabdariffa’stherapeutic uses in major common chronic diseases: A literature review.J Am Nutr Assoc. 2022;41(1):116-124. doi:10.1080/07315724.2020.1848662
National Institutes of Health.Magnesium.
Qayyum R, Qamar HM, Khan S, Salma U, Khan T, Shah AJ.Mechanisms underlying the antihypertensive properties of Urtica dioica.J Transl Med. 2016;14(1):254. doi:10.1186/s12967-016-1017-3
Al-Yousofy F, Gumaih H, Ibrahim H, Alasbahy A.Parsley! Mechanism as antiurolithiasis remedy.Am J Clin Exp Urol. 2017;5(3):55-62.
National Institutes of Health.Potassium.
MedlinePlus.Electrolytes.
Escalante G, Stevenson SW, Barakat C, Aragon AA, Schoenfeld BJ.Peak week recommendations for bodybuilders: an evidence based approach.BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2021;13(1):68. doi:10.1186/s13102-021-00296-y
Gerbino A, Russo D, Colella M, et al.Dandelion root extract induces intracellular CA2+ increases in HEK293 cells.Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(4):1112. doi:10.3390/ijms19041112
Parazzini F, Di Martino M, Pellegrino P.Magnesium in the gynecological practice: a literature review. Magnesium in the gynecological practice: a literature review.Magnes Res. 2017;30(1):1-7. doi:10.1684/mrh.2017.0419
MedlinePlus.Potassium.
Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin B6 - health professional fact sheet.
Seal AD, Bardis CN, Gavrieli A, et al.Coffee with high but not low caffeine content augments fluid and electrolyte excretion at rest.Front Nutr. 2017;4:40. doi:10.3389/fnut.2017.00040
Uptodate.comPatient education: Edema (swelling) (beyond the basics).
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).Contraception: Do hormonal contraceptives cause weight gain?
Khadka S, Joshi R, Shrestha DB, et al.Amlodipine-induced pedal edema and its relation to other variables in patients at a tertiary level hospital of kathmandu, nepal.J Pharm Technol. 2019;35(2):51-55. doi:10.1177/8755122518809005
Hunter RW, Ivy JR, Bailey MA.Glucocorticoids and renal Na+ transport: Implications for hypertension and salt sensitivity.J Physiol. 2014;592(8):1731-1744. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2013.267609
Stickel S, Gin-Sing W, Wagenaar M, Gibbs JSR.The practical management of fluid retention in adults with right heart failure due to pulmonary arterial hypertension.Eur Heart J Suppl. 2019;21(Suppl K):K46-K53. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/suz207
MedlinePlus.Blood clots.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
