Diuretics & Weight Loss

While lasting weight loss can require time as well as changes in lifestyle and eating habits, sometimes you need to lose weight quickly, say, for a reunion, wedding or some other event. In those instances, you can lose weight quickly (though it won't be a lasting weight loss) using a diuretic.

Diuretics

Diuretics or "water pills" come as both over-the-counter and prescription medications. They can be found naturally in certain foods or as homeopathic remedies. They remove fluids from the body through urination, and the less fluid in your body the less you will weigh. Many over-the-counter diuretics work on the kidneys in different ways (increasing blood flow, increasing filtration, inhibiting sodium absorption) to cause increased urination and the ridding of salts.

For Weight Loss

When people need to lose a lot of weight in a short period of time, they may turn to diuretics. They don't reduce a person's body fat. Diuretics simply reduce the amount of fluid the body is retaining. It is not the healthiest way to lose weight and the weight loss will only be temporary. As soon as you drink or eat something, your body begins replacing lost fluids and you begin regaining your weight.

Danger

Overusing diuretics can cause dehydration or potassium deficiencies. To use a diuretic and avoid this problem, use apple cider vinegar as a diuretic because it contains potassium. The brain is 70 percent water, 83 percent of blood is water and the lungs are up to 90 percent water, so by depleting the water in your body you can hinder the function of those organs. Because of the dehydrating effect, you might also experience fatigue, nausea, muscle weakness or cramping and an irregular heartbeat.

Natural Diuretics

If you need to use a diuretic, using a natural one will be easier on your body. Some of the natural diuretics are cranberries, cranberry juice, caffeinated drinks, apple cider vinegar, cucumbers and watermelons.

Other Uses

Though diuretics are probably most popularly used for quick weight loss, they are also used in other ways. People with edema can get relief. Diuretics can also be used to help people with high blood pressure and heart-related diseases. This is because diuretics help rid the body of salts and may reduce blood volume.