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Water-Induced Thermogenesis

Franz-Volhard Clinical Research Center and Helios-Klinikum-Berlin (M.B., J.S., J.T., F.A., A.M.S., F.C.L., J.J.), Medical Faculty of the Charité, Humboldt-University, D-13125 Berlin, Germany; German Institute of Human Nutrition (U.H., S.K.), D-14558 Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Germany; and McMaster University (A.M.S.), Hamilton General Hospital, L8L 2X2 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Jens Jordan, M.D., Clinical Research Center, Wiltbergstrasse 50, D-13125 Berlin, Germany. E-mail: jordan{at}fvk-berlin.de.

Drinking lots of water is commonly espoused in weight loss regimens and is regarded as healthy; however, few systematic studies address this notion. In 14 healthy, normal-weight subjects (seven men and seven women), we assessed the effect of drinking 500 ml of water on energy expenditure and substrate oxidation rates by using whole-room indirect calorimetry. The effect of water drinking on adipose tissue metabolism was assessed with the microdialysis technique. Drinking 500 ml of water increased metabolic rate by 30%. The increase occurred within 10 min and reached a maximum after 30–40 min. The total thermogenic response was about 100 kJ. About 40% of the thermogenic effect originated from warming the water from 22 to 37 C. In men, lipids mainly fueled the increase in metabolic rate. In contrast, in women carbohydrates were mainly used as the energy source. The increase in energy expenditure with water was diminished with systemic ß-adrenoreceptor blockade. Thus, drinking 2 liters of water per day would augment energy expenditure by approximately 400 kJ. Therefore, the thermogenic effect of water should be considered when estimating energy expenditure, particularly during weight loss programs.

This work was supported in part by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. J.J. is a recipient of a Helmholtz fellowship of the Max-Delbrueck-Center of Molecular Medicine.

Abbreviations: BMI, Body mass index; RQ, respiratory quotient.

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