Fat... or Is It Water Retention

FLUID MECHANICS Water retention in the body can indicate something serious. And what causes it needn't be any major disease. Something as common as sedentary lifestyle and bad eating habits can lead to this lesser-known evil, writes Saliha Nasline

Divya, a 30-year-old working professional, suffered from body ache, heaviness and low energy levels. She gained 10 kg in five months and was also bothered by pain in the lower back and legs. She tried walking and some indoor exercises, but couldn't go much further due to the heaviness that she felt in her body . Finally , she went to a doctor and came to know that her body was retaining more water.Her sedentary lifestyle and poor diet were to blame for this.

After starting her medication, her energy levels improved considerably and she lost weight, although not much on the scale.

Water retention in the body , or oedema, is not a disease but an indicator of underlying problems. According to Dr Abhishek Dixit, nephrologist at icliniq.com, water retention occurs when the body is unable to excrete the amount of water it is taking in. “The main culprits in this scenario may be ineffective pumping in the heart or decreased albumin in the liver or decreased excretion of water and waste products,“ he says.

Dr Sharon Samuel MS, an ayurvedic consultant on the Medikoe platform, says “Reduced hydration can result in decreased urine output and this imbalance in the system can also lead to water retention.“

Water retention is primarily due to faulty capillary walls or lymp h a t i c o ve rl o a d leading to congestion in the system. Food habits such as excess intake of salt can also be a reason.Other lifestyle-related factors include physical inactivity . In women, conditions like pregnancy can also lead to oedema, Samuel said.

Water retention in the body , if not treated early , can be a risk factor for life-threatening diseases.

“It is important to consult your healthcare profession al before commencing self treatment as water reten tion can be a symptom of many serious ill nesses like liver cir rhosis, renal fail ure, heart fail u r e , cancers, deep vein thrombosis, thyroid, brain tumour, obesity and diabetes,“ s ay s D r Vi m a l Pahuja, metabolic physician at Dr Hiranandani Hospital in Mumbai.

Common symptoms of water retention include swelling of feet, ankles and legs which create a pit on pressing the leg or sometimes non-pit oedema such as puffiness of face, swelling of the entire leg or arm, distension of abdomen and breathing difficulty .

“It affects ankles the most, followed by puffiness over the eyes and face and later abdomen and hands. The most important is fluid accumulation in the lungs, which is dangerous,“ Pahuja said. “Various causes of oedema affect various parts of the body ,“ says Dixit.“In heart failure, legs will be affected first; in liver cirrhosis, abdomen will be affected first and in kidney disease, facial puffiness is generally the first symptom.“ Most of the people miss the initial signs and symptoms.Tightness of clothes, pale appearance of the skin, breathlessness and night cough are the first things which a patient develops. “So, we should not ignore these initial subtle signs and take necessary action,“ he says.

How can one differentiate this from obesity? According to Dr Anil Ballani, consultant internal medicine at Hinduja Healthcare Surgical, Mumbai, in water retention there is fluid accumulation in the third spaces of body cavities that can be removed with medicines whereas in obesity , there is fat accumulation which is difficult to lose. In water retention, a person can lose 6-8 kg in six to seven days with diuretics whereas in obesity, weight loss is slow. Various drugs can cause water retention, he says.

The best ways to tackle water weight gain require people to pay attention to what their body needs.

“Any swelling up or bloating of the body should be taken seriously . Even swelling on one side of the body is not normal; often one limb can swell due to infection or occlusion of veins which is serious. Although curing water retention depends upon the underlying cause, it is easy,“ says Dr Partha Pradeep Shetty , consultant nephrologist at Vikram Hospital, Bengaluru.

According to Pahuja, treatment for water retention will depend on the cause of swelling. In general, diuretics, salt restriction, weight loss or stopping of culprit drugs are useful. Says Dixit: “We should drink fluids equal to the urine we pass. Generally , less than 1.2 litres a day is advised for patients.Salt restriction to less than 4 grams a day is very necessary . If these are not enough, we suggest medicines like diuretics which increase urine and sometimes albumin.“

Prevention is always better than cure. It can be easily done by adopting some simple lifestyle changes, says Samuel. According to him, “Dietary insufficiencies have to be carefully incorporated by planning a diet chart and opting for healthier foods.Physical exercises can go a long way in preventing water retention though overdoing it can interfere with the cortisol levels leading to water accumulation and stagnant weight.“

“In order to get rid of water weight in your body , first change your diet; be particular to cut salt and refined carbs.Consume wholesome food rich in nutrients and minerals, stay hydrated, and avoid caffeine and alcohol,“ says Samuel. “Opt for a regular and stable exercise pattern, sleep well, avoid stress, indulge in detoxification procedures and avoid excessive alkaline, sour, spicy and greasy food. Avoid intake of curd, uncooked food, contaminated food, and leafy diet.“

Source: Economic Times