Diuretics for weight loss: is the game worth a candle?

Diet pills - in particular, diuretics - are probably one of the most exciting ways to say goodbye to being overweight. How nice to swallow a pill in which someone wisely wraps the active ingredient, and calmly watch how the scale needle creeps down, and the sides obtained in the winter melt! . . Too bad, but in reality it’s all far from being very exhilarating.

Principle of action of diuretic diet pills

As the old joke said, we are all quite cucumbers because we are 90% water. Laughter is laughter, and this is partly true: if not 90, but 65-70 percent of our bodies are completely melted. And it’s not just blood, sweat and obvious saliva! Every cell of the body contains water, without which it will not be able to exist normally, divide and grow.

However, from time to time there is a failure of metabolic processes and there is too much water in the human body, and we get swelling, high blood pressure and disturbances in the work of the heart, which receives an increase in load during the period. In this case, diuretic-diuretic drugs were invented. They are:

• remove excess fluid from the tissue, contributing to its transformation into urine;
• blocking the renal system responsible for the reabsorption (reabsorption) of urine.

As a result, there is a sharp "outflow" of fluid from the body, which affects the scale reading. And sometimes it's amazing!

And now about the unpleasant.Taking a diuretic in no way affects the body’s fat reserves, does not burn, break down or throw it away.No matter how great the pipeline you fix, remember that this is just water, which will recover quickly if you stop taking the pill.

However, we will not completely deny the benefits of diuretics in the fight against excess weight.

1. They have a cleansing effect, removing decay products from the body. And this has a good effect on a person’s health and appearance.It is important not to overdo it here, because, after clearing out unnecessary substances, diuretics with the same heat will take what is needed and leave you without salt and minerals (in particular, calcium).
2. Diuretics can provide strong psychological support to people who are slimming: sometimes it is very useful to see how the extra pounds melt in front of your eyes.

But all this will work only if the drug is caused by medical symptoms - edema, stress - or prescribed by a doctor for preventive purposes. Support with a simple diet and jogging in the park, and the problem of excess weight will disappear in a few days. But doctors absolutely do not recommend using diuretics solely for the purpose of combating excess weight. In this case, the harms from the unauthorized use of the drug are many times greater than the benefits.

Diuretics should not be taken as diet pills. These are primarily medications designed to help people with genitourinary, cardiovascular and endocrine system problems. And weight loss is just a natural side effect.

Types of diuretics

There are two ways to remove excess fluid from the body: taking artificially synthesized medications or using "natural" diuretics. The first option is more efficient, the second is safer.

Medications

Pharmaceutical diuretics can be divided into 3 main groups.

The first and most powerfulare loop drugs, so named because of their ability to act on the Gengle loop, which is located in the kidneys. They relax vascular smooth muscle, speed up renal blood flow, improve filtration, reduce the amount of interstitial fluid and remove magnesium, potassium, chlorine and sodium salts from the body. Loop drugs act quickly, effectively, are used in peak situations - for example, in hypertensive crises or pulmonary edema - and. . . has the most extensive list of side effects.

Be careful! This is the strongest action diuretic. Prescribing yourself a loop diuretic without consulting a doctor means putting your health at stake.

The second group- tazidnye drugs - have a less pronounced effect. Their "attention" goes to the renal tubules, as a result of which salt and fluid are also removed from the body, but with less force. Tazidnye drugs are prescribed for edema, stress, glaucoma.

Tazide diuretics are sometimes taken in combination with loop diuretics.

The third group, a diuretic with a potassium -saving effect, has the most gentle effect on the body and a minimum of contraindications. They reduce stress, fight swelling, but at the same time prevent potassium loss.

Despite the gentle action, potassium-sparing medications will cause you a lot of problems if you decide to take them at random.

natural diuretics

Self-administration of certain medications is always fraught with unwanted consequences. But natural diuretics do not carry such dangers. Of course, compared to tablets, they act very gently, but they have the desired effect, provoking the kidneys to remove fluid from the body in an enhanced mode. What is this product?

Fruits, vegetables and berries

1. It’s no secret why you can’t eat watermelon at night - going to the toilet will be endless. And all because of its juicy pulp, which in our case is suitable for the role of natural diuretics!True, it is also fraught with danger, because it contains a lot of glucose, so you also should not get carried away eating fragrant fruits.Everything should be simple.
2. But with cranberries, you can behave more boldly. Its sour juice not only acts as a diuretic, but also has an antibacterial effect, retains potassium in the body and heals the organs of the urinary system.
3. Lemons behave the same way. Squeeze half a fruit into a glass of water for a drink that stimulates the excretion of fluids, lowers blood pressure and protects the urinary tract from infection.
4. We talked about cucumbers at the beginning of the article. It - the first - is full of water, so it puts the kidneys on alert. And the second - contains sulfur and silicon, which contribute to the removal of uric acid from the body.

5. Juicy celery steamed with cucumber supplies fluid to our body cells and initiates water metabolism. Add it regularly to vitamin shakes or crunchy on fresh stalks as a snack.
6. You may have heard of the laxative effect of beet salad. But few people know that it is also a good diuretic and a group of antioxidants. Equip yourself with scars!
7. Cabbage retains its diuretic properties even when added to soups. But it is better to eat it raw: in this case, you will also strengthen the heart and serve the stomach.
8. No less useful and raw carrots. Diuretic effect - times; benefits for eyesight - two; restoration of intestinal microflora - three; ability to regulate carbohydrate metabolism - four; nicotinic acid pantry, which helps burn fat - five. . . You can list for a long time, but it is better to just include a dish of carrots in your menu and enjoy a delicious weight loss.

In addition to these products, watermelon, pumpkin, pear, strawberry, viburnum, blackberries, gooseberries, lingonberries, lettuce, asparagus, eggplant, zucchini, spinach, onions and garlic have little diuretic effect.

Another advantage of fruits and vegetables over pills is that, while washing some beneficial substances from the body due to the diuretic effect, it more than compensates for the loss due to the high content of vitamins and minerals.

Herbs and spices

1. From time immemorial, green tea has served the public as a source of youth and health, as well as a quality remedy for edema. Make sure the package with this precious drink will definitely find a place for itself on the shelves of your kitchen cabinets. It is recommended to drink 1 to 3 cups of green tea daily.
2. Ginger removes excess fluid and toxins. Use it as follows: 1 tbsp. l. grated ginger root pour 1 liter of boiling water, let it brew in a thermos for 2-3 hours and drink the infusion produced with the addition of honey, and sometimes milk, like regular tea. However, burnt roots irritate the mucous membranes, so use them very, very moderately - no more than 1 tbsp. l. shave ginger every day. The duration of the course depends on your mood, but it is desirable that it does not exceed 2 weeks. And if you have problems with the digestive system, it is better to completely refuse to use spices.
3. Parsley stimulates urination, improves digestion and floods the body with antioxidants. It also whitens teeth a bit and freshens the breath, so feel free to add it to dishes while cooking. Or do this: 1-2 tbsp. l. chopped parsley, pour 500 ml of boiling water, let it brew until it is completely cool, strain and drink the broth during the day - 3/4 cup 20 minutes before eating. The course of treatment is 2 weeks.
4. Dill in folk medicine has a reputation as a powerful carminative and diuretic. Brew in the same way as parsley, or do this: 1 tsp. dill seeds pour 1 cup boiling water, cool and drink the resulting infusion, 2 tbsp. l. before each meal. The full course is 2 weeks.
5. Nettle, like ginger, cleanses the body not only of excess fluid, but also harmful substances. It works best when taken in equal parts with oregano and birch leaves. 3 art. l. collection, pour 500 ml of boiling water, leave for 1 hour and drink during the day in 4-5 doses. The course of treatment is from a week to 1-1. 5 months.

A refreshing morning drink, coffee, completely dehydrates the body, removes fluid from it. If you are afraid for your stress, try normal. . . oatmeal. Surprisingly, he can also act as a mild diuretic. But salt, sugar and lots of protein foods, on the other hand, will do everything possible to prevent you from losing a drop of moisture. Limit your intake of these foods.

Supplements serve as a kind of compromise between pharmacy and natural medicine. Being, in fact, the creation of the pharmaceutical industry, they contain extracts of plant components, therefore they are considered less harmful than other diuretics. That doesn't save you from having to read the instructions in detail!

Contraindications and side effects

Diuretics have several contraindications that should be considered before going to the pharmacy to shop:

• dehydration;
• jumps in blood pressure;
• decreased vision and hearing;
• dizziness and headache, ringing in the ears;
• weakness, and in some cases loss of consciousness;
• damage to the vestibular apparatus responsible for the sense of balance;
• disturbances in cardiac activity caused by loss of electrolytes;
• skin rashes and increased sensitivity to sunlight;
• removal of vitamins and minerals from the body;
• nausea, indigestion, loss of appetite;
• gout due to increased uric acid levels.

Diuretics should not be taken by anyone without consulting a doctor. But people with diabetes, tuberculosis, gout, kidney and liver disease should be careful with them. A separate category is pregnant women. Pregnant mothers are allowed to deal with diuretics strictly according to the doctor's prescription.

How to take diuretics at home to lose weight?

1. The first and most important rule: seek medical advice. Only an expert will be able to predict all the pitfalls of your decision and prevent possible complications.And don’t forget to inform your doctor if you are taking any other medications - this will determine their compatibility with diuretics.
2. Drink clean water in the amount of 6-8 glasses a day. Otherwise, you run the risk of dehydration.
3. Take as little salt and sugar as possible, which will keep fluids in your body. But do not deny yourself natural diuretics: fruits, vegetables and condiments.
4. Observe weight fluctuations by riding the scales every day - in the morning, at the same time, after going to the toilet.
5. If you feel unwell, immediately stop losing weight using diuretics and switch your efforts to diet with exercise.

User reviews

"I'll be honest: a few times, when on holiday nights I had to wear tight clothes and drain excess water from the body, I used the aid of a loop diuretic. But I realized that this was a one -time action, and I wouldn't take this pillcontinuously. In general, dear girls, to lose weight, diuretics are better either not to use at all, or use very, very rarely!