January 24, 2025, 4:16 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
If you want to eat healthily and keep a healthy figure, you should also pay attention to the drinks you consume. Mineral water is best – it contains nutrients and no calories or sweeteners. But is it better to drink still or sparkling water? A recent study provides some exciting arguments for choosing sparkling water more often. Apparently, the carbon dioxide (CO₂) it contains has an effect on blood sugar and metabolism. Could we even go so far as to say that carbonated water helps you lose weight? FITBOOK Editorial Director Melanie Hoffmann explains the details of the study.
Mineral water provides us with potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sodium, among other things. To keep our bodies alive, we cannot avoid drinking water. An adult should drink 1.5 liters a day.1 However, apparently, carbonated water also fulfills functions in our body that have not yet been sufficiently researched, which could be of particular interest to people who have to pay attention to their blood sugar levels. At the same time, it raises the question of whether it can help maintain weight or even help people lose weight.
Overview
How Can Carbonated Water Support Weight Loss?
Carbonated water has been associated with beneficial effects such as increased satiety, increased gastric motility, and lower blood glucose levels in previous studies.2,3,4,5 However, the underlying mechanisms and long-term effects are not yet fully understood. A recent analysis of existing study knowledge attempts to fill in the gaps and provide a better understanding of how CO₂ from carbonated water affects metabolism in red blood cells. This much was revealed: It boosts glycolysis – in other words, glucose or sugar utilization.6 Yet, can this effect genuinely contribute to weight reduction?
What Was Studied and Why?
The subject of the current research work by scientist Akira Takahashi was various studies on the effect of water and CO₂, including on metabolism and blood cells, as well as a study from 2004 that looked at the effect of hemodialysis (blood washing) and the involvement of CO₂ in this mechanism – and in which Takahashi himself was involved.7
The aim of the evaluation of the studies and the comparison with the dialysis study was to show exactly how CO₂ in carbonated water influences metabolism.
Study Design and methods
The analysis is based on a combination of experimental data and theoretical considerations. as well as a comparison with the findings from dialysis. It was worked out what happens to the carbon dioxide from carbonated water in the body after drinking – and whether this could have an effect on body weight and weight loss.
The Findings of the Study
What happens to the CO₂ that is absorbed through the stomach lining after drinking sparkling water? The result of the analysis: it enters the bloodstream and is absorbed by red blood cells. Through the action of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, CO₂ is converted into bicarbonate, also known as the sodium salt of carbonic acid (HCO3-). This increases the pH value in the blood cells. This, in turn, triggers mechanisms in the body to regulate the pH value. Enzymes such as hexokinase and phosphofructokinase are activated, which are crucial for glycolysis (metabolization of sugar). More precisely, this means that glucose uptake from the plasma is increased.
A comparison with hemodialysis showed that the process triggered by CO₂ in the blood, as described, was similar to that of the blood wash researched in 2004, in which CO₂ was used as a dialysis fluid. During hemodialysis, the blood glucose level fell on average from 118.3 mg/dL to 98.6 mg/dL (decrease: 19.7 mg/dL). This was despite a higher glucose concentration in the dialysis fluid. This inconsistency between blood glucose levels and sugar concentration was attributed to the fact that CO₂ can increase glucose uptake by red blood cells.
Other earlier studies on satiety and gastric motility caused by carbonated water included in the current analysis also showed that CO₂ triggers pressure in the stomach and can therefore promote satiety.
Overview of the Effect of CO₂ on Blood and Metabolism
The results suggest that CO₂ increases glucose utilization in red blood cells and lowers blood sugar levels. However, this is only to a limited extent.
Blood Glucose Reduction During Hemodialysis
Blood glucose levels fell on average from 118.3 mg/dL to 98.6 mg/dL. This illustrates the ability of CO₂ to metabolize glucose in red blood cells.
CO₂ from Carbonated Water Activates Glycolysis
Here, too, glycolysis is activated by an increase in pH. However, the effects on blood glucose levels are significantly lower than with hemodialysis. This is because the amount of CO₂ absorbed is smaller.
Influence on the Feeling of Satiety
Carbonated water can improve the feeling of satiety by expanding the stomach through the release of gases.
What Is the Significance of the Results?
The research indicates that CO₂ has the potential to reduce blood sugar levels temporarily and enhance glucose absorption. However, does this indicate that CO₂ from carbonated water can truly aid in effective weight loss? Takahashi doesn’t think so. He explains in his analysis that the effect is too small for weight loss. The amount of CO₂ ingested is not sufficient to achieve significant caloric effects.
The described CO₂ mechanisms hold greater relevance for individuals with insulin resistance or diabetes. For instance, it is crucial for these individuals to be aware that carbonated water may affect blood glucose readings. This implies that consuming carbonated water might distort blood glucose readings.
Classification of the Study and Possible Limitations
The analysis provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of the CO₂ effect, but the practical effects are limited.
Amount of CO₂
The quantity of CO₂ consumed via carbonated water is insufficient to produce effects of clinical significance. Consequently, it is not recommended to expect significant weight loss results from the consumption of carbonated water.
Comparison with Hemodialysis
While blood sugar reductions of 19.7 mg/dL were observed with hemodialysis, the effect of carbonated water is significantly smaller.
Long-Term Data
There is a lack of studies investigating the effects of regular consumption of carbonated water on weight and metabolism over longer periods of time.
According to a Study Certain Intestinal Bacteria Causes Sugar Cravings
In large quantities Not just alcohol! 6 things that are harmful to the liver
Research This is what happens to your health when you increase your daily water consumption
Conclusion
Carbonated water can lower blood sugar levels and promote satiety in the short term, but the effects are too small to cause clinically significant weight loss. However, it may be useful as a supplement to a healthy diet and exercise. Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects and optimal use of this drink.