Decrease in extra-cellular water compartment in overweight women after administration of oligomineral water associated to a hypocaloric diet regimen

AIM: Alteration in body fluid distribution may have relevant implications in several human diseases. The use of oligomineral water is associated with increased diuresis and this could be extremely useful in subjects with water retention. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of daily administration of 1.5 liters of oligomineral water over 4 weeks on body water compartment (extracellular and intracellular water [ECW and ICW]) in healthy overweight women who underwent a hypocaloric dietary regimen. METHODS: Twenty-four healthy premenopausal women (aged 32+/-6 years; body mass index [BMI]: 27.4+/-2 kg/m(2)) were randomly divided into 2 groups and assigned to consume 1.5 liters daily of either tap (Group A) or oligomineral water over a 4-week period. Body composition was assessed by anthropometry and multifrequence bio-impedance analysis. RESULTS: Body weight and fat mass significantly decreased after dietary treatment in the 2 groups examined; although not statistically significant, a higher difference in body weight before and after treatment was found in Group B when compared to Group A (2.2+/-1 kg vs 1.7+/-0.8 kg; p=0.057). Body weight reduction was related to fat mass decrease, while no significant difference was found in fat-free mass among groups. TBW and ECW were reduced in both groups after treatment, while a greater reduction in both variables was found in Group B (p<0.01). The post-treatment ECW/TBW ratio was lower in Group B with respect to Group A (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A supplementation with oligomineral water in overweight women, when associated to a hypocaloric dietary treatment, is able to reduce total and extracellular water content; this findings could have relevant implication in planning a successful dietary regimen for achieving and maintaining a normal body weight