Health study What is healthier - Drinking water with or without carbonic acid additive?

Should we drink mineral water or normal water?

For people, it is important to drink enough water every day. This is especially true for the warm summertime. Of course, all the water does not have to be drunk, but it can also come from solid foods such as fruits and vegetables. However, the main part of our water intake is ensured by the consumption of beverages. The question remains whether mineral water or flavored water are just as hydrating as non-carbonated water.

Scientists at St. Andrews University found in their study that mineral water is just as hydrating as non-carbonated water. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language journal "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition".

Which water supplies the body better with liquid, normal water or mineral water? (Image: GianlucaCiroTancredi / fotolia.com)

How well mineral water hydrates the body?

There is good news for all lovers of mineral water (including the flavored kind). Mineral water hydrates the human body as well as normal water without carbonic acid. Many people prefer to drink mineral water or flavored water because they find the taste of still water too boring.

Various drinks were examined

Whether a beverage is carbonated has little impact on how well the human body is hydrated, says study author Professor Ronald Maughan of the St. Andrews University School of Medicine in Scotland. The expert and his team compared in their study the hydrating effects of various beverages such as still water, mineral water, milk, cola, juice and coffee.

Carbonic acid in drinks has little influence

The carbonation in beverages also has little effect on the body's response to ingested water, Maughan continues. An increased volume of carbonic acid in the stomach can speed up how fast a drink from the stomach gets into the small intestine, is absorbed and eventually excreted from the body. This effect is however only very small, adds the expert.

Can people drink more carbonated water??

Since water and carbonated water have the same basic ingredient, in theory they are equally hydrating. However, so-called carbonation in the production of carbonated water can affect how much water is actually consumed by a human. Some people find that the carbonation or taste helps them to drink more, while others feel full and bloated and drink less carbonated water.

Which factors influence the hydration?

Other factors of carbonated beverages may affect hydration in addition to carbonic acid. For example, water with sugar, other nutrients or electrolytes are more hydrating than pure water or simple carbonated water. Adding large amounts of carbohydrates or fats (such as natural sugar in orange juice or fat in milk) will slow normal gastric emptying, says Maughan.

Some athletes should not drink carbonated water

In addition, sodium (salt) in drinks acts as a kind of sponge to keep water in the body. Potassium has been studied less well than sodium, but there is some evidence that it can also help increase the accumulation of water in the body, explains the physician. For very sweaty athletes, it may be better to take lightly sweetened drinks or drinks with electrolytes, but not necessarily carbonated drinks, the experts suggest. (As)