L’could sparkling water make you gain weight ? Researchers from the Palestinian University of Birzeit raise the issue by publishing an incriminating study against sparkling water and soft drinks. L’addition of carbon dioxide in bottled water may encourage weight gain by whetting the appetite.
This hypothesis was verified in experiments carried out on rats as well as on 20 volunteers. Tests suggest, both in rats and humans, that water and other beverages containing gas trigger increased levels of ghrelin, the digestive hormone that stimulates appetite. For the researchers, this rise in the hunger hormone would encourage people to eat more in order to feel truly satiated.
In experiments, rats and volunteers who drank carbonated water in the morning showed levels of this hunger hormone six times higher than those who drank plain water.
Scientific proof difficult to establish
The rats that consumed carbonated drinks, with or without sugar, grew much larger (20% more than the others) than those who drank drinks without gas. The fat around the livers of sparkling water-loving rodents increased.
Humans who drank carbonated water and fizzy drinks showed higher ghrelin levels than volunteers who drank water or sugary drinks without gas.
Further work is needed to scientifically prove that carbon dioxide in beverages can increase hunger and be a factor in overweight andobesity. The study was published in the journal Obesity Research and Clinical Practice.
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