Top 8 Reasons For Water Retention In The Body

There are several reasons for water retention to occur in the body. Read this article to find out the reasons.

By Sravia Sivaram

Tuesday, January 3, 2017, 18:38

Water retention, also called oedema, is the accumulation of fluids in the cavities and tissues of the circulatory system. This can lead to the swelling of legs, ankles, feet and hands, and it usually occurs in women during their pregnancy or before periods.

This article will let you know the top reasons for water retention in the body. Sometimes, water retention can also occur to people who are not physically active, are bedridden for a long time or in people who are on a long-term medication.

Sometimes, water retention can also lead to serious medical conditions like heart failure or kidney disease. Knowing the cases of water retention is vital, as it will help curb or prevent the water retention condition to an extent.

This article will help you know about the reasons for water retention to occur in the body.

1. Excessive Intake Of Sodium:

Consuming foods that are high in sodium and subsequently not consuming enough water will make your body get into a reserve mode and this can lead to water retention. Water can cause the cells to expand to about 20 times.

2. Deficiency In Magnesium:

One of the top reasons for water retention in the body is magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is essential for various processes and its deficiency can lead to water retention.

3. Vitamin B6 Deficiency:

Vitamin B6 is responsible for taking care of a number of water balance aspects in the body. As per studies, it was shown that women with premenstrual syndrome were showing improvements after consuming foods rich in Vitamin B6.

4. Dehydration:

Drinking insufficient amount of water can lead to water retention. This is because when the body receives less amount of water, it goes into a survival mode and hence retains water.

5. Weak Circulation In Veins Of The Legs:

This is one of the top reasons for water retention to take place in the legs and ankles. This mainly occurs during pregnancy.

6. Premenstrual Water Retention:

This is caused by hormonal changes that take place during the menstrual cycle. Nutritional deficiencies caused by an improper diet can further worsen this problem.

7. Low-calorie Diet:

Low-calorie diet will actually trigger the retention of water in the body. This is because you may not have enough protein in the blood to draw excess amount of water out of the tissues.