In our insatiable thirst for high-tech beverages with fancy names, fun flavors, and bright colors, we have managed to ignore the one choice that researchers say is actually able to help a person maintain their blood pressure while also possibly promoting weight loss. The beverage in question is water.

The surprising physical benefits of water were identified years ago when doctors observed patients who were no longer able to keep their blood pressure within a normal range, which can lead to fainting. Although water does not increase blood pressure to a significant degree in healthy people, it does have an effect on the sympathetic nervous system and discourages the pooling of blood in the extremities by constricting blood vessels.

Subsequently, the American Red Cross has looked at the effects of drinking water as a way to reduce fainting, particularly in people who are donating blood, since people who faint are less inclined to donate again. What they found was that drinking a 16-ounce glass of water before donating reduced the chance of fainting by as much as 20%.

In order to better understand the physiological mechanism behind how water might accomplish this, researchers began studying the effects of drinking water in animal models. Researchers were able to determine that the water's effects in raising blood pressure were not based on any mechanism located in the esophagus, but rather in the stomach, specifically near the small intestine. Interestingly, saline (water with salt added) did not have the same response, suggesting that the absence of salt in water may play a role.

After further study, scientists deduced that water acts by diluting the plasma in the blood that is moving away from the duodenum. This reduction in salt concentration effectively increases blood pressure. Researchers were able to identify a specific protein (Trpv4) that is involved in the process.

Furthermore, because water plays a role in sympathetic nervous system activity, it leads to a greater expenditure of energy and by extension, burning of calories. This in turn can help a person lose weight. In fact, it has been postulated that, given that nothing else changes, a person could lose as much as five pounds each year just by drinking three glasses of water (16 ounces each) a day.

The authors of the study, published in the journal Hypertension, stress that this alone is by no means going to solve the obesity problem in this country, but it is interesting to note that drinking water alone may result in the burning of calories. The findings open the door to further inquiry and also may be the grounds to reevaluate the use of water in research as a compound used as a control since it may actually have a biological and physiological effect.

It is important to keep in mind that in order to maintain a healthy blood pressure and body weight, water alone may not be enough. Factors such as diet and lifestyle are essential components to good health, so before increasing your consumption of water, speak with your doctor about the best course of action.