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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Is lemon juice good for fluid retention?

    Related Topics
    Cardiology & Vascular Health Hypertension/High Blood Pressure Nutrition
    I've read that lemon juice in a glass of water is good for fluid retention. Is that true?

    I've just bought some cranberry juice as I've read that's supposed to be good for it. Although I can't drink too much of it as I'm currently taking Amlodipine and Ramipril for my high blood pressure.

    My doctor already knows about my problem with fluid retention and he has adjusted my blood pressure medication accordingly.
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    John Toomey

    Exercise Physiologist

    I have a fairly unique set of skills in Wellness, Preventative Health, Longevity and Life Education, having authored Australia's first Wellness Leadership Course in 2001.  … View Profile

    Lemon Juice in a glass of warm water in the morning has the effect of stimulating the release of Secretin, which in turn stimulates the pancreas to release bicarbonates into the blood stream. This has the effect of neutralizing acids and optimising your bloods pH. If your fluid retention is at all related to acidity (and it may involve uric acid), then the lemon juice will help.

    JTx

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    Elizabeth Newsham-West

    Dietitian

    I guess you are asking this question as you want to help lower your blood pressure (BP) by reducing the amount of fluid being retained in your body.

    Lemon Juice and cranberry juice can make you go to the toilet more. And probably the most well known is caffeine in coffee or coke. However whether going to the toilet more is reducing your water retention and therefore helping to lowering your BP maybe variable if it is working at all and the best is to discuss this with your doctor to see if your BP is improving.  

    If you are wanting to lower your blood pressure to reduce your risk of heart disease then having healthy lifestyle habits which include having a healthy body weight , reducing salt/sodium, increasing omega 3 from fish are some of the things you can do which are likely to be far more effective.

    Just some other important information is for good dentition remember lemon juice can damage the enamel of your teeth because of its' acidity. Also grapefruit juice another citrus fruit may interact with the action of some medications used for BP  and recommended to be avoided. Talk to your doctor.
     

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    Chris Fonda

    Dietitian, Nutritionist, Sports Dietitian

    As an Accredited Sports Dietitian, APD and athlete (springboard diver), Chris has both professional and personal experience in sport at the sub-elite and elite level.Chris … View Profile

    I agree with Elizabeth with this one. You will often hear many talk about how “magical” lemon juice is, however, the evidence is not there. There is a very good chance that if you drink alot of water containing lemon or another acidic juice it will erode your enamel and lead to dentition problems.

    A far more effective way to reduce your blood pressure is to:

    • Reduce your weight to within your healthy weight range - for every 1% reduction in weight, there is approximately a 1mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure
    • Reduce your waist circumference to less than 94 cm for men and less than 80 cm for women
    • Reduce salt in your diet - choose salt reduced or no added salt varieties of canned vegetables (e.g. baked beans)
    • Increase your potassium intake - potassium is found in many fruits and vegetables (go for 2 and 5), as well as nuts and legumes
    • Decrease your alcohol consumption
    • Increase your physical activity level.

    All the above recommendations are evidence based and have been proven to be successful for many of my clients. You may like to tackle one at a time so that it is more manageable. For further specific advice speak to an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD). You can find an APD at www.daa.asn.au 

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