Q&A: The Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water

The facts behind drinking lemon water

It seems like lemon water is in everyone’s glass these days – just look at your favorite fitness influencer or celebrity's social media feed – but are there any demonstrable benefits to drinking water spiked with lemon? The claims around this spin on hydration are as wide-ranging as they are many. Some assert that lemon water helps with weight loss, some say it alkalizes the body, and some say it actually can help prevent kidney stones. We asked Dr. Justin Houman – a urologist in Los Angeles – to help us sort out the hype and pin down the real benefits of this simple beverage.

1) What are the touted benefits of drinking lemon water? Is there truth to them?

Drinking lemon water can have some benefits including helping to prevent kidney stones, helping to support your immune system, aiding in digestion, and potentially helping with weight loss.

Some patients who are prone to kidney stones are advised to drink freshly squeezed lemon juice daily as this can reduce the chances of kidney stone formation. Lemons are full of vitamin C, so a glass of lemon juice can help boost your immune system. The acidity of lemons can help supplement the acidity in your stomach, which tends to decline as we age, so lemons can help with the early stages of digestion.

Finally, lemons are known to provide a sense of satiety so increasing the amount of lemons or lemon water in your diet can increase satiety and potentially help with weight loss.

2) Are there drawbacks to drinking lemon water?

Lemon water can irritate the bladder in some patients, causing the sensation that you need to urinate more often than usual. Patients who are prone to irritative bladder symptoms are advised to avoid citric foods such as lemons, oranges, grapefruits, and tomatoes.

If you are prone to these irritative bladder symptoms, or if you start to experience them, you may want to avoid lemon water altogether.

Alternatively, diluting it more heavily can decrease the irritative symptoms you are experiencing.

3) Is there an ideal time of day to drink lemon water and/or any times to avoid drinking it?

You can drink lemon water at any time of the day. Most people like to start the day with a freshly squeezed glass of lemon water as it quenches the morning thirst. However, there is no ideal time for bladder health -- all times of day are equally as helpful.

If you have any questions about whether or not lemon water might irritate your bladder, talk to your health care provider. For most people, however, a daily glass of lemon water provides some excellent health benefits. This simple beverage can help with digestion and weight loss, while acting as a source for immune-boosting vitamin C. Whether it's a glass in the morning, or a refreshing way to wash down dinner, this benefit-packed drink works wonders for your internal health. Cheers!