Today we return to Medical News Today and another great example of the wrong-think and the embarrassing lack of knowledge we see in almost every single medical- and nutritional study conducted today — as well as the publications writing about them. This should be basic level biology, physiology, and biochemistry, yet they fail at almost every single step.
“Carbonated water or sparkling water is water that contains carbon dioxide (CO2). It’s more commonly called sparkling water, and experts are interested in potential health benefits and drawbacks. One area of interest is how drinking sparkling water may assist with weight loss.”
That idea is so amazingly retarded I don’t even know where to start. While carbonated water found in nature, such as from mineral springs, has been used by humans since ancient times, it was due to lack of understanding and more due to it being rare and giving those bathing in it, or drinking it, new sensations overwhelming their senses, deceiving them into thinking it was something special or even “magical.” However, as we know from simple biochemistry, the minerals found in water are not really bioavailable and need to be converted by our body, a costly process that causes a lot of toxicity. So, while you might be able to temporarily fix mineral deficiencies, you do so by causing tremendous damage and build-up of toxic waste in your body. Not a good trade off at all. The only source of bioavailable minerals, as with any nutrient, is from animal-based foods where the nutrients are stored in the same way as we store them in our cells. 100% compatible and no conversion needed.
“A report published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health discussed how drinking sparkling water may contribute to weight loss. It suggests that the CO2 in the water leads to increased glucose breakdown and increased glucose uptake by red blood cells. This may contribute to weight loss.”
If you know anything about human physiology, you know that carbon dioxide, just like blood glucose and everything else within the blood, is closely monitored and managed to avoid toxicity. If any of these compounds increases by unnatural means, as through consumption or injection, your body has to put all its resources into neutralizing it and bring it down to normal levels again to avoid tissue and organ damage. Of course, this stress response to regain homeostasis will require quite a lot of energy. However, that is not a good strategy for weight loss, that is simply stressing the body by poisoning it, a very retarded thing to do.
How sparkling water ‘allegedly’ aids weight loss
I added the crucial word ‘allegedly’ to your subtitle, as I do not want anyone to actually consider this incredibly stupid idea.
“The report begins by noting a few ways that drinking sparkling water may help with weight loss. For example, drinking sparkling water may lead to increased feelings of fullness. The report notes that it may also lower blood sugar levels but that the mechanisms are not entirely clear. The relationship between blood sugar and drinking carbonated water is the main focus of the report.”
As for “lowering blood sugar levels,” I explained that in my statement above. However, as the authors of this paper are complete morons, I will go into deeper detail as they continue to stumble and fall flat on their faces.
“After sparkling water is consumed, CO2 goes through the stomach capillaries into the bloodstream. From here, the red blood cells use an enzyme called carbonic anhydrase to convert the CO2 into bicarbonate (HCO3-).”
Yes, exactly. And if you know anything about biology or physiology, you should also know why this happens.
“Next, the interior of the red blood cells ultimately becomes alkaline or less acidic. This leads to an increase in the breakdown of glucose by the red blood cells to produce energy, a process called glycolysis.”
And bam! The silly acidic and alkaline pseudoscience that you usually only find amongst gullible and retarded self-proclaimed “holistic healers” or “natural remedies practitioners.”
While the pH might be temporarily affected due to chemical processes, the pH of all tissues are very strictly controlled and regulated all through the body and will return to normal almost immediately to make sure that these chemical processes can actually occur in the first place. Different tissues require different pH levels to function and your body will do everything it can to keep these pH levels within these optimal ranges. The only time a tissue might become more acidic is when it’s undergoing detoxification and repair, as it is needed for removal of some toxins.
So, to conclude, a slight and temporary change in pH in a cell has absolutely nothing to do with the cell’s functionality, it’s simply an effect of a chemical process. It’s the chemical process that requires energy, as in ATP, which is provided by blood glucose.
“This is believed to promote glycolysis and increase the red blood cells’ glucose uptake from the plasma.”
No, you frikkin’ imbeciles. Let me explain what actually is happening. Normally, carbon dioxide enters the bloodstream through several mechanisms, primarily from our body’s tissues where it is produced as a byproduct of cellular respiration. About 5 to 7 percent of carbon dioxide directly dissolves into the plasma of the blood. This dissolved CO₂ travels through the bloodstream to the lungs (where it can diffuse into the alveoli and be exhaled.)
Around 10 percent of carbon dioxide binds to hemoglobin, forming a compound called carbaminohemoglobin. This binding is reversible, allowing the CO₂ to be released in the lungs.
And the majority of carbon dioxide, approximately 70 percent, is transported as bicarbonate ions (HCO₃⁻.) This process involves red blood cells and the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, which catalyzes the reaction of carbon dioxide and water to form carbonic acid (H₂CO₃.)
Now, if you drink carbonated water, some of that carbon dioxide will enter the bloodstream through the capillaries of the stomach and the body will deal with it the same way as it deals with CO₂ released from our tissues. This is crucial, as excess CO₂ in the blood can lead to what is called hypercapnia, as in the blood becoming too acidic, causing symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and confusion — and ultimately respiratory failure, leading to a coma and potentially death.
So, again, your body will always strive to upkeep homeostasis, the delicate balance of all compounds in the correct amounts within the blood to avoid toxicity and damage. And as for additional CO₂ from consuming carbonated water, it is converted into bicarbonate ions by red blood cells through an energy-demanding process depending on ATP from blood glucose. In simple terms, adding additional CO₂ to the blood increases the energy demand as your body is fighting to maintain a healthy blood pH, as in avoiding hypercapnia. It has absolutely nothing to do with red blood cells becoming temporarily more alkaline, it has to do with the energy-demanding chemical process of converting CO₂ into bicarbonate ions. And this is what is causing an temporary increase in “the red blood cells’ glucose uptake from the blood plasma.”
“Report author Akira Takahashi with the Dialysis Center at Tesseikai Neurosurgery Hospital in Shijonawate, Japan, highlighted the main points of the report this way: When carbonated water is consumed, CO₂ is absorbed into the blood vessels in the stomach. This CO₂ rapidly penetrates the lipid membranes of red blood cells and is converted into bicarbonate ions by carbonic anhydrase, increasing the alkalinity of the red blood cells. This alkalinity promotes glycolysis, which consumes glucose in red blood cells and lowers blood glucose levels. Thus, sparkling water could indirectly help weight loss through its effect on blood glucose.”
Again, no. The temporary alkalinity has nothing to do with it. It is the chemical process of converting CO₂ into bicarbonate ions that temporarily promotes glycolysis as the energy demand of the cells increases, making the red blood cells consume more glucose (ATP.)
And again, this is not a good thing as it’s simply additional stress on the body, as your body has to work harder to avoid toxicity and harm.
Paper limitations and continued research
“This paper overall offers valuable insights into how sparkling water may contribute to weight loss and the underlying physiological processes that may be involved.”
No, it does not, as the authors are retarded morons. This is simple biochemistry. And adding stress to the body to force it to use a few measly additional grams (at best) of glucose is idiotic. The effect will hardly be noticeable. Simply reduce the intake of toxic carbohydrates instead. That will make a huge difference!
“Mir Ali, MD, board certified general surgeon, bariatric surgeon, and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, commented the following about the study to Medical News Today:
This is an interesting study, though it is theoretical and requires clinical research in people comparing consumption of carbonated water vs non-carbonated water. If studies in humans show a benefit of carbonated water, then it may be an adjunct to a healthy diet.”
Seriously MNT, where do you find these imbeciles? How can something that adds toxicity and stress to the body be considered an “adjunct” to a “healthy diet?”
Benefits vs. drawbacks of drinking sparkling water
There are no benefits. But let’s humor them.
“The potential benefits are largely unknown, though there have been some studies that show carbonated water may aid in constipation relief, Ali noted. He suggests the potential downsides of drinking carbonated water include bloating and gas.”
How can you claim “potential benefits” if they are “largely unknown”? You guys really are stupid, and embarrassingly so. And aid in constipation, while promoting bloating and gas? Wow, just wow. I rest my case.
“Overall, the potential benefit of drinking sparkling water to promote weight loss is minimal. When comparing it to what occurs in hemodialysis, Takahashi noted the following:
During a four-hour session of hemodialysis, only about 9.5g of glucose is consumed. Since drinking carbonated water provides CO₂ for a much shorter period than hemodialysis, its effect on glucose consumption is negligible and does not contribute to weight loss.”
Note: hemodialysis, or simply dialysis, is a process of filtering the blood of a person whose kidneys are not working normally. And as for the minimal effect on blood glucose, well, I told you so. Stop the nonsense of trying to find a magical pill and simply remove the offender, as in removing the toxic carbohydrates from the diet. Problem solved. No more blood glucose issues, no more toxicity, no more damaged soft tissues, and no more body fat gain.
So, to summarize, Medical News Today made a huge article about a nonsensical study on something as stupid as adding CO₂ to the bloodstream to force the body to use a little more glucose to convert it into bicarbonate, which in the end has no relevant effect on anything, much less on weight loss. Way to go!
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