What Causes Water Retention?

There are many reasons why a person’s body might begin to retain water.

Kidney failure and heart problems are two of the more series possible explanations for water retention. When the kidneys and the heart are compromised and are not able to function at full capacity, one of the early symptoms may be swelling in the legs and ankles as the body is unable to control water levels.

For a variety of reasons, blood sometimes has difficulty flowing throughout the entire body. There are several common vascular conditions that can account for this. Whatever the cause, when poor blood circulation becomes an issue water retention can result.

Elderly people may have this condition due to their blood vessels being too weak around the leg and feet. In some cases the circulation may not have enough strength to push blood towards the upper body part or upwards, which then ends up accumulating blood in the feet causing swell.

As with many conditions, diet can also play a role in this condition. In these instances, it is salt that triggers the reaction. Eating too much food that contains high levels of salt makes it more different for the body to maintain normal fluid levels. When the body is confronted with sodium, the main component of salt, it naturally wants to dilute this element. And what does it use for this process? It uses water. The body relays a message to the brain that it needs more drink and you in turn become thirsty. The extra fluid that you drink to quench the thirst is held onto by the body.

Premenstrual water retention is common in women and is caused by changes in hormone levels. These changes can also occur during a pregnancy.

These are only a small sample of potential causes of for this condition.