Are There Actually Benefits to Drinking Hot Water?
Key takeaways:
Staying hydrated is important to keep your body functioning normally. And hot water may have a few specific health benefits in certain circumstances.
Drinking hot water may help with things like cold symptoms and digestion. But other health claims — like hot water helping burn belly fat — don’t have any scientific support.
Drinking hot water is safe, and contrary to some claims, it’s unlikely to cause esophageal cancer. Just be mindful of the temperature to reduce the chances of any burns.
Table of contents
Water keeps your body in a healthy balance. Dehydration can cause problems like headaches, constipation, and dizziness. Most people need somewhere between 2.7 L and 3.7 L of water a day. And most of the time, people prefer to drink their water cold or at room temperature. But many health experts claim it’s better to drink warm or even hot water. But is this true? We’ll explore each one of these reported benefits below.
1. Digestion
One of the most common reported health benefits of drinking hot water is that it can help with digestion. In truth, it’s difficult to determine if hot water is really better than drinking room temperature or cold water.
Experts do know that drinking hot water causes your intestines to contract (called peristalsis). This may decrease constipation by helping to move food through your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. But in general, staying hydrated is more important for digestion and constipation. Staying well hydrated may increase blood flow to your digestive organs, and reduce bloating caused by slow digestion.
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There are no good studies that compare drinking hot water to room temperature (or cold) water in regards to digestion. So when in doubt, drinking the fluids that are available to you is more important than the temperature of the water.
2. Nasal congestion
Many people naturally crave warm liquids like teas and soups when they have a cold. And there may be a scientific explanation for it.
Drinking hot water can help to:
Improve breathing when you have a stuffy nose
Lessen a cough
Soothe a sore throat
The benefits of drinking hot water are most noticeable if you sip the warm liquid, as opposed to drinking it from a straw. This exposes your nose to more of the hot water vapor. It loosens mucus in your nose and helps improve pressure in your sinuses. Adding lemon or honey to a hot water drink can also help boost immunity and ease your cough.
3. Weight loss
No studies have looked at whether drinking hot water regularly can help you lose more weight. Even studies on drinking water (at any temperature) and weight loss are a little mixed. But it may be true that water consumption in general can help to:
Burn slightly more calories
Make you feel more full if you drink it before a meal
Replace sugary and high-calorie beverages like soda
Is lemon water good for you? It turns out that there are some science-backed benefits to drinking water with lemon. But some of the associated health claims are bogus.
Teas that help with digestion: If you’re looking for soothing liquids that can help with digestion, learn which teas actually make a difference.
Does drinking water help your skin? If you think drinking extra water can improve the appearance of your skin, think again. There are better ways to keep your skin hydrated.
But when it comes to weight loss, the temperature of the water doesn’t seem to be a factor.
4. Circulation
Hot water may improve the overall circulation of your blood, but it’s hard to know for sure. Like other claims on this list, circulation is likely improved by hydration in general, rather than the temperature of the water.
Staying well hydrated can improve blood flow. This means more blood is able to pass through the vessels and deliver oxygen and nutrients to your organs. But if you are someone who’s already well hydrated, drinking additional hot water likely won’t improve your circulation. And some studies don’t show a difference in blood thickness based on fluid consumption.
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5. Skin benefits
Some experts claim that drinking hot water can benefit your skin by helping with circulation. The theory is that increased blood flow can help hydrate the skin and improve skin appearance. But there are no good studies suggesting that drinking water hydrates your skin.
When people are extremely dehydrated, this can cause skin to appear saggy and inelastic. But for most people who drink water every day, additional water at any temperature likely doesn’t change the health or appearance of their skin.
Are there any downsides to drinking hot water?
There are few downsides to drinking hot water. Most of the risks include the temperature of the water. If the water is too hot, it can cause burns in the mouth, throat, and esophagus. The heat can also damage your taste buds.
A few years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) linked drinking hot beverages to a higher risk of esophageal cancer. There was a study that found higher chances of developing esophageal cancer in people in Iran who drank beverages that are above 140°F (60°C). But there are a few things to know about this study:
Since this study was done in a different country, it’s hard to say if these results apply to people in the United States.
It didn’t do a good job of taking into account people’s smoking and drinking history. And cigarette smoking and alcohol are risk factors for developing esophageal cancer.
It looked at drinking hot tea, not other warm beverages.
So a lot more research is needed to figure out if there really is a link between drinking hot water and esophageal cancer. In the meantime, don’t worry that drinking hot liquids is bad for your health. Just be mindful of the temperature to avoid burns.
Drinking cold water vs. hot water
Depending on your specific needs, hot or cold water may be more beneficial to you.
After sweating, either due to physical activity or hot weather, cold water is better for hydration. Studies show that people tend to drink more water when the water is cool or cold, as opposed to warm water. And drinking warm or hot water can cause you to sweat more — which may not be beneficial if you’re looking to rehydrate after a workout or in hot weather.
If you have a cold, hot water is more beneficial to help you with breathing and nasal airflow. But more important than the temperature of the water is actually making sure you drink enough water to stay hydrated throughout the day.
The bottom line
Drinking hot water definitely has some health benefits — especially when you have a cold and a stuffy nose. But at the end of the day, drinking hot water isn’t all that much more beneficial than drinking regular temperature water. Staying well hydrated is really the key, regardless of the temperature of the water. So drink whatever temperature water feels most appealing to you.
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References
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Dennis, E. A., et al. (2011). Water consumption increases weight loss during a hypocaloric diet intervention in middle-aged and older adults. Obesity.
Hosseinlou, A., et al. (2013). The effect of water temperature and voluntary drinking on the post rehydration sweating. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine.
Islami, F., et al. (2019). A prospective study of tea drinking temperature and risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. International Journal of Cancer.
Martin, C., et al. (2021). Impact of very hot drink consumption habits, age, and sex, on taste sensitivity. Foods.
Nanavati Max Super Specialty Hospital. (2023). How drinking hot water can transform your health and wellness.
Saketkhoo, K., et al. (1978). Effects of drinking hot water, cold water, and chicken soup on nasal mucus velocity and nasal airflow resistance. Chest.
Sanu, A., et al. (2008). The effects of a hot drink on nasal airflow and symptoms of common cold and flu. Rhinology.
Tonstad, S., et al. (2007). No effect of increased water intake on blood viscosity and cardiovascular risk factors. British Journal of Nutrition.
World Health Organization. (2016). IARC Monographs evaluate drinking coffee, maté, and very hot beverages.
