Many slimmers are concerned by water retention, and so turn to diuretics in an attempt to reduce the water their bodies hold.

Diuretics, or 'water tablets' as they are sometimes known, are medicines that remove water from the body by increasing the amount of urine the kidneys excrete.

Doctors often prescribe diuretics for those patients who are suffering from any of the following:

High blood pressure (hypertension)
Heart failure
Too much fluid in the tissues of your body (oedema)

The three most common types are:

Thiazides (eg bendroflumethiazide)
Loop diuretics (eg furosemide)
Potassium-sparing diuretics (eg amiloride)

The question is, should slimmers be taking these medications in order to lose weight? The unequivocal answer is no. Your body is supposed to carry water, it's an essential part of both your body and most of the processes your system performs - including fat burning!

Losing weight should be all about losing fat. If you are concerned that your body retains too much water, there is a simple solution - drink more water!

That's right - people who drink water regularly throughout the day retain less water, because their body has learned that they get a regular and plentiful supply, and therefore has no reason to retain any extra.

On the other hand, if you don't drink enough water, your body will retain extra, as it doesn't know if it will get enough to perform essential functions.

So the answer to fluid loss is to ditch the medications and have a glass of water - what could be simpler?