- With Mayo Clinic nutritionist
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
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Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.
A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in pediatrics at Mayo Clinic Rochester and nutrition education related to the physiology and recommended intakes for premature infants.
Other areas of interest include breast milk and formula safety, neonatal feeding, and nutrition for breast-feeding mothers.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Question
Water retention: Are there any natural diuretics?
Is there a natural diuretic I could use for water retention without calling my doctor for a prescription?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Some herbs and dietary supplements have a diuretic effect, meaning they could relieve water retention by making you urinate more. Water retention may have several causes — some serious. So you should talk to your doctor about the cause of your water retention before trying to self-treat it.
Some of the better known natural diuretics include:
- Dandelion
- Ginger
- Juniper
However, natural diuretics have only a modest diuretic effect, and it's still best to treat water retention with conventional medical treatments under the advice of your doctor.
Keep in mind that dietary supplements may also cause other reactions in your body, including allergies. As with any herbal or dietary supplement, always let your doctor know what you are taking to avoid dangerous interactions with other medications or supplements you take.
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