What the Donguibogam describes as water weight is closely connected in modern medicine to edema, chronic inflammation, and the resulting metabolic hypofunction. The human body is roughly 70 percent water, existing in forms such as blood, lymph, intracellular fluid, and extracellular fluid, all of which transport nutrients and metabolic waste. However, when fluid abnormally accumulates in the interstitium, the space between cells outside the bloodstream, edema develops.
One common trigger is excessive sodium intake. Consuming excess salt causes fluid to shift out of the blood vessels through osmotic pressure, increasing interstitial fluid, while the body retains extra water to maintain fluid balance. Hormonal imbalance also plays a significant role. In women, fluid retention often worsens prior to menstruation or during menopause because of shifts in estrogen and progesterone. Thyroid hormone abnormalities or elevated corticosteroid levels, particularly aldosterone, can also stimulate the kidneys to reabsorb more sodium and water, triggering edema.
Furthermore, hypofunction of the lymphatic system is a primary contributor to water weight. Lymph serves as a drainage system for waste products and excess fluid. When lymphatic circulation slows, waste and water pool, leaving the body swollen and heavy. Prolonged sitting or standing causes fluid to pool downward due to gravity, which worsens lower-body edema. In addition, chronic stress elevates cortisol levels, promoting inflammatory responses and increasing vascular permeability so fluid leaks into tissues more easily. When redundant fluid and metabolic waste linger in this way, cellular metabolism slows, adipocyte volume expands, and blood circulation becomes compromised, accelerating fat storage and encouraging cellulite development. Rather than focusing solely on the scale, supporting healthy internal fluid circulation is the true key to feeling light and comfortable.
