Diuretics in Bodybuilding: Are They Safe and How to Use Them
Athletes preparing for bodybuilding competitions strive for the most muscular and hardest look they can possibly achieve. This involves several months, or years, of building muscle, followed by several weeks of a restricted diet and cardiovascular training in an effort to reduce body fat to the lowest possible level to bring out all of the definition of the muscle.
The judges look for the biggest, hardest and driest bodybuilder with the best shape. In the final week of preparation prior to competition bodybuilders strive to fill out their muscles with the addition of carbohydrates, and at the same time, reduce fluids in the body in between the muscle and the skin to create the fullest and driest look possible. While these athletes appear to be at the highest level of physical fitness and health while on stage, they are actually often on the brink of very serious health issues due to lack of hydration and electrolyte imbalances caused by the lack of bodily fluids.
All can be dangerous to a degree, as they strive to interfere with the body’s natural homeostasis of fluid and electrolyte balance and can disrupt multiple body processes. The body, however, is a master of keeping itself in a reasonable balance. It can adjust itself in most instances to this by adjusting electrolyte balances and holding on to just enough fluids to keep functioning properly. Diuretic drugs, however, are powerful enough to override the body’s defenses and create havoc.
What Are Diuretics?
Diuretics are substances that promote diuresis - the increased production of urine - by influencing kidney function to accelerate the excretion of water and electrolytes, particularly sodium and chloride. This process reduces the total fluid volume in the body, which can lower blood pressure or reduce visible water retention beneath the skin.
There are two main categories of diuretics:
Pharmaceutical diuretics, such as loop diuretics (e.g., furosemide), and potassium-sparing diuretics (e.g., spironolactone), are commonly prescribed to treat conditions like hypertension, edema, and heart failure.
Natural diuretics, found in substances like caffeine, green tea extract, dandelion root, and asparagus, work more gently and are often used in the fitness industry to support short-term water loss without prescription medication.
In bodybuilding, natural diuretics are sometimes used in the final days before competitions or photo shoots to reduce subcutaneous water and enhance muscle definition. However, improper or excessive use - whether pharmaceutical or natural - can result in serious health risks, including dehydration, electrolyte imbalances (notably sodium and potassium), muscle cramps, dizziness, and impaired physical performance. Therefore, understanding the mechanism and appropriate use of diuretics is essential to avoid compromising both health and results.
Can Diuretics Be Harmful?
Throughout the history of bodybuilding diuretics side effects have wreaked havoc on a number of bodybuilders. There have unfortunately been several deaths and multiple hospitalizations due to contest preparation and standard bodybuilding practices.
These hospitalizations and deaths are rarely due to steroids and other hormones, lifting injuries, powerful stimulant-based fat-burners or highly restrictive diets. In fact, there is no direct evidence connecting the use of anabolic steroids to the death of any athlete, only indirect or circumstantial evidence. Rather, most hospitalizations and deaths are, in fact, overwhelmingly due to the use and abuse of diuretic supplements.
Some of the most famous instances include:
In 1988, pro bodybuilder Albert Beckles collapsed and convulsed while on stage. He was subsequently resuscitated by paramedics and found to be suffering from diuretic-induced dehydration.
In 1992, pro bodybuilder Mohammed Benaziza died after competing in a contest in Europe. An autopsy shows that he was severely dehydrated and experienced cardiovascular failure. He was 33. He had used a combination of diuretics for the show.
In 1994, pro bodybuilder Paul Dillett cramps onstage while posing at the Arnold Classic. He is carted off the stage. Once again, the problem was extreme dehydration and electrolyte imbalance caused by Paul’s use of Lasix. Paul survived.
There was also the 1996 case of Andreas Munzer, renowned for his freaky conditioning, who died after his liver and kidneys failed. The autopsy revealed his electrolytes were completely out of balance.
These are just the most publicized cases; numerous other deaths and hospitalizations didn’t get any publicity at all. To understand why they are so harmful, we must first briefly understand diuretics.
Types of Diuretics
There are three main types of diuretics; potassium-sparing, osmotic and loop diuretics:
Osmotic Diuretics
These are injectable drugs that act on the kidneys by essentially instructing the kidneys to release everything that comes in. Osmotic diuretics are non-discriminatory, meaning they remove any and all water that comes to the kidneys, regardless of proper electrolyte balance. These drugs override the function of the kidneys and can cause renal (kidney) failure. Osmotic diuretics are not overly common in bodybuilding.
Potassium-sparing Diuretics
These are mild diuretics; however, they create problems of their own. They reduce the re-absorption of sodium and water through the kidneys and flush them out of the body. They do, however, discriminate by not flushing potassium (K) from the system.
While these are slower acting and more tolerable, they can cause an excess of potassium in the body as they do not allow it to flush and keep the balance of electrolytes intact. This can cause, in extreme cases, cardiac dysrhythmia (irregular heartbeats) and even sudden death in the most extreme cases.
Loop Diuretics
These are far and away the most commonly used diuretics in bodybuilding and the culprit in the vast majority of bodybuilding hospitalizations and deaths . Furosemide (brand name Lasix) is easily the most widely used loop diuretic and is cheap and readily available.
Loop diuretics are used medicinally to treat high blood pressure and edema; and in cases of blood poisoning are used to flush the blood of toxins and foreign agents. Loop diuretics act directly on the kidneys and are another non-discriminatory diuretic in that they remove any and all fluids coming through the kidneys.
They have a profound effect on the electrolyte balance as they literally flush potassium, sodium and calcium from the body with whatever fluid enters. Side effects include:
a drop in blood pressure,
thickening of the blood (due to lack of fluids),
fainting,
renal failure,
extreme cramping due to electrolyte imbalances,
death (due to muscular cramping of the heart).
The drug is extremely powerful and, combined with other water reduction techniques employed by bodybuilders in contest preparation, it doesn’t take much Lasix to cause extremely detrimental health effects.
Natural Diuretics (herbal solutions)
More recently, herbal and natural water-loss systems have improved vastly as the result of scientific research and study. Water can now be reduced to the desirable level without putting one’s health or life in danger . One of the strongest natural diuretics, a cutting-edge product is Hydradry all-natural bodybuilding diuretic.
Hydradry is a 14-Day water loss system with natural diuretic properties, designed specifically for pre-contest weight loss. It utilizes a three-stage water depletion system with nine separate powerful plant extracts, including two forms of taraxacum extracted from the dandelion plant.
Water loss from Hydradry is quick and effective; comparable to that of several other techniques combined. Further, Hydradry is fortified with a scientifically-balanced blend of B6, calcium, magnesium and potassium to keep these levels in the body stable. This makes Hydradry one of the best diuretics for bodybuilding.
Is There a Safe Way to Use Diuretics?
While pharmaceutical diuretics can pose serious health risks - including dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, muscle cramps, and even cardiac issues - their use in bodybuilding is often unnecessary. Safer, natural alternatives like Hydradry with herbal ingredients such as dandelion root, green tea extract, and parsley can support water loss without the same level of risk.
These options help reduce subcutaneous water while preserving muscle fullness and minimizing side effects. Regardless of your choice, never rely on hearsay—always research ingredients, understand the proper dosing, and, if possible, consult a healthcare professional. Prioritize both your physique and your long-term health.
How Bodybuilders Get Stage-Ready Dry
Reducing water from the body in preparation for a contest can be aided in a multitude of ways. Often, most or all of these methods are employed. They include:
Cardio training in heavy garb
Elimination of sodium from the diet
Excessive water intake followed by a sudden and drastic reduction of water intake
Drinking mineral and electrolyte free distilled water
Herbs and natural water-reduction substances
Medicinal prescription diuretics.
RARELY WILL A BODYBUILDER WIN A CONTEST IF THEY’RE NOT THE HARDEST AND DRIEST, EVEN IF THEIR SHAPE AND SIZE IS SUPERIOR TO THE OTHER ATHLETES.Â
"THE LESS WATER YOU ARE CARRYING ON STAGE, THE BETTER YOU’LL PLACE."
References:
Mantri, S., Agarwal, S., Jaiswal, A., Yelne, S., Prasad, R., Wanjari, M. B., & Wanjari, M. (2023). Bodybuilding: a comprehensive review of performance-enhancing substance use and public health implications. Cureus, 15(7).
https://assets.cureus.com/uploads/review_article/pdf/157270/20240724-319105-bffd7e.pdfÂ
