Dangers of Reverse osmosis (RO) water (on it’s own).

Consuming reverse osmosis (RO) water for even a few months can create serious side effects.

It has been scientifically confirmed that drinking reverse osmosis water causes more bodily harm and faster than most contaminants found in tap water.

Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems to purify water are in use extensively. Besides the aqua companies that market RO water personal water purifiers are also preferred by many households. RO system off course removes water impurities. But they also remove 92-99% of beneficial calcium and magnesium!

There are, however, some disadvantages to reverse osmosis water, too. For starters, most reverse osmosis systems have no way to differentiate between “bad” ingredients and good ones. So, while harmful contaminants are being removed, so are the trace minerals that our bodies need to perform properly, like iron and manganese.

In an ideal world, this wouldn’t actually matter, because we’d be getting all the good stuff we need from the foods we eat. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case. Almost 10 percent of women, for example, are iron deficient, which can lead to anemia. And a manganese deficiency can throw our entire body out of whack, as the mineral is critical in balancing hormones. If we’re already not getting enough vitamins and minerals from our diet, and then we’re extracting them from our water supply as well, it can lead to a higher risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

After analysing hundreds of scientific studies concerning RO water, it is found that such water has a definite adverse influence on the animal and human organism.

Side effects, even after just a few months.

What is alarming is the fact that consuming RO water for even just a few months can create serious side effects. Czech and Slovak populations who used reverse osmosis water developed various health complaints suggestive of acute magnesium (and possibly calcium) deficiency within several weeks or months. Among the complaints were cardiovascular disorders, tiredness, weakness or muscular cramps.

Dietary minerals do not compensate the lack of minerals in RO water.

RO water which doesn’t contain enough minerals, when consumed, leaches minerals from the body, as water has memory and wants to naturally re-structure itself and causes your body to depleted of minerals.

This means that the minerals being consumed in food and vitamins are being urinated away. Less minerals consumed plus more minerals being excreted causes serious negative side effects and big health problems. In a scientific study performed to see if minerals consumed in food can make up for the lack of minerals in RO water, scientists concluded that reduced mineral intake from water was not compensated by their diets. Low-mineral water was responsible for an increased elimination of minerals from the body.

Negative effect on homeostasis mechanisms

Consumption of RO water leads to the dilution of the electrolytes dissolved in the body water. Inadequate body water redistribution between compartments may compromise the function of vital organs. Side effects at the very beginning of this condition include tiredness, weakness and headache; more severe symptoms are muscular cramps and impaired heart rate.  Long-term consumption of acidic filtered water devoid of essential elements produced by RO filters is unhealthy.

Risk factor for many diseases

Recent studies suggest that RO water may be a risk factor for hypertension and coronary heart disease, gastric and duodenal ulcers, chronic gastritis, goitre, pregnancy complications and several complications in new-borns and infants, including jaundice, anaemia, fractures and growth disorders.

Use of RO water for cooking causes substantial losses of all essential elements.

When used for cooking, RO water was found to cause substantial losses of all essential elements from food (vegetables, meat, cereals). Such losses may reach up to 60 % for magnesium and calcium or even more for some other micro-elements (e.g., copper 66 %, manganese 70 %, cobalt 86 %). In contrast, when mineralized water is used for cooking, the loss of these elements is much lower, and in some cases, even higher calcium content was reported in food as a result of cooking.

Solutions:

How? would you probably ask??

BEST Way: Adding more Minerals back to ‘stripped’ water.

(Water can be: Reverse Osmosis water, Distilled or Chlorine free water)

Structured Mineral Concentrate with Trace elements is one of the best ways.

  • When ‘Structured Living Water Mineral Concentrate’ is infused into water, the water accepts the characteristics of the concentrate. Water molecules now become micro-structured and free from any negative memory “clusters” forming bonds of 4-6 molecules instead of the normal 10-12 found in polluted tap water.

  • Your cells can now readily accept this micro-structured water and your body will utilise over 90% of water consumed. ‘Living Water’ is the ultimate hydrating solution.

Would it help by purely adding salts, like Himalayan Pink Salt or Celtic Salt etc. to the ‘stripped’ water?  

Firstly, ‘Sole water’ – pronounced “so-lay” water is also known as pink Himalayan salt water, that is made by adding the Himalayan salt to water and becomes a solution.

When added to Reverse Osmosis water if not structured correctly firstly by means of specified systems it would not take to the water structure and actually infuse or become ‘one’ with water as it’s meant to be.

Also…

Himalayan salt contains elevated levels of beneficial minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium. You can read a scientific study about the mineral content of Himalayan sea salt here.

A much-touted rumour (possibly started by salt companies?) has been widely spread across the internet about adding Himalayan salt to RO water in order to re-mineralize it.

The fact is, the amount of salt you’ll need to add to the water to make a difference is just too much.

The report I linked above concludes by saying:

“Despite the many nutrients found in pink salt that are essential for health, (e.g., calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium), an exceedingly high intake of pink salt (>30 g per day) would be required before this made any clinically significant contribution to nutrient intake”

Where as it is not recommended to take more than 5g per day.

So, ignore the influencers that recommend adding a pinch of salt to each litre of water. There are more effective ways to add minerals back to RO water.

  • Mineral drops for water

If you want to know how to add minerals to water without lots of work, this is one of the easiest solutions. You can remineralize any quantity of water quickly and easily by just adding a few mineral drops at any time.

A bottle of mineral drops should treat up to 200 litres of water and cost less than R150 to buy.

  • Alter the RO water pH level with a filter

Remineralizing reverse osmosis water can be done at the source if you add an extra filter to your system.

A pH-balancing or remineralization filter can usually be added to most models without needing to replace the whole system.

After the water is filtered, some of the minerals are added back; just how much depends on various factors such as flow rate, water temperature and the existing pH level of the water.

Although there is evidence that this can increase the pH level of the water significantly, the level of remineralization can vary greatly.

  • Use an alkaline pitcher

You can also use a simple pitcher if you want to raise the pH level and add minerals back in.

There are several alkaline pitchers on the market that offer an easy way to remineralize RO water.

These pitchers change the pH level as well as re-mineralizing the reverse osmosis water. Some designs have built-in clocks that count down to the next filter change, a useful little extra.

Final Thoughts on RO Water

Following the report from the WHO, reverse osmosis water has come under fire but the fact remains that it’s a useful way to access pure water that doesn’t contain chemicals or contaminants.

These types of filters provide reassurance to those worried about the medication residues which have been shown to reach the water supply. However, the new concern about the lack of minerals shouldn’t be disregarded either.

There are significant health benefits to excluding contaminants and chemicals from unintentional ingestion so reverse osmosis water still remains a valid option. By re-mineralizing the water, it’s possible to have the best of both worlds, receiving the valuable protection of the filter but still accessing the health benefits of minerals.

It’s fairly easy to re-mineralize reverse osmosis water once you know what to do. The key is to ensure that you only buy quality products to replace the missing minerals.

Stick to proper electrolyte and mineral drops, or invest in a filter or pitcher that is made by a reputable manufacturer. By doing this you can continue to enjoy delicious pure water with every health benefit possible.