Is RO Water Bad for Health? Here's what the water experts say about demineralized water

RO or reverse osmosis is a technique that is used to desalinate saltwater so that it is fit for drinking. The RO technique became commercially available in the mid 20th century and is now commonly found in every house. But is drinking RO water safe for your health? In this article, we are going to discuss the effects of RO water on your health.

Effect of RO water on human health

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the drinking water should contain approximately 100 mg/L dissolved salts, 30 mg/L bicarbonate ion, 10 mg/L magnesium, and 30 mg/L calcium. The absence of these essential minerals in your drinking water for a prolonged time can lead to various health consequences. 

Bone strength

Calcium is an essential mineral that maintains healthy bones. It is observed that the minerals from drinking water are more readily absorbed in the body than by other food sources. The RO water contains almost no calcium which leads to brittle bones thereby affecting the strength of the bones. A greater frequency of fractures is observed in children drinking demineralized water.

Blood pressure and blood formation

Minerals like magnesium and potassium play a vital role in maintaining normal blood pressure. The deficiency of magnesium and potassium in drinking water leads to high blood pressure. Similarly, iron is an essential mineral that aids in the formation of blood. Drinking demineralized water interferes with the normal process of blood formation.

Developmental, cardiovascular and neurological effects

Research has shown that consuming RO water deficient in magnesium and calcium is also linked with preterm birth and lower weight at the time of birth. It is also observed that RO water increases your risk of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. According to epidemiological studies conducted all across the world, water low in magnesium and calcium increases the rate of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Chronic kidney disease and gastrointestinal disorders

RO water has a lower pH and is thus acidic. Drinking acidic water for a long period of time can adversely affect your health by increasing your risk of gastrointestinal issues and kidney disorders. 

Increased intake of toxic metals

Drinking RO or demineralized water also increases your risk of consumption of toxic metals. This is because of two reasons:

• Leaching of metals present in the material that comes in contact with the water. Leaching occurs due to unstability of low-mineralized water. This increases the content of metals in drinking water.
• The reduced antitoxic capacity of the water is due to the deficiency of calcium and magnesium. Calcium and magnesium present in food and water have antitoxic activity as they prevent the absorption of toxic minerals like cadmium and lead into the blood.

Increased bacterial contamination

The high temperature of water in the pipe system during distribution also facilitates the re-growth of bacterias. The intact desalination membrane present in the pipe system, can remove almost all bacteria but their 100% effectiveness is still not assured. There have been cases in the past where RO treated water has also been the cause for the spread of bacterial diseases like typhoid

Takeaway 

The reverse osmosis technology provides filtered and clean drinking water. Although RO water removes some essential minerals from the water, the RO water can be considered as a safe drinking water. This is because apart from removing minerals, RO technology also removes other contaminants like industrial chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides and solvents from the water. These contaminants can have an adverse effect on human health. Also, RO purifiers are now available in varying sizes that can easily be installed in your kitchen and you can have clean drinking water all the time.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is RO water good for health?

   Yes RO water is good for your health. The benefits of RO water on your health are more than its drawbacks.

2. Is RO water better than deionized water?

   Yes RO water is better than deionized water as RO water removes mineral components as well as bacteria and viruses from the water whereas deionized water only removes mineral contaminants from the water.

3. How can I remineralize the RO water?

   You can remineralize the RO water by adding natural salt like Himalayan salt to the water instead of common table salt. A natural salt contains all the essential trace minerals that are removed during reverse osmosis.