Is Installing a Home Reverse Osmosis System a Good Idea?

Over the last decade home reverse osmosis filtration systems have become very popular for domestic drinking water.

These filter systems filter everything from the water, giving you water that is free from contaminants – but also absent of beneficial trace minerals.

This is often portrayed as being highly beneficial but may not necessarily be so.

The removal of all ions from water should give water with a neutral pH of 7.0. However, water exiting reverse osmosis systems is typically acidic, with a pH in the range of 6.0 to 6.75. This is primarily due to the fact that carbon dioxide can cross the reverse osmosis membranes, acidifying the filtered water.

We do not believe that drinking acidic water is what is best for the body, and neither does Professor Won H. Kim, who specifies in his book Water of Life that it should be alkaline.

Reverse osmosis water might be extremely pure, thereby fulfilling one criteria of healthy water, but this alone does not make it ideal for everyday drinking. Importantly, this kind of water lacks the beneficial alkaline minerals which our body needs every day. Indeed, it removes up to 99% of calcium and magnesium, two of the most important minerals which are responsible for hundreds of biochemical reactions.

RO water could best be described as ‘dead water', as it lacks the vital energy which good water provides. The removal of such minerals also impacts the taste, although it should be said that not everyone finds it unpalatable.

Perhaps of most interest to those who are considering fitting, or have already fitted a reverse osmosis system in their home is a paper published by the World Health Organisation on the effects of drinking demineralised water.

In it, the WHO go to great lengths to highlight the potential risks of drinking water which does not contain the requisite minerals.

"Demineralised water that has not been remineralised, or low-mineral content water – in the light of the absence or substantial lack of essential minerals in it – is not considered ideal drinking water, and therefore its regular consumption may not be providing adequate levels of some beneficial nutrients. "Sufficient evidence is now available to confirm the health consequences from drinking water deficient in calcium or magnesium. "Many studies show that higher water magnesium is related to decreased risks for CVD and especially for sudden death from CVD. "This relationship has been independently described in epidemiological studies with different study designs, performed in different areas, different populations, and at different times. "Recent studies suggest that the intake of soft water, i.e. water low in calcium, is associated with a higher risk of fracture in children, certain neurodegenerative diseases, pre-term birth and low weight at birth and some types of cancer. " The report also indicated that low-mineral water was responsible for "an increased elimination of minerals from the body."

Evidently these are major concerns which should be deeply contemplated. Just as we should endeavour to get our nutrition right, we should also look to drink the type of water which will have a positive, rather than negative, effect on our health.

Not that hydration is the only bone of contention. Cooking with demineralised water from a reverse osmosis filter actually reduces the quantity of vitamins and minerals in whole foods, with as much as 60% of magnesium and calcium, and 70% of manganese, being lost. This is because water tends to bond to minerals, thereby stripping them from food. Furthermore, home reverse osmosis systems can be incredibly wasteful and energy-intensive.

In summary, reverse osmosis water:

• Lacks essential trace minerals

• Increases the elimination of minerals already in the body

• Reduces the amount of vitamins and minerals in whole foods

• Generally entails water wastage

If you have an existing reverse osmosis filter it is actually very simple to convert it to produce great healthy water with the addition of an alkaline antioxidant cartridge. This is a relatively straightforward process which gives you the benefit of highly purified water, free of pollutants, with alkaline minerals and good energy. This type of system probably produces the best quality alkaline ionised water. For details on the Biocera Alkaline Antioxidant Cartridge, click here.

The cartridge can be affixed to any existing reverse osmosis system. By adding this additional stage to your water filtration process, you’ll transform your RO water into ‘pure’ alkaline water with a healthy mineral content. Not only that, but the bioceramics in the cartridge stimulate the release of molecular hydrogen, which is increasingly appreciated as a powerful antioxidant.

As for why alkaline water is the best water to drink, this article covers the key points. Still got questions? Then get in touch!