Can i Drink Softened Water?
Can you drink softened water? Is it safe? People can face problems if the quality of drinking water is not good. Inappropriately treated water can cause diseases.
It is safe to use softened water, and the choice to drink it depends on the individual’s likeness to the taste. Studies indicate no official verdict stating whether or not drinking softened water is safe or a problem.
What is Water Softener?
Water Softener is a system with removes high concentrations of calcium and magnesium that makes water hard. When water flows through the water softener, they filter out all the hard minerals in the water.
Water softeners reduce magnesium and calcium in the water and have a lot of other benefits, making it soft through a process referred to as ion exchange. Sodium is mainly used in the water-softening process. The reason is that the resin that catches the mineral that is not wanted is washed by sodium. During the ion exchange, there is a minimal amount of interaction between calcium and magnesium. The amount of salt in the softened water depends mainly on the source of the water’s geographical location. Water softeners ensure that salts’ sodium level does not exceed the recommended level of 200mg/liter. Some of the softeners that can be used in softening water are sodium (Na), hydrogen chloride (HCl), and Sodium hydroxide(NaOH).
Is Drinking Water from a Water Softener Safe?
Over the years, there is much publicity on the negative health impacts of drinking softened water. On the other hand, studies indicate that the salt amount taken by drinking softened water is less significant when we compare it to daily salt intake.
Further research carried out over 25 years ago has continued to support minerals’ vital role in the water. Research findings state that low mineral content consumption negatively impacts the mechanism of homeostasis (the biological process that entails a balanced internal body environment).
How Water Softener is Reacting to your body
Softened water has low mineral content compared to hard water. The experiments conducted on animals have continuously shown that softened water intake leads to more urination due to substances in kidney tubules. It also led to an increase in the volume of extracellular fluids and the concentration of chlorine and sodium ions and rising removal from the body. It has also resulted in the lowering of red blood cell volumes and numbers.
Research done by the German society for nutrition proved that if demineralized water is ingested, electrolytes from body reserves must be added to this water by the intestines. The electrolytes dissolved in the body water are further diluted after ingestion. All this may result in the compromising of essential organs owing to insufficient redistribution of body water.
Is It Safe to Drink Softened Water When Pregnant?
It’s unsafe to drink softened or distilled water during the pregnancy period. Pregnant mothers suffer from inadequacy of calcium and magnesium, resulting in hypertension and preeclampsia, which can put them at risk of losing their lives or even their pregnancies. Studies indicated that demineralized water with low magnesium could cause increased mortality and morbidity from pregnancy disorders, cardiovascular disease, neuronal motor disease, and preeclampsia.
Softened water deficiency in calcium is positively linked to low birth water, premature birth, increased fracture risk in children, and neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to this, a lack of both magnesium and calcium can result in cancer. So, it is not safe for pregnant women to drink softened water.
Conclusion
Minerals are vital elements found in drinking water. From many studies, there is sufficient evidence that confirms that a certain minimum level of magnesium and calcium is required. Their deficiency has been found to have many health impacts like diseases and the likelihood of aggression from bacteria and toxic elements.
If you need a new water softener in Toronto and the GTA region feel free to call us at 437-777-4555.
