While U.S. tap water is considered safe to drink, many chemicals and heavy metals seep into the drinking water, which can cause long-term effects on American’s health. Finding ways to drink clean water is critical for the body’s health.
Why is Water Important?
Hydration plays a vital role in reducing inflammation and swelling. It also flushes out toxins and is necessary for brain function and memory processes.
Proper hydration improves the production of hormones and neurotransmitters. Dehydration, on the other hand, can impact the health and function of peripheral nerves by reducing circulation, blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients.
Is Tap Water Safe to Drink?
When we think of contaminated tap water, most think of third-world countries; however, most areas of the U.S. have tap water containing large amounts of chemicals and compounds wrecking American’s health.
Wealthy areas are not immune to this danger. While the U.S. government lists tap water as safe drinking water, contaminants pose long-term health risks. One of the primary contaminants is heavy metal lead from old pipes and fixtures.
Other contaminants include PFOS and PFAS chemicals linked with thyroid, kidney, and testicular cancer. Neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric illnesses are also linked to these chemicals.
Furthermore, some tap water contains pesticides and trace amounts of pharmaceutical drugs. Despite these dangers, the U.S. government declares it safe to drink.
What Does Safe to Drink Mean?
Local governments ensure tap water doesn’t contain contaminants like sewage and certain bacteria and parasites. Water treatment plants clean your water with chemical disinfectants. These disinfectants include:
- Chlorine
- Chloramine
- Chlorine dioxide
- Aluminum
- Iron
The process forms DBPs (disinfection by-products). DBPs strongly impact water’s pH, making it more acidic, and result in other compounds that are harmful to our cells, like endocrine and hormone disruptors. Some studies show that DBPs disrupt both egg and sperm health, resulting in fertility problems.
When the U.S. government determines that tap water is safe to drink, it means it won’t kill you immediately. However, you run the risk of developing latent chronic illnesses and diseases from chemicals, zinc, asbestos, and heavy metals like lead, mercury, copper, and cadmium.
Is Fluoride in My Tap Water Safe?
Tap water risks fluoride entering your system. Studies have proven that fluoride causes significant dysfunction in the thyroid gland, which controls or impacts every biological function in the body.
A smaller case-controlled study found that low levels of fluoride, .5mg per liter of water, had a negative impact on Thyroid-stimulating hormone and T3 thyroid hormone production.
Fluoride accumulates in the body. Continuous exposure destroys the central and peripheral nervous system. Research shows fluoride causes degenerative changes in all parts of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.
Furthermore, it can cause axon deterioration (parts of the nerve that carry electrical impulses) and myelin sheath degeneration (protective coating around the nerve that controls the speed of the electrical signal.
Fluoride also damages mitochondria in neurons and disrupts signal transmissions. It can also cause significant imbalances in neurotransmitter function, resulting in diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, ALS, and Motor Neuron Disease.
Chronic exposure correlates with oxidative stress and inflammation. Yet, fluoride often is found in tap water.
Are Water Bottles Safe to Drink?
Most water bottles are not any safer than tap water. While you may avoid some of the chemicals, even expensive brands like Fiji and Evian run the risk of exposing you to dangerous chemicals that leach out from the plastic.
Chemicals like BPA are common in water bottles. Even if the label says BPA-free, manufacturers phase BPA out with its equally harmful sister chemical, BPS.
Furthermore, plastic water bottles leach nanoparticles of plastics into the water and phthalates, which are endocrine disruptors and hormone mimickers.
What is the Best Water to Drink?
The safest method to hydrate is using a home water filtration system. Whether you experience health issues or not, we recommend filtering your drinking water. The filter provides an extra layer of protection even with better tap water systems. The systems do not need to be expensive.
Pitcher Filtration
Pitcher filtration systems, like Brita or Pur, use granulated activated carbon (GAC). They cost between $20 and $40, and replaceable filters cost between $5 and $7 per cartridge. Cartridges need to be changed every two weeks for the best filtration.
Based on the performance data sheets from Brita’s website, the filters reduce the levels of chlorine, copper, cadmium, mercury, lead, zinc, and asbestos but don’t entirely remove them.
It doesn’t remove contaminants like pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and other bacteria and viruses that the tap water filtration may miss. It also doesn’t filter fluoride.
The pitcher filtration system can’t filter these because it’s too small, and the water doesn’t pass through enough.
Solid Carbon Block Filters
Solid carbon block filters, not ones made from loose granules, are a better choice for filtering. These filters tend to be more expensive but provide better filtration.
Solid carbon block filters block chlorine, chloramines, lead, mercury, and other heavy metals. They also block volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PFOS, PFAS, pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceutical residue, and florid.
The main thing to consider is the quality of the carbon block system. When Dr. Monteiro and Dr. Coppola researched filtration systems, they found Aquasana. The units run around $1,000, far cheaper than the $10,000 most ran.
After testing the water at an independent lab, they found that it removed everything the company claimed it did but left the water alkaline. Dr. Monteiro and Dr. Coppola typically recommend Aquasana.
Under-the-sink caron block systems typically run $125-$200 if you are on a tighter budget. These filter the drinking water but don’t filter the bathwater.
Reverse Osmosis System
Reverse osmosis systems are not as good as solid carbon block filters. While they filter everything out of the water, they also filter excellent minerals like calcium and magnesium, which make your water alkaline.
These filters can be purchased almost anywhere for around $200. Aquasana, Home Depot, and Lowe’s carry them. If you choose this system, Dr. Coppola and Dr. Monteiro highly recommend adding liquid and trace minerals back into the water.
Hydrating with clean water provides the benefits your body needs to thrive. It is a worthy investment for anyone looking to improve their health.
Struggling with Neuropathy?
Book a consultation with one of America’s leading experts in peripheral neuropathy. Dr. Coppola and Dr. Monteiro have worked with neuropathy patients for almost 20 years and conduct seminars to help patients and doctors improve and reverse neuropathy.
To schedule an appointment, visit nuphoria.com or call our customer service representatives at (844)400-0101. They are available Mondays through Fridays from 9 am to 5 pm EST.
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