Can Your Body Absorb Minerals in Drinking Water?

The various studies published by scientists around the world all contradict one another. Given the current state of our knowledge, claiming that you need to drink mineral-rich water to replenish your minerals is pure fantasy and a completely unfounded, if not inaccurate, argument.

An interesting study in Germany

As evidence, I point to the major study conducted in May 2001 by Dr. Heseker and his team from the nutrition and health professional group at Germany's University of Paderborn.

The evaluation was based on the largest scientific study ever conducted in Germany. It describes the very precise protocol used to track food and water intake over 7 days for 23,209 participants from widely different age groups. The experiment focused primarily on the minerals calcium Ca, sodium Na, and magnesium Mg. The original report consists of a 13-page summary of results and 40 pages of explanatory graphs. I will summarize these results below regarding low or high mineral content in water.

What does the WHO think ?

The drinking water quality guidelines published by the WHO state that many consumers believe natural mineral waters have medicinal properties and other beneficial health effects. In Europe, waters containing high levels of minerals have a long tradition. The WHO nevertheless accepts that some mineral waters containing basic essential nutrients may contribute to meeting nutritional needs. At the same time, it states that there is currently no valid scientific evidence of the positive effects of these mineral waters.

Water for dummies

Water is the primary food for humans. Its essential role is to provide fluid to quench thirst. It is generally accepted that mineral requirements are met through food. Given our current consumption patterns, water, whether low-mineral table water or mineral water, contributes very little to meeting our mineral needs. It should instead be considered for its supplementary functions.

Milk (potentially harmful to an adult's health), vegetables, whole grains, and bananas are the main sources of calcium and magnesium.

According to the table from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung (DGE, German Nutrition Society), we need 1,000 mg of calcium per day, which, depending on the hardness of the drinking water, amounts to between 3 and 200 liters of water per day ! For magnesium, which we need at a rate of 350 mg per day, this would amount to between 7 and 25 liters of water ! Finally, our potassium requirement of 3,500 mg per day would require a daily intake of 290 to 700 liters of water per day !

The study results

Modern stable isotope tracer analysis methods have shown a bioavailability of calcium in water of 25 to 45 % in humans. The bioavailability of magnesium in water is comparable to that in food, but it plays no role in meeting the population's magnesium requirements. Here again, it serves only a supplementary function. However, the presence of sodium in beverages is undesirable, because food already contains more than the levels recommended by official organizations. Low-mineral table waters, and particularly RO water, contain significantly less sodium than mineral waters.

Dr. Heseker's study unambiguously demonstrates that a population that consumed mineral water is no healthier than a population that consumed low-mineral water, and concludes : “ look for your minerals in plants, fruits, and vegetables, rather than in water. ”

Finally, note that this study, even though its approach differs from L.-C. Vincent's bioelectronics, reaches the same conclusions, namely that our minerals should come from plants rather than water. It thus supports L.-C. Vincent's findings, which have been so strongly challenged by certain mineral water producers, certain scientists whose findings lack rigor and credibility, and manufacturers of ionized, alkaline, and reducing water devices.

Minerals in water are not bioavailable

The minerals in water are no longer in a colloidal state, either in bottles or once they reach our tap water.

Our cell membranes are made up of lipids. However, mineral ions in water are not soluble in oil, but are soluble in water. As a result, they are not directly bioavailable to our cells and merely overload our kidneys.

To pass through the lipid cell membrane, ions must bind to partially hydrophobic amino acids to become chelated. As a result, they are very difficult for our bodies to absorb.

Other disadvantages of mineral water

From a purely physical standpoint, the water we drink is essentially a transporter and a flushing agent. Thus, like a packed train that cannot take any more passengers, water with a high mineral content will be unable to continue dissolving our toxins and will be ineffective at its essential tasks of flushing out and eliminating our toxins and delivering nutrients to our cells.

Conclusion

Although we cannot make definitive statements about the absorption of minerals in water, we can nevertheless rely on several undeniable and unambiguous factors that support water with a low mineral content.

It is clear that the purer the water, the more it cleanses. Water with a high mineral content has a significantly lower dissolving capacity. As a result, it will be less able to dissolve our toxins to eliminate them.

Discover our complete range of reverse osmosis systems on our website www.josmose.fr 

Source : “ How to Purify and Revitalize Your Table Water ” by Richard Haas :

A former healthcare professional specializing in aqueous injectable solutions who spent years researching water through Vincent's bioelectronics (BEV).