Don't Ruin Your Health Through Reverse Osmosis

It's ironic how many people try to ensure their health through reverse osmosis, because there are many aspects of these systems that are at best ineffective, and at worst detrimental to their health. The reverse system is effective at removing some contaminants, such as lead, arsenic and particulates. Yet many biological and chemical contaminants are not removed by these devices. In addition, home osmosis systems remove nutritionally beneficial minerals from water.

Reverse osmosis works by forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane. Under normal circumstances water will flow through a membrane from a less saline solution to a more saline solution. This process is called osmosis. But when more highly saline water is under pressure, water flows instead from high to low salinity, increasing the volume of low salinity water. That is how the process works. The membrane allows water through, but not larger molecules such as salt and many other chemical compounds. It is one of the most popular means of desalinating sea-water and creating water that is suitable for industrial purposes, but it is not particularly suitable for producing drinking water. When home reverse osmosis systems bring this process into the home, they provide the consumer with a way to negatively affect their health.

As you can imagine the membrane is one of the most vulnerable aspects of this system. Unlike a carbon filter system, where the filter is replaced regularly, the membrane is not replaced. If the membrane is not cleaned regularly and thoroughly, it can become a breeding ground for microorganisms. Algae can also grow on the membrane, causing contamination of the resulting drinking water. In an industrial setting, the membrane is subjected to regular maintenance. In home reverse osmosis systems, cleaning is up to the home owner, who may not realize how important it is!

Another reason these systems are not optimal for your health is that they don't remove chlorine. Chlorine is a highly reactive chemical. That is one of the reasons it is used by water treatment facilities: it's poisonous, but to both germs and humans alike! After treatment, some chlorine remains in the water and is delivered to your tap. This residual chlorine is not removed by these systems unless they are fitted with an auxiliary carbon filter. So if you're trying to ensure your health water filtration, you might want to make sure you buy one with a carbon pre-filter, or even skip the reverse system altogether and just buy a carbon filter system!

Not only does reverse osmosis fail to remove some contaminants, it also removes too many essential minerals from our drinking water. Fresh water found all over the world contains minerals. There is no naturally-occurring fresh water source on the planet that is de-mineralized! We humans were designed to drink natural water and to fulfill some of our mineral needs with water. Long term consumptions of de-mineralized water may lead to mineral deficiencies and illness. In addition, many of the essential minerals removed by home reverse osmosis systems are alkaline, which leaves the water acidic. Regular consumption of acidic water can lead to bone and tooth demineralization as your body tries to compensate for the acidity.

So if you are trying to support your health through water filtration, maybe you should look at the facts and rethink your strategy! Home reverse osmosis systems are not the key to your health. There are many other types of home water filtration systems that will provide you with healthier drinking water.