We spent quite some time last year summarizing over 100 scientific studies on the effects of hard water on health around the world, including hip fractures.
The results were quite unequivocal and we have actually published our own findings here.
Apart from the obvious conclusion that hard (alkaline) water is good for us, there was also a great deal of info showing the effect of magnesium; and one major point was that magnesium is far better taken up by the body if it comes in water.
This was a major consideration when we designed the UltraStream, because we knew from experience that electric ionizers can only give what they get – that is, they can only deliver the alkaline minerals that were in the input water. If you are, for instance, on tank water, you’ll get virtually no minerals. So in our search for the perfect media, we wanted one that would increase the magnesium content of the water as well as the hydrogen.
Our University lab tests gave us the answer we wanted; good magnesium levels over the whole life of the filter.
So when we found this report showing that drinking water with a relatively high concentration of magnesium may help prevent hip fractures in both men and women, it felt great. Cecile Dahl, head researcher even went so far as to suggest that water authorities should add magnesium as well as calcium to water supplies. Calcium carbonate, AKA Lime is added to ease the acidic effect of chlorine and to protect us from the heavy metals in pipes that are leached by acid water. It’s not a direct community health measure. So don’t hold your breath for your local council to add magnesium.
Another interesting point arose. An inverse ratio of magnesium water and hip fractures was clear, but no such relationship or ratio emerged for calcium. That’s not to say that calcium won’t help. It’s more of a reflection on Norway making sure Norwegians get sufficient calcium and vitamin D, which may mean no ratio was found because most people already had enough calcium in their diet.
