Is distilled water safe?

[AprilLove]

Originally Posted by yorkieusa

The only problem with that statement is that vet's are not nutritionists. There is a big difference. I think it's too early to make that determination without long-term testing. Consider this:

The World Health Organization investigated the health effects of demineralized water in 1980, and its experiments in humans found that demineralized water increased diuresis and the elimination of electrolytes, with decreased serum potassium concentration. Magnesium, calcium and other nutrients in water can help to protect against nutritional deficiency. Demineralized water may also increase the risk from toxic metals because it more readily absorbs them, and because the presence of calcium and magnesium in water can prevent absorption of lead and cadmium. Recommendations for magnesium have been put at a minimum of 10 mg/L with 20–30 mg/L optimum; for calcium a 20 mg/L minimum and a 40–80 mg/L optimum, and a total water hardness (adding magnesium and calcium) of 2–4 mmol/L. At water hardness above 5 mmol/L, higher incidence of gallstones, kidney stones, urinary stones, arthrosis, and arthropathies have been observed. For fluoride the concentration recommended for dental health is 0.5–1.0 mg/L, with a maximum guideline value of 1.5 mg/L to avoid dental fluorosis.[18]

Purified water - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not all vets. But some vets do specialize in nutrition, so I wouldn't discount what a vet says.
It all does boil down to personal preference, researching both sides and if you are lucky, finding actual scientific studies with proof that it is either beneficial or not beneficial and make your own conclusions.
Any water drank in consumption, and without adding in other sources (ie: food or drink) of electrolytes, will drain your body of essential electrolytes, not just distilled. So it seems the statement of distilled "leaching" your body of essential minerals is a bit far fetched, imo, unless you only drink water and get no elemental nutrients from food sources.
Even the studies done by the W.H.O, repeatedly say "may cause" instead of "does cause" in many of their findings. They find that demineralized water "may" not be beneficial in terms of the added nutrients missing. But they never say in concrete terms that actual findings indicate someone will die sooner, etc.
Here is a link to some WHO studies and findings, some of the studies are very old and it is titled "Rolling Revision of WHO studies on Demineralized water consumption"

http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_...ineralized.pdf

[yorkieusa]

Originally Posted by AprilLove

Not all vets. But some vets do specialize in nutrition, so I wouldn't discount what a vet says.
It all does boil down to personal preference, researching both sides and if you are lucky, finding actual scientific studies with proof that it is either beneficial or not beneficial and make your own conclusions.
Any water drank in consumption, and without adding in other sources (ie: food or drink) of electrolytes, will drain your body of essential electrolytes, not just distilled. So it seems the statement of distilled "leaching" your body of essential minerals is a bit far fetched, imo, unless you only drink water and get no elemental nutrients from food sources.
Even the studies done by the W.H.O, repeatedly say "may cause" instead of "does cause" in many of their findings. They find that demineralized water "may" not be beneficial in terms of the added nutrients missing. But they never say in concrete terms that actual findings indicate someone will die sooner, etc.
Here is a link to some WHO studies and findings, some of the studies are very old and it is titled "Rolling Revision of WHO studies on Demineralized water consumption"

http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_...ineralized.pdf

A regular vet has usually one or a few classes in nutrition. That does not make a nutritionist. I think it is a huge mistake to consult a vet on nutrition. They have not the foggiest idea. The interest of many is to push dog food they sell out of their offices, because they receive a commission.

Plus, there is a huge difference in water consumed by a 5-pound dog and a 125-pound person. It is, of course, a personal decision, but scientific studies should not be discounted and a veterinarian's opinion should be discounted.