Does hard water cause heart problems?
“Several studies in the past decade have suggested that the death rate from coronary disease is inversely correlated with the hardness of the local water supply: the harder the water, the lower the coronary rate.
Hard water is not a health risk but is a nuisance because of mineral buildup on plumbing fixtures' and poor soap and or detergent performance. Water is a good solvent and picks up impurities easily. As water moves through soil and rock, it dissolves very small amounts of minerals and holds them in solution.
The extra calcium it carries could help reduce blood pressure, whereas low serum magnesium concentrations—common to people living in soft-water areas—appear linked with arrhythmias.
There are no serious adverse health problems associated with drinking hard water. However, hard water can contribute to dry skin and hair. Washing your hair frequently with hard water can leave your scalp feeling itchy.
In vitro (15–19) and animal (19–23) studies suggest biological mechanisms through which magnesium may prevent or reverse plaque formation and calcification.
Bottled water is hard water as it contains lots of dissolved minerals. Hard water can cause problems in the home for example the build up of lime scale in kettles but it does have the benefit of tasting nice. There are two main types of bottled water, spring water and mineral water.
BRITA water filters are specifically designed to filter water to help reduce hardness while leaving in the important minerals that are healthy for you. This is the work of the Ion Exchange Pearls, that bind metal cations like lead and copper. BRITA filters do not filter out all calcium or magnesium.
Soap scum build up is caused by minerals in hard water that do to not lather well when introduced to soap. This is a cause for concern as soap scum can carry microbial biofilm that can live in your showers and can spread bacteria that will make you sick.
Conclusion. This study of individuals living in soft and hard water areas showed significant correlations between the content of calcium in water and major cardiovascular risk factors.
Contributing to Heart Health
The results showed that mineral water intake lowered the levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol and raised the levels of good (HDL) cholesterol. Because high cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease and other conditions, mineral water helps keep your heart healthy and working properly.
Does water hardness have preventive effect on cardiovascular disease?
Conclusions: Our study suggests favorable protective effects of water hardness, mainly water magnesium content, on CVDs. Water hardness, as well as calcium and magnesium content of drinking water may have a protective role against CVDs.
Serum sodium levels may help identify adults with a greater chance of experiencing heart disease. Staying well-hydrated may be associated with a reduced risk for developing heart failure, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
