Is Reverse Osmosis Water Bad For You? Research Guide [2023]

Last updated on January 2nd, 2023

Is Reverse Osmosis Water Bad For You? RO is a water purification technology that specializes in removing the contents from water. It has become particularly popular for household use throughout the United States. 

RO filtration systems essentially push water through a semipermeable membrane into a drain, where dissolved solids and contaminants are left behind.

Reverse osmosis is often the safest way to go for many reasons.RO water can be used for drinking, cooking and cleaning. 

But RO water isn’t regulated by the FDA and this has some consumers worried they’re receiving a product that is just as contaminated as tap water. 

It also doesn’t contain all of the necessary minerals found in municipal water so many people may wonder if it’s bad for your health.

Top 18 Reasons: Why Is Reverse Osmosis Water Bad for You

Reverse osmosis water is not as healthy as people think. Here are 10 reasons why it’s bad for your health:

1. Fluoride is filtered out

Reverse osmosis water is used for drinking and cooking purposes in order to remove any harmful elements from the water. This includes fluoride, which has been linked to dental fluorosis and other problems. 

The fluoride content in reverse osmosis water is reduced by about 50 percent. In other words, if you were using tap water that had 1 ppm of fluoride, your reverse osmosis system would reduce this by half. So now you’re down to 0.5 ppm of fluoride instead of 1 ppm. 

That’s still too much according to some experts who say that there shouldn’t be any added fluoride in our drinking water at all!

2. It removes important minerals

Many people believe that reverse osmosis water is healthier than tap water because it doesn’t contain any chlorine or other chemicals that may be present in tap water. 

But there are many minerals such as calcium and magnesium that are removed when you use a reverse osmosis system to filter your water supply. These minerals provide us with key nutrients including calcium, magnesium and phosphorus which help

3. It’s not a healthy source of water for the body

Reverse osmosis water is not a healthy source for the body. It is essentially a waste product of desalination and distillation processes, which reduces the amount of minerals in the water.

Reverse osmosis is used to produce purer forms of water by removing all contaminants, including minerals. 

Reverse osmosis or RO, is a filtration process that uses semipermeable membranes to remove ions, molecules, and larger particles from both liquid and gaseous materials by applying pressure to them. 

This process creates fresh water from saltwater or brackish water. The technology is often used in desalination plants and many other industrial applications.

The RO process works by forcing water through a membrane under high pressure; this causes the unwanted components to be removed from the water because they cannot pass through the membrane due to their size. 

This process takes place at high temperatures and pressures that may affect both human health and the environment.

4. It uses a lot of energy

Reverse osmosis also uses a lot of energy during production, which can make it expensive to run. This can be problematic if you have an electricity bill that’s already high or if you live in an area where power outages are common during storms or other natural disasters.

RO systems also produce waste sludge — the leftover material from your filtered water — which can cause problems if not disposed of properly.

5. The system wastes 3 gallons of water for every gallon it produces

The main issue with RO is that it wastes 3 gallons of water for every gallon it produces. This is because the water that goes through the membrane must be discarded as waste because it’s too salty or contains other impurities. 

The high level of waste means that reverse osmosis systems are not cost-effective for most people, especially those living in areas where water is scarce or expensive.

6. Drinking RO Water Causes Constipation

The lack of minerals in the body caused by reverse osmosis filtration can lead to constipation. Regular bowel movements are essential for good health because they help eliminate waste products and toxins from your blood stream. 

If you have been drinking RO water for more than a few months, this may be the reason why you have not had a regular bowel movement in a while!

7. Removes healthy pH value from the water

Reverse osmosis filters out too many minerals, which lowers the pH value of your water and makes it more acidic. The more acidic your body becomes, the harder it will be for your body to fight off infections and diseases.

8. Wastes Money on Bottled Water

Bottled water is expensive but with RO systems, you can reduce costs by producing your own high quality drinking water at home or work. You won’t have to carry heavy bottles anymore either!

9. Reverse Osmosis can’t remove pollutants

RO is the most expensive water treatment process available. It requires a lot of energy to force water through membranes. The membranes themselves are expensive, and they need to be replaced regularly.

The process also creates waste water that must be disposed of in accordance with local laws and regulations. 

In many parts of the country, this waste water must be treated before it’s discharged into local waterways — meaning that even more energy is used to treat the waste water after it has been processed by RO

10. RO increases the Risk of High Blood Pressure

Hydrogen ions (H+) are created during the reverse osmosis process and then stored in the form of bicarbonate ions (HCO3-). 

These hydrogen ions are then released back into your drinking water when you use your RO-treated tap water for cooking or mixing drinks such as lemonade or iced tea — adding extra acidity to your diet!

11. It’s expensive

Reverse osmosis filters can be very expensive and they require a lot of maintenance. You must change the filter regularly (usually every six months) and if you don’t do it, your water will taste bad and could even make you sick.

12. It wastes your time

If you want filtered water in your home or office, then reverse osmosis systems are great options because they take up less space than other kinds of filters and they don’t require much maintenance. 

But they aren’t perfect because they waste a lot of time when it comes to replacing filters and cleaning them out so that they work properly again.

13. You need lots of storage space for the waste

Reverse osmosis systems have another problem – they produce a lot of wastewater that needs to be stored until it can be taken outside for disposal or used as fertilizer for plants (if you have an outdoor garden). This can take up valuable space in your home.

14. It damages the environment

The process of removing minerals from water by using reverse osmosis machines creates waste that needs to be disposed of in landfills. This waste contains trace amounts of heavy metals such as arsenic and lead, which can leak into groundwater and contaminate our drinking water supply.

15. Extremely acidic water is not healthy

The first reason why reverse osmosis water is bad for you is its extreme acidity level. Reverse osmosis filters out minerals from the source water, which means that the resulting “purified” water has a very low pH level. This can cause digestive problems and increased acidity levels in the body.

16. Reverse Osmosis Does Not Eliminate Pathogens From the Water

Reverse osmosis will not eliminate pathogens from your drinking water. It will filter out minerals and salts leaving you with a bland, tasteless water that may be contaminated by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.

17. Free Radicals Are Dangerous for Your Health

Water filtered through reverse osmosis contains high levels of free radicals which are known to damage cells in the body. This can cause degeneration of the heart muscle and other organs such as kidneys and liver.

18. RO needs pretreatment with chemicals like chlorine and chloramines

RO requires pretreatment with chemicals like chlorine and chloramines before it can be used for drinking water or irrigation purposes. These chemicals are known to cause a variety of health problems including skin irritation, respiratory issues, reproductive problems and cancer.

Conclusion: Is Reverse Osmosis Water Bad For You 

Is Reverse Osmosis Water Bad For You? Reverse osmosis water is collected in a very tightly controlled environment so impurities shouldn’t be found within the first few gallons. However, depending on where the reverse osmosis system is located there could still be some water contamination. 

Any small amount of bacteria that may seep through will not be harmful but it may affect the taste of the water. Drinking lots of reverse osmosis water can also flush minerals out of your body as well. This means a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help keep you supplied with these minerals.

In summary, the verdict is still out. More research will be required to determine whether or not reverse osmosis is a safe alternative to tap water, but right now it seems that there are more unknowns than knowns. In other words, no one can tell you with 100% certainty that this type of water is safe for your health.