The Hidden Health Hazards of Hard Water

Water is essential for life. Daily, we use water for preparing food, hygiene, and sanitization among other wide range of uses. The primary objective of drinking water is to protect human health. This aim calls for the need to use safe water. Reliable research indicates that a significant percentage of people use water from unprotected sources. A good portion of people consumes hard water, which is said to cause various diseases around the globe. 

In this article, you will find the health dangers of hard water.

What is hard water?

Hard water is termed as the kind of water with a high concentration of magnesium and calcium ions. Nonetheless, water hardness can be caused by different dissolved metals, from multivalent or divalent cations. Such metals include:

• Aluminum
• Zinc
• Manganese
• Barium
• Strontium

You should note that potassium and sodium are monovalent ions that do not cause water hardness. Water hardness forms when divalent cations join anions forming stable salts. The water is considered harder when there is a high concentration of magnesium and calcium.

Although the consumption of hard water isn’t directly associated with kidney diseases, it’s better to be safe than sorry. There are many ways to deal with the hardness in the water getting a water softener is one of the recommended and secure ways to soften the hard water. By acquiring a water softener, you will not only be saving your health, but you will also protect your kitchen appliances from stubborn stains. With soft water, there will be a reduced buildup of scale in your water system and hence fewer repairs. Besides, washing clothes using soft water leaves them looking fresh as new. The use of soft water is also good for your hair and skin, another reason why you shouldn’t hesitate to add a water softener system in your home. 

1. Hard Water And Kidney Stones

Sulfate, magnesium, and carbonate salts are some of the contents of hard water. According to medical experts, calcium salts make three-quarters of kidney stones, which appear as calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate. The other percentage is made of cysteine stones, uric acid, and striate. The formation of kidney stones is dependent on environmental, genetic, nutritional, and metabolic factors. Salts in hard water have impacted the formation of urinary stones. Taking soft water is preferred to hard water as the risk of recurrence of the salts in the kidney is lowered.

2. Cardiovascular Disease

In the recent past, reports have had it that drinking of hard water is causing cardiovascular diseases. The cause correlates with the presence of a high concentration of magnesium in hard water. Magnesium is said to have anti-stress actions against heart diseases. From proper research, mortality is lower in some geographical areas. This finding has been backed up by epidemiological studies carried out by researchers. From such studies, positive correlations are in between hard water and blood pressure. Medical practitioners have raised a concern for people to use soft water instead of hard water to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

3. Childhood Atopic Dermatitis

This disease is a pruritic, inflammatory, non-contagious, and chronically relapsing skin disorder. This disease is also known as eczema. Being exposed to hard water is said to cause inflammation. From a known study, the prevalence of eczema is higher in areas that use hard water compared to those that use soft water. 

4. Alzheimer’s disease

Aluminum, which is one of the salts in hard water, is said to cause Alzheimer’s disease. Brain pathology, which is similar to Alzheimer’s disease, is reported to be caused by massive exposure to aluminum. In the areas where they use hard water, cases of Alzheimer’s disease are high compared to geographical areas using soft water. The reason for these results is because of a high concentration of aluminum in hard water. To reduce these effects, soften hard water in your homes.

5. Malformation of Central Nervous System

Abnormalities in the central nervous system tend to vary from place to place. The effect is higher in countries or areas that use hard water and less in those that use soft water. In areas where people practice mining, the impact is high. Calcium content in the stream has affected the central nervous system causing malformations. Calcium in water is a factor responsible for defects in the central nervous system.  

As an individual who needs water every day, it is good to be informed of mineral compositions in water. An alteration in this composition can happen, especially when you are using piped water. To be on the safe side, you need to have a water softener in your home or place of work to avoid the hazards mentioned above of consuming hard water. Some may say that it’s expensive, but the lasting effects will surely outweigh the cost.