Here’s a surprising fact: Drinking tap water can actually be one of the causes of hypothyroidism!
I was astounded when I learned about the problems with drinking tap water. I was also amazed that this explained my own issues. Throughout my life, I’ve consumed a lot of tap water. I’d bet that most of us have!
Water is good for you!
No doubt. Water is a much MUCH better choice than most beverages you can choose. Obviously, I’m not going to recommend that you stop drinking water. But, you might want to start filtering it after you read this.
I’ve been drinking water straight from the tap most of my life. Bottled water wasn’t an option in my “reduce-reuse-recycle” belief. And I didn’t have a good reason to continue using the Brita pitcher that we had. It wasn’t difficult. But, I didn’t find necessary since our water tasted good to me.
But, lately I’ve learned a surprising fact, and it explained what I was experiencing.
I’m sure you won’t be surprised to know that chlorine is added to city water. It disinfects the water supply of pathogenic bacteria, and other microbes that can make people sick. That’s important!
However, what I learned is that chlorine, and also fluoride, compete with iodine in the production of thyroid hormone! Because they are in the same elemental family (halogens on the periodic table) they are chemically very similar.
This study article explains how in detail.
So, consuming lots of tap water over time can lead to hypothyroid symptoms.
Those include:
Weight gain
Inability to lose weight
Hair loss
Constipation
Feeling cold all over
Fatigue
And many more…
Also, that same chlorine that disinfects the water supply, disinfects your gut microbiome. That means that it slowly but surely is killing the good guys along with the bad bacteria in the belly. That can create an imbalance, which is the root cause of many diseases. These can be far reaching from irritable bowel syndrome to autoimmune conditions.
Please don’t freak out, or think I’m using crazy scare tactics! The water we drink is one piece of a very elaborate puzzle. I don’t mean to state a simple cause and effect between drinking tap water and any of these conditions.
But I do want you to be informed. Our tap water has much more of an effect on the body than we ever realized. I believe it’s one piece of the puzzle that has led to my hair thinning and needing a sweater no matter where I go. As well as some GI discomfort. But, only one of many pieces.
The solution is simple: filter your water.
I now see that it’s certainly worth it to maintain a 5 cup filter pitcher in the refrigerator. Or, install a simple faucet mount water filter. We decided to install a reverse osmosis filter at the kitchen sink.
Ewg.org is a fantastic resource for more information about other water contaminate concerns. It also has an extensive database for researching an appropriate filter within your price range.
