Cardiovascular Health: Hard Data for Hard Water

Burton, Adrian

doi:10.1289/ehp.116-a114a

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…However, in a meta-analysis of case–control studies, Catling et al (2008) found evidence of a significant inverse relation between magnesium levels in drinking water and cardiovascular mortality. Thus, the current evidence of the association between water hardness and IHD or stroke mortality is still conflicted and debated by experts in the field ( Burton 2008 ; WHO 2008 ). From the meta-analysis of Catling et al (2008) , we could suspect that if there is an association between water hardness and IHD or stroke mortality, it would most likely be attributed to the magnesium compound of tap water ( Catling et al 2008 ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Relationship between Tap Water Hardness, Magnesium, and Calcium Concentration and Mortality due to Ischemic Heart Disease or Stroke in the Netherlands

Leurs

Schouten

Mons

et al. 2010

Environ Health Perspect

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BackgroundConflicting results on the relationship between the hardness of drinking water and mortality related to ischemic heart disease (IHD) or stroke have been reported.ObjectivesWe investigated the possible association between tap water calcium or magnesium concentration and total hardness and IHD mortality or stroke mortality.MethodsIn 1986, a cohort of 120,852 men and women aged 55–69 years provided detailed information on dietary and other lifestyle habits. Follow-up for mortality until 1996 was established by linking data from the Central Bureau of Genealogy and Statistics Netherlands. We calculated tap water hardness for each postal code using information obtained from all pumping stations in the Netherlands. Tap water hardness was categorized as soft [< 1.5 mmol/L calcium carbonate (CaCO3)], medium hard (1.6–2.0 mmol/L CaCO3), and hard (> 2.0 mmol/L CaCO3). The multivariate case-cohort analysis was based on 1,944 IHD mortality and 779 stroke mortality cases and 4,114 subcohort members.ResultsFor both men and women, we observed no relationship between tap water hardness and IHD mortality [hard vs. soft water: hazard ratio (HR) = 1.03; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.85–1.28 for men and HR = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.71–1.21 for women) and stroke mortality (hard vs. soft water HR = 0.90; 95% CI, 0.66–1.21 and HR = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.62–1.20, respectively). For men with the 20% lowest dietary magnesium intake, an inverse association was observed between tap water magnesium intake and stroke mortality (HR per 1 mg/L intake = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.61–0.91), whereas for women with the 20% lowest dietary magnesium intake, the opposite was observed.ConclusionsWe found no evidence for an overall significant association between tap water hardness, magnesium or calcium concentrations, and IHD mortality or stroke mortality. More research is needed to investigate the effect of tap water magnesium on IHD mortality or stroke mortality in subjects with low dietary magnesium intake.

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Relationship between Tap Water Hardness, Magnesium, and Calcium Concentration and Mortality due to Ischemic Heart Disease or Stroke in the Netherlands

Leurs

Schouten

Mons

et al. 2010

Environ Health Perspect

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“…If beneficial cations like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and plant micronutrients like copper, are retained in the water, a saving in fertiliser and soil improvement costs would result. Calcium and magnesium in water prevent heart disease in humans (Burton 2008). In soils, they prevent sodium from causing too much damage (hard setting) by keeping the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of soil water low.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Calcium and magnesium in water prevent heart disease in humans (Burton 2008). In soils, they prevent sodium from causing too much damage (hard setting) by keeping the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of soil water low.…”

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Selective Electrodialysis for Copper Removal from Brackish Water and Coal Seam Gas Water

Eberhard

Hamawand

2017

Int J Environ Res

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This study investigates the removal rate of divalent ions during partial desalination of brackish water using electrodialysis (ED). An experiment was conducted with a benchtop PCCell electrodialysis instrument in batch mode with a non-ion selective membrane. The removal rate of total copper, a valuable plant micronutrient, was analysed. Both copper chloride and copper sulphate removal compared to sodium chloride removal were studied. The copper and the sulphate content in the diluate declined logarithmically with a removal rate of around 98 % for copper in both experiments, and 100 % for sulphate over three hours at a starting temperature of 23 °C. Copper and sulphate were removed faster than sodium chloride at 72 %. The temperature of the diluate increased by 15 % during the threehour run. The loss of water from the diluate was approximately 10 %, limiting brine production.Modelling indicated that the Mass/Charge ratio of ions could be an indicator of the removal rate of anions, especially if they have, like sulphur, a large effective radius, whereas the Effective Ionic Radius can be an indicator for the removal of cations. The smaller the ionic radius, the faster the removal rate of the cation. This model can be used to customise nutrient concentration in the water end product. The customised water has a potential to be used for fertigation, saving the farmer money by retaining beneficial plant nutrients in the water.

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“…The mechanism by which hard water may provide protection against cardiovascular disease remains a matter of debate. [27] Medical scientists and doctors naturally wondered what it was in hard water that was protective, or what was it about soft water that was dangerous to hearts. [16] At times acidity of soft water was blamed as it can cause leaching of toxic metals like lead, cadmium etc.…”

Section: Toxins Of Soft Water Vs Calcium and Magnesium Of Hard Water: Controversy Resolvedmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Paul Hunter, is a professor of health protection at the University of East Anglia, United Kingdom, whose group has been testing a possible protocol. [27] V.…”

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Hard water and heart: the story revisited

Gumashta¹,

R²

2012

IOSJPBS

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A lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases has been observed in areas with hard water.However, numerous debates and controversies prevailed over time. Some scientists had been trying to correlate cardio-protective factor of hard water while others were working on the toxic factor of soft water with this geo-selective predisposition to cardiovascular events. Now the factor unanimously agreed upon can be concluded as Magnesium. The proofs in favour of Magnesium(Mg) come from studies reporting (i) sudden deaths in areas with Mg deficient drinking water, (ii) low myocardial Mg content in sudden death cases, (iii) cardiac arrhythmias & coronary artery vasospasms being precipitated by Mg deficiency and (iv) intravenous Mg reducing the risks of Arrhythmias & deaths immediately after Acute Myocardial Infarction.Magnesium is a structural component of cardiac muscle and is required by as many as 1300 enzymes for different biochemical reactions. It is an important co-factor for ATPase; hence, is needed in every cell. Mg modulates cellular events involved in inflammation and is important for proteolytic enzymes, which counteract inflammation.The modern processed food, softened drinking water and over reliance on ready to eat food thus avoiding fruits & green leafy vegetables is an important cause of Mg deficiency. The deficiency of Mg has been reported to cause increase in inflammatory cytokines, endothelial damage and dyslipidemia; all of which are the centre stage for the development of Atherosclerosis, the thickening & hardening of arterial walls. Magnesium, which seems to be the wonder ion can be used for supplementation & fortification. This can prove to be an efficient, effective, replicable and cost effective model for preventing many diseases particularly cardiovascular diseases through public health interventions.

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Cardiovascular Health: Hard Data for Hard Water

Cited by 6 publications

References 0 publications

Relationship between Tap Water Hardness, Magnesium, and Calcium Concentration and Mortality due to Ischemic Heart Disease or Stroke in the Netherlands

Relationship between Tap Water Hardness, Magnesium, and Calcium Concentration and Mortality due to Ischemic Heart Disease or Stroke in the Netherlands

Selective Electrodialysis for Copper Removal from Brackish Water and Coal Seam Gas Water

Hard water and heart: the story revisited

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