Clean Water is Vitally Important to Your Thyroid Health

Sadly, in third-world countries, only 1 in 9 people have clean water close to home. In contrast, in developed countries, families can turn on any of 17 faucets in their home and get clean water instantly.

But, is the water coming out of the faucets truly clean?

Specifically, in the United States, I would not call the water clean. Sure, it’s free of dirty sediment and some pathogenic bacteria but to kill those ‘bad guys’, chemicals like chlorine and fluoride are poured into municipal water tanks to “sterilize” it and make it “safer.” The crazy thing is that chlorine doesn’t even kill some of the bacteria, parasites and cysts like Giardia and Cryptosporidium. (1) Giardia needs highly concentrated levels of chlorine exposure for a long period of time to die.

Furthermore, tap water is always contaminated with heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, VOC’s, pesticides, herbicides and industrial solvents. The toxic cocktail you might be drinking depends on the area you live in. Check EWG or call your city leaders to get the latest water report and find out the toxins residing in your water.

Let’s Talk About What’s Really in Your Tap Water

The water coming out of your faucets that has been deemed safe for you to drink by your city officials, the EPA and the FDA has some ingredients in it that may surprise you. The ingredients could actually be making you sicker and killing one of the most important glands in your body – your thyroid.

Now, before you get scared, I want you to know that after I educate you about what’s in your water, I will offer very practical solutions for getting the contaminants out of your water so it’s safe for you and will truly nourish your body.

The chemicals, toxins and contaminants that can be found in your tap water are:

Chlorine

It’s used to sterilize the water and kill off harmful bugs that might be in the water. The problem is that it’s not 100% effective and more importantly, chlorine is a halogen. It resembles iodine in our bodies and our thyroid will see the chlorine and absorb it before it absorbs the iodine. That will create an iodine deficiency and a chlorine toxicity resulting in autoimmunity and other diseases.

Additionally, chlorine can be inhaled when you’re in the shower, which then forms chloroform and has been linked to cancer and a die-off of the good bacteria in the gut microbiome. It can also be absorbed through the skin while in the shower or bath (or pools) and cause the same problems that inhalation can.

Fluoride

At least 75% of the United States’ water is fluoridated. Although some dentists still think fluoride is a great addition to their dental hygiene practices and think it’s beneficial for strengthening teeth and preventing tooth decay, it is an extremely harmful halogen to the human body. It also competes with iodine and is a developmental neurotoxin.

An interesting fact is that up until the 1950’s fluoride was actually used to treat people with hyperthyroidism because of it’s ability to supress the thyroid activity.

Chlorine, as well as Fluoride, are known endocrine disruptors which can build up in the thyroid tissue, decrease TSH, cause thyroid cell death and inflammation as well as damage kidneys and cause major brain fog.

Heavy Metals

Many heavy metals can be found in your water. Examples are Lead, Mercury, Aluminum, Cadmium, Nickel, Copper, Arsenic, Uranium and more.

Mercury, for example, loves fat and tends to migrate and camp in the brain. Aluminum does the same thing. When these metals settle in the brain, they impair natural brain function and cause Autism, Alzheimers and even Parkinson’s disease. Aluminum has been found in the parathyroid gland and is a neurotoxin as well.

Arsenic in the human body has been associated with cases of autoimmunity/chronic illness, diabetes, skin problems, and thyroid hormone receptor malfunction.

Cadmium has also been found to interfere with thyroid hormones.

Lead is not necessarily added to your water, instead, it comes from the pipes your water travels through. Lead can cause central nervous system problems, blood disorders and even kidney problems.

Pharmaceuticals

Again, these aren’t added to your water but the waste from processing them can be found in water and people often put their un-used medications down the drain. Since they can also be found in landfills, they travel into the groundwater as they disintegrate. When you have traces of pharmaceuticals in your water, it’s just like taking the actual medicine and side effects can arise from that.

VOC’s

This acronym is short for volatile organic compounds. These can come from anything like pesticides, herbicides, paint, sprays, discharge from textile factories, agricultural run-off, industrial solvents and more. Basically, they are chemicals that our human bodies were never made to absorb or be taken internally. They can kill off the gut microbiome, harm your adrenal glands, cause skin disorders, chronic illness, cancer and even death in extreme cases.

Your Thyroid Function on Tap Water

It’s safe to say that any of these contaminants I mentioned above will directly or indirectly have a negative effect on your thyroid gland.

According to Dr. Izabella Wentz, “In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control reported that the average American has 116 out of 148 synthetic compounds in his or her body, including dioxins, polycyclic hydrocarbons, and organochloride pesticides.”

Proper liver function is 100% necessary to convert T4 to the active thyroid hormone T3 and when the liver is bogged down with all the toxins from our water, contaminants in our food, toiletries, cosmetics and the environment, it can’t properly convert the hormone which, in turn, causes hypothyroidism and even Hashimoto’s. One way to reduce the toxic load on your liver is to drink contaminant-free water.

Additionally, many of the toxins found in tap water can actually kill thyroid cells and mimic hormones which ultimately confuses the pituitary gland as well as the hypothalamus and the thyroid gland and suppresses hormone function. Your thyroid absolutely needs clean water!

Some Science on Heavy Metals and the Thyroid

Arsenic and Thyroid Receptors
Arsenic and Thyroid Hormones
Heavy Metals and Thyroid Hormones
Lead and Thyroid Hormones

Your Water Needs to Be Filtered

But What’s the Best Way to Filter Your Water? {Let’s Talk About Your Options}

There are several options out there to help filter your water. While some are better than others, I want to discuss them so you know what your choices are.

When thinking about filtering your water, it’s important to decide whether your end goal is to filter just your drinking water or all the water in your home that comes in contact with your body.

The latter is the best choice because it’s not just drinking water that negatively affects your health. However, sometimes people need to start by just filtering their drinking water due to their budget and then save up to purchase a whole house filtration system.

Different Types of Water Filtration

Pitchers and Counter Top Filtration Options

These are generally the lower-cost options requiring little to no upfront investment. Some of them remove very little of the contamination while others remove more but not all. One big positive point about using this type of filter is that they don’t require electricity which can be a plus if you find yourself without power.

Brita Plastic Pitchers

A solid block active carbon filter that usually holds around 5-18 cups of water.

Removes: Chlorine and particulates (like sediment).

Does Not Remove: Fluoride, VOC’s, Endocrine Disruptors, Pharmaceuticals, or Heavy Metals. *Their Longlast Filter will filter some heavy metals but it states that it’s not guaranteed and really only reduces them.

Soma Sustainable Pitcher

A stylish plastic pitcher with a coconut base active carbon filter that holds 10 cups of water. It’s a subscription-based program where you pre-order your filters and they send you a new filter every two-months to remind you it’s time to change it.

Removes: Chlorine and up to 50% of Mercury, Copper and Zinc.

Does Not Remove: Fluoride, VOC’s, Endocrine Disruptors, Pharmaceuticals, or other Heavy Metals.

SS Drinking Water Gravity Filter

This high-efficiency filtration system is meant to sit on the countertop. The water container is made of stainless steel and the water is filtered through the patented CeraMetix filters that can be cleaned multiple times to be able to filter up to 3,000 gallons of water before replacing. There is an option to choose a system with 2 filters or 4 filters which would depend on how much water you want to filter each day.

Removes:

• Pathogenic Bacteria – Cholera, Typhoid, Salmonella, Serratia, Fecal Coliform >99.99%removal, E coli – 100%
• Cysts – Cryptosporidium Parvum, Giardia Lamblia – 100% removal
• Sediment – Down to 0.8 micron – 100% removal
• Reduces the following by 80-99% – Aluminum, Arsenic (III, IV), Cadmium, Chloramines, Chlorine, Chromium (III, VI), Copper, Fluoride, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, Radionuclides, Silver & Zinc
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) – VOCs include: 2,4,5-TP (Silvex); 2,4-D; Alachor; Atrazine; Benzene; Bromodichloromethane; Bromoform; Carbofuran; Carbon Tetrachloride; Chlorobenzene; Chlorodibromomethane; Chloroform; Chloropicrin; dibromochloropropane(DBCP); O Dichlorobenzene; P Dichlorobenzene; 1, 2 Dichloroethane; 1,1 Dichloroethylene; cis-1,2 Dichloroethylene; trans 1,2 Dichloroethylene; Dichloropropane; Dichloropropylene; cis-1,2-dichloropropylene; Dinoseb; EDB; Endrin; Ethylbenzene; bromochloroacetonitrile; dibromoacetonitrile; dichloroacetonitrile; trichloroacetonitrile; 1,1 dichloro-2-propanone; 1,1,1 trichloro-2-propanone; Haloacetonitriles; Haloketones; Heptachlor; Heptachlor Epoxide; Hexachlorobutadiene; Hexachlorocyclopentadiene; Lindane; Methoxychlor; Pentachloropheno; Simazine; Styrene; Tetrachlorethylene; Tetrachloroethane; THMs/TTHMs; Toluene; Tribromoacetic acid; Trichlorobenzene; 1,1,1 Trichloroethane; 1,1,2; Trichloroethane; Trichloroethylene; Xylenes

Does Not Remove: 100% of heavy metals, chlorine or fluoride but removes more than the pitcher options mentioned above.

Big Berkey

Using a solid block carbon filtering technology, this 2.1 gallon stainless steel filtration system is meant to sit on your countertop. These filters are cleanable and will filter up to 6,000 gallons of water. You also have the option to choose a 2 filter or 4 filter system depending on how much water you want to filter each day.

Removes:

• Pathogenic Bacteria – Cysts & (E. Coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Raoltella Terrigena, Bacillus Atrophaeus) – Reduced to > 99.9999%, Viruses (MS2 – Fr Coliphage) – Reduced to > 99.999%, 
• Parasites – Reduced to > 99.9999%
• Herbicides and Pesticides, Pharmaceuticals – Acetometophin, Caffeine, Triclosan, Ciprofloxacin HC, Erythromycin USP, Trimethoprim, Diclofenac Sodium, Carbamazepine, BPA, Ibuprofen, Naproxen Sodium, Primidone, Progesterone, Gemfibrozil, 4-para-nonylphenol, 4-tert-octylphenol- Reduced to > 99.9%
• Chlorine – Removed to Below Detectable Limits
• Chloramines – Reduced to > 99.9%, 
• Perfluorochemicals – Reduced to > 99.9% 
• Nitrites – Removed to > 95%
• Glysophate > 75% (75% was the reporting limit of testing equipment. Removal rate may be higher)
• Organic solvents – THM’s (Trihalomethanes – Bromodichloromethane, Bromoform, Chloroform, Dibromochloromethane) – Removed to Below Detectable Limits
• MTBE’s (Methyl tert-Butyl Ether) – Removed to Below Detectable Limits
• Other VOC’s – Removed to Below Detectable Limits
• MBAS (Methylene Blue Active Substances) 
• Sediment 
• Radiologicals – Removed up to 99.8%
• Selenium and Thallium – 95% and greater 
• Heavy metals – 99% and greater

Does Not Remove: 100% of anything or Endocrine Disruptors.

Aqua Cera Countertop Filter

With a less domineering presence than the big stainless steel containers, this filtration system also uses the patented CeraMetix carbon filters and sits on the countertop. It has a little spout and white tube that connects to your faucet to be able to give you, glass by glass filtered water. *This only works with faucets that don’t have pull-down vegetable sprayers.

Removes:

• Pathogenic Bacteria – Cholera, Typhoid, Salmonella, Serratia, Fecal Coliform >99.99%removal, E coli – 100%, Cysts – Cryptosporidium Parvum, Giardia Lamblia – 100% removal
• Sediment – Down to 0.8 micron – 100% removal
• Reduces the following by 80-99% – Aluminum, Arsenic (III, IV), Cadmium, Chloramines, Chlorine, Chromium (III, VI), Copper, Fluoride, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, Radionuclides, Silver & Zinc
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) – VOCs include: 2,4,5-TP (Silvex); 2,4-D; Alachor; Atrazine; Benzene; Bromodichloromethane; Bromoform; Carbofuran; Carbon Tetrachloride; Chlorobenzene; Chlorodibromomethane; Chloroform; Chloropicrin; dibromochloropropane(DBCP); O Dichlorobenzene; P Dichlorobenzene; 1, 2 Dichloroethane; 1,1 Dichloroethylene; cis-1,2 Dichloroethylene; trans 1,2 Dichloroethylene; Dichloropropane; Dichloropropylene; cis-1,2-dichloropropylene; Dinoseb; EDB; Endrin; Ethylbenzene; bromochloroacetonitrile; dibromoacetonitrile; dichloroacetonitrile; trichloroacetonitrile; 1,1 dichloro-2-propanone; 1,1,1 trichloro-2-propanone; Haloacetonitriles; Haloketones; Heptachlor; Heptachlor Epoxide; Hexachlorobutadiene; Hexachlorocyclopentadiene; Lindane; Methoxychlor; Pentachloropheno; Simazine; Styrene; Tetrachlorethylene; Tetrachloroethane; THMs/TTHMs; Toluene; Tribromoacetic acid; Trichlorobenzene; 1,1,1 Trichloroethane; 1,1,2; Trichloroethane; Trichloroethylene; Xylenes

Does Not Remove: 100% of anything except pathogenic bacteria and sediment. Does not remove pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors either.

If You Use a Pitcher or Countertop System, You Still Need to Think About Your Baths & Showers

Before we had the whole house filtration system we have now and eons ago when we just used a Brita pitcher which meant we were still getting all of the contaminants except chlorine which was terrible for my Hashimoto’s, I also put these filters on all of our showers which only filtered out chlorine but at least I was reducing one toxin. These bath balls are helpful to reduce chlorine in the bathtub water too. *If you plan to take a bath while traveling you can bring the bath ball along as well.

Under The Counter Filtration Options

These types of filtration systems do cost more than the above options and often times need to be installed by a plumber or handyman. They tend to be long lasting and you don’t have to continually fill them up manually. They will filter the water at your kitchen sink, therefore, it’s important to understand that your baths and showers or any other place you contact water in your home, will not be filtered. However, these are definitely a step up and have added convenience over the countertop filtration systems.

AquaCera EcoFast

This is a carbon-based under counter filtration option that installs under your sink with a small spigot that sits on your counter next to the water faucet. It uses an anti-microbial infused, active carbon powder block with a lead absorbent material to remove contaminants.

Removes:

• Chlorine @ 2ppm Challenge – 1000 gallons at greater than 96.7% removal of Chlorine
• Particulate Removal Class I (0.5—0.9 micron) efficiency @ 99.5%
• Cyst 100% removal based on 135,000 microspheres
• Lead Reduction based on 144 ug/L(144 ppb) challenge – >99.3% Reduction based on 1000 gallon capacity
• Fluoride including Fluorosilicic acid additive type
• Arsenic
• Cadmium
• Chromium
• Copper
• Lead
• Mercury
• Nickel
• Radionuclides
• Silver and
• Zinc

Does Not Remove: 100% of anything except Cysts and does not remove Endocrine Disruptors or pharmaceuticals

Reverse Osmosis Filtration System (RO)

The Reverse Osmosis process works in the following way:

Contaminated water (ions, molecules and larger particles) runs through a semi-permeable membrane to purify the water. As it runs through the membrane, many contaminants are removed and the water is demineralized and deionized producing very harsh and aggressive water that’s highly acidic since the water is not restructured. During this process, the purified water goes into one container and up to as much as 5 gallons of contaminated water goes into wastewater just to produce one gallon of clean water.

If your water is high in chlorine, it can burn holes in the RO membrane causing it to need replacement more often. Generally, these membranes need descaling and cleaned often. They should also be replaced at least once a year but up to 4 times per year which can be quite costly. Also, RO systems tend to have a lower flow rate.

Although this option, in my opinion, is not the best way to go, this is an RO system that is mid-range in cost and will filter contaminants out of your water.

Removes: 

• Particulates (Sediment)
• Chlorine
• TDS
• Sodium and a wide range of contaminants such as
• Chromium
• Arsenic
• Copper
• Lead
• Cysts, such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium

Does Not Remove: VOC’s, Endocrine disruptors, 100% of anything

Multi-Stage Filter

This is the Cadillac of the under counter filtration systems and is something we plan on adding to our whole house filtration system.  The 14 Stage Biocompatible Water Triple Purification System uses the following 14 stages to produce beautifully safe and healthy water.

The first 7 stages create ultra pure water and the second 7 stages rebalance the water including the PH level and adds the minerals (calcium & magnesium) back into the purified water.

• Stage 1 – Filtration – Five Micron Sediment Pre-Filter
• Stage 2 – Filtration – Internal Coconut Shell Carbon Filter
• Stage 3 – Purification – Reverse Osmosis Membrane
• Stage 4 – Purification – Mixed Bed De-Ionization System 1
• Stage 5 – Purification – Mixed Bed De-Ionization System 2
• Stage 6 – Holding Tank
• Stage 7 – Sterilization – 14 Watt Ultraviolet Light
• Stages 8 & 9 – Restructuring – Homeopathic Memory, Molecule Coherence
• Stage 10 – Reprogramming – Adding Natural Mineral Properties
• Stage 11 – Reprogramming – Adding Natural Earth Properties
• Stage 12 – Reprogramming – Lowering Surface Tension
• Stage 13 & 14 – Remineralizing – Coconut Shell Carbon Post-Filtration and Alka-Min Ionic Remineralization

In a nutshell, this multi-stage filtration system will purify, sterilize, restructure, remineralize and rebalance the alkalinity of your water!

Removes: Everything

• Fluoride
• Lead and other heavy metals
• Chlorine
• MTBE
• Chromium
• Nitrates/Nitrites
• Pesticides/Herbicides
• Pharmaceuticals
• Water Borne Illnesses (Pathogenic Bacteria)
• Endocrine Disruptors
• VOC’s
• Chloramines
• Industrial Solvents, and more

Does Not Remove: 100% of everything – just 99% which is amazing.

The filter for this only needs to be replaced every 5-7 years and the system includes a TDS meter to continually test the performance of your filter.

*You’ll notice that one of the stages of this system includes an RO membrane. I called the company regarding this because reverse osmosis wastes a lot of water and because it can produce aggressive water that can cause inflammation. I am happy to report that it only uses 2.5 gallons to make 1 gallon of purified water as opposed to 5 gallons of wasted water. This is a lot better than the industry standard. Also, as far as the aggressive water that RO creates, this is mitigated due to the 14 stage system’s restructuring and remineralizing process. That process returns the water back to a gentle and healthy water for your body.

Whole House Filtration System Options

While these are generally extremely expensive and quite the investment, they are completely worth it to drastically improve your skin, thyroid and overall health, as well as help, prevent the onset of disease.

We own the Series 4 Filtration System which we had professional plumbers install in our home before we moved in and we couldn’t be happier.

These high quality, top of the line, whole house filtration systems cleanse the water at the point of entry to your house and they are virtually maintenance-free. We love it because we know that we receive clean and safe water out of every single faucet in our home. That means that when I wash the dishes and the water touches my hands, it will be safe. It means when I am taking a shower or bath or even brushing my teeth that I don’t have to worry about contaminants harming my health or my loved one’s health.

These filters have a 10-year lifespan and they are made of an advanced media blend of tri mixed bed carbon, sediment base, zeolite and KDF.

Removes:

• Chlorine
• Chloramines
• THM
• HAA
• VOC’s
• Fluoride
• Heavy Metals
• Herbicides
• Pesticides
• Pharmaceuticals
• Hydrogen Sulfide
• and the Series 6 removes Bacteria, Algae and Fungi as well.

Does Not Remove: Not applicable since it removes everything!

This water filtration system, whether you get the series 2, 4 or 6 is a wonderful system to pair with the 14 Stage Multi-Stage Biocompatible System because it completes the process of remineralizing and restructuring your drinking water. As I mentioned above, we are saving for the 14 Stage system to use with our whole house system. For now, we use a big glass drink dispenser that we place on our counter and we add drops of these or these minerals to replace the trace minerals that need to be in our water.

My Final Thoughts About Water and Your Thyroid Health

Whew! If you’re still with me, give yourself a pat on the back. This post really is meant to be a resource for those searching for a way to filter their water that fits within their particulate budget not a full read through in one sitting. Though, if you’ve done that, I would imagine you have learned a lot about your water and what types of filters you can choose from!

Healing your thyroid as well as protecting it is a multi-faceted process but I would say that reducing and eliminating as many toxins out of your life should be at the top of the list.

Now that you know the contaminants that reside in your water and how to get them out of your water, I would encourage you to start filtering the water you drink. If you have a low budget, just start with the pitchers or countertop solutions because at least you will be filtering out some toxins. Then, as you are able to save money, work up to investing in your health by purchasing an under counter or whole house filtration system. Your thyroid is fragile and thyroid hormone is in every single cell in your body so it’s THAT important to drink truly clean water.

If you have any questions, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!