Can You Drink Distilled Water? The Short Answer
Yes, distilled water is safe to drink. It will not poison you, and it hydrates your body the same as any other water. The water molecules in distilled water are chemically identical to those in tap water, spring water, or any other form of H2O.
However, "safe to drink" and "optimal for long-term health" are different questions. The World Health Organization, after reviewing evidence from studies involving over 44,000 subjects, concluded that "demineralised water without any further enrichment is not appropriate for drinking." This warning specifically addresses exclusive long-term consumption -- not occasional use or short-term drinking.
The nuance matters because distilled water removes 99.5-99.9% of everything dissolved in water, including beneficial minerals like calcium and magnesium that provide measurable cardiovascular protection. If you eat a balanced diet rich in minerals from food, occasional or short-term distilled water consumption poses no meaningful risk. If distilled water is your only water source for months or years, the research suggests this could affect your health.
What Happens When You Drink Distilled Water
When you take a sip of distilled water, the immediate experience is distinctly different from tap or bottled water. Distilled water tastes "flat" or "empty" because it contains no dissolved minerals or gases. Total dissolved solids measure less than 5 parts per million compared to tap water's typical 200-500 ppm. The pH sits around 5.8 (slightly acidic) because distilled water absorbs carbon dioxide from the air, forming trace carbonic acid.
Short-term effects (days to weeks):
- No harmful effects for healthy adults
- Flat, bland taste that most people find unappealing
- Normal hydration -- your body processes the water identically
- Slightly increased urinary excretion of electrolytes as the body adjusts
Medium-term effects (weeks to months):
- Still no significant health effects for people with adequate dietary mineral intake
- Some people report increased thirst or a feeling of not being satisfied by the water
- Taste adaptation occurs -- the flatness becomes less noticeable over time
Long-term effects (months to years of exclusive use):
- This is where the research raises concerns (see the next section)
- Effects depend heavily on overall diet and mineral intake from food
- US Navy sailors have consumed distilled seawater for up to 40 years with no documented adverse effects, suggesting that adequate dietary intake can compensate
The Science: Health Effects of Long-Term Distilled Water Consumption
The most comprehensive scientific evidence comes from the WHO's 2005 report "Nutrients in Drinking Water" and subsequent systematic reviews. These are not theoretical concerns -- they are based on epidemiological studies, clinical trials, and animal research.
Cardiovascular effects. A 2017 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Water and Health analyzed approximately 44,000 subjects across multiple studies. The findings were significant: calcium in drinking water showed a protective effect against cardiovascular disease with an effect size of 0.82 (95% confidence interval: 0.70-0.95, p=0.008). Magnesium showed an even stronger protective effect of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.66-0.86, p=0.000). In practical terms, drinking water with adequate calcium and magnesium was associated with an 18-25% reduction in cardiovascular disease risk compared to mineral-free water.
Taiwan case-control studies provide specific evidence. A 1998 study examining 17,133 cerebrovascular deaths found that magnesium levels of 7.4-13.4 mg/L in drinking water were associated with significantly reduced stroke risk (odds ratio 0.75), with levels above 13.4 mg/L reducing risk even further (odds ratio 0.60).
Bone health. A three-generation animal study published in PLOS ONE in 2015 followed 30 female rats per group consuming different water types across three generations. The purified water group showed significantly decreased bone biomechanical properties, lower tibiae calcium and magnesium concentrations compared to the tap water group, and significantly lower vitamin D levels.
Other documented effects. The WHO report and subsequent research have identified associations between low-mineral water consumption and increased pre-term birth and low birth weight, higher fracture rates in children, metabolic acidosis in infants when used for formula preparation, and greater risk of "water intoxication" delirium after intense exercise when consuming large volumes of mineral-free water.
Important context. A 2022 systematic review by Sunardi et al. in Reviews on Environmental Health concluded that "demineralized water consumption in the long run was proven to lead to adverse effect" through lower quality of nutrient intake. However, this conclusion applies specifically to populations relying on water as a significant mineral source with inadequate dietary compensation.
Common Myths About Drinking Distilled Water
Several claims about distilled water circulate online that are either false or significantly overstated.
Myth: "Distilled water will dehydrate you." False. Water is water at the molecular level. Your body absorbs distilled water through the same mechanisms as any other water. The absence of minerals does not prevent hydration. This myth likely originates from confusion between hydration (water absorption) and electrolyte balance (mineral levels in body fluids). During normal daily activity, distilled water hydrates you identically to tap water.
Myth: "Distilled water leaches minerals from your body." Partially true but overstated. The scientific basis is that low-mineral water (often called "aggressive water") has a higher tendency to dissolve minerals from its container -- this is well-documented in industrial plumbing contexts. In the body, drinking demineralized water may slightly increase urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, and other electrolytes. However, the magnitude of this effect is small compared to dietary mineral intake. A single glass of milk contains more calcium than you would "lose" from drinking a gallon of distilled water.
Myth: "Distilled water is the purest and therefore the healthiest water." Misleading. While distilled water is among the purest forms of water available (1-5 ppm TDS), purity and health value are not the same thing. The WHO's position that demineralized water "is not appropriate for drinking" reflects genuine public health evidence, not theoretical concern. Water's health value comes partly from the minerals it carries, not just from the absence of contaminants.
Myth: "Distilled water causes cancer." False. There is no scientific evidence linking distilled water consumption to cancer. Some websites misrepresent the WHO's concerns about demineralized water, which focus on cardiovascular and bone health, not cancer risk. The WHO report does not identify distilled water as a carcinogen.
Who Benefits from Drinking Distilled Water
Despite the long-term concerns, distilled water provides genuine benefits for specific populations and situations.
People with compromised tap water. If your local water supply has contaminants above EPA health guidelines -- particularly lead, nitrate, or PFAS -- distilled water eliminates these risks entirely. Check your local water quality to determine if this applies to you.
Immunocompromised individuals. People undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant recipients, HIV/AIDS patients, and others with weakened immune systems may benefit from the sterility of distilled water, as it removes all bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Specific medical conditions. Some kidney conditions require strict control of mineral intake. Patients on dialysis use purified water, and their nephrologists may recommend distilled water for drinking. Always follow your physician's guidance for condition-specific water recommendations.
Temporary situations. During boil advisories, natural disasters affecting water infrastructure, or travel to areas with unsafe water, distilled water provides reliable safety. For short-term use, the mineral depletion concerns are not relevant.
Who Should Be Cautious
The following groups should avoid relying on distilled water as their primary drinking source without medical guidance:
Athletes and people who sweat heavily. Intense exercise depletes electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium) through sweat. Replacing lost fluids with mineral-free water can worsen electrolyte imbalances, potentially leading to hyponatremia (dangerously low sodium). This is the population most at risk from distilled water consumption, though the risk applies to any low-electrolyte fluid during extreme exertion.
Elderly individuals. Older adults are more likely to have marginal mineral intake from declining appetite and dietary changes. Adding mineral-free water to an already mineral-poor diet compounds the deficiency risk. The cardiovascular protective effects of water minerals documented in WHO studies are especially relevant for this population.
Children and adolescents. Growing bones and developing bodies have higher mineral requirements. The three-generation animal study showing reduced bone density with purified water raises concerns for children consuming predominantly distilled water. For infants specifically, see our guide on distilled water for baby formula.
Pregnant and lactating women. Increased calcium and magnesium requirements during pregnancy and breastfeeding make mineral-containing water more important. The WHO report specifically identifies increased pre-term birth risk associated with low-mineral water consumption.
People taking mineral-depleting medications. Certain diuretics, proton pump inhibitors, and other medications can reduce magnesium and calcium levels. Drinking mineral-free water alongside these medications may compound the depletion. If you take any of these medications regularly, consult your physician about appropriate water choices and whether mineral supplementation is advisable.
People fasting or on restrictive diets. During extended fasting, juice cleanses, or highly restrictive diets where food-based mineral intake is already reduced, adding mineral-free water further limits total mineral availability. In these scenarios, mineral-containing water serves as a meaningful supplemental source of calcium and magnesium that distilled water cannot provide.
Distilled vs Other Drinking Water Options
| Factor | Distilled Water | Tap Water (EPA) | RO Purified | Spring Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TDS | 1-5 ppm | 200-500 ppm | 5-50 ppm | 200-400 ppm |
| Minerals | None | Ca, Mg, Na, K | Trace (or remineralized) | Natural minerals |
| Contaminants | 99.9% removed | Meets EPA limits | 93-99% removed | Varies by source |
| Taste | Flat, bland | Varies by region | Clean, neutral | Mineral taste |
| Cost/gallon | $0.30-1.50 | $0.003 | $0.03-0.10 | $0.50-2.00 |
| Health value | Hydration only | Hydration + minerals | Hydration + trace minerals | Hydration + minerals |
For daily drinking, tap water that meets EPA standards offers the best combination of safety, minerals, taste, and cost. If your tap water has quality issues, a reverse osmosis system with remineralization provides contaminant removal while retaining or restoring beneficial minerals for $0.03-0.10 per gallon.
How to Make Distilled Water Healthier for Drinking
If you prefer distilled water or need it for medical reasons, you can mitigate the mineral depletion concerns.
Mineral drops or tablets. Commercial products like ConcenTrace Mineral Drops add back trace minerals to distilled water. A few drops per glass restore calcium, magnesium, and other electrolytes. Cost is typically $10-15 per bottle, lasting 2-3 months.
Pinch of sea salt. Adding 1/4 teaspoon of unrefined sea salt (such as Celtic or Himalayan pink salt) per gallon of distilled water restores sodium, potassium, and trace minerals while improving taste. This is the most cost-effective remineralization method.
Mineral-rich diet. If you eat plenty of dairy products, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes, your dietary mineral intake likely compensates for mineral-free water. The concerns in the WHO report are most acute for populations with marginal dietary mineral intake.
Remineralization filter. Some water dispensers and pitchers include alkaline or remineralization cartridges that add calcium and magnesium back to purified water. These provide consistent mineral levels without manual supplementation.
Check Your Tap Water Quality First
Before switching to distilled water for daily drinking, find out what is actually in your tap water. Many people switch unnecessarily when their tap water is perfectly safe, or fail to switch when it is not.
Search your ZIP code on our site for a complete water quality report comparing your local results to both EPA legal limits and stricter health guidelines. If your tap water meets EPA Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (which are often stricter than legal limits), tap water is likely your healthiest and most economical drinking option.
If your water does have issues, compare the cost and effectiveness of different filtration options before defaulting to distilled water. A $30-50 carbon filter may address taste and chlorine concerns, while a $300-700 reverse osmosis system removes most contaminants while retaining or restoring minerals -- getting the benefits of purification without the long-term mineral depletion concerns of exclusive distilled water consumption.
For those who do choose distilled water, learn how to make it at home for about $0.25-0.35 per gallon, and review our storage guide to keep it fresh.