Your skin composition is around 64% water, so it would stand to reason that drinking healthy water would create healthy skin. But it may not be that straight-forward. Rumours that have since been squashed include that simply drinking water will plump up your skin and rid your face of fine lines, wrinkles, large pores, acne, and other blemishes. While water can’t quite perform such immediate miracles, it can improve your digestive health, and via the gut-skin axis, can lead to healthier skin. Consuming filtered water can then take this health to the next level. Let’s take a look at how water filtration prevents digestive issues and ultimately leads to better health, inside and out.
The Link Between Water And Gut Health
Water assisting gut health begins in the mouth. As you consume food, saliva, a water-heavy body fluid, begins breaking it down to safely pass through your digestive tract. Water keeps the lining of your esophagus, intestines, and other passages hydrated and smooth to keep food moving. Water then helps in the breakdown and adsorption of key nutrients. Recent research suggests water is a key component in a flourishing, diverse gut microbiome, which is thought to affect the entire body, including skin health, sleep, temperature regulation, brain function, and more.
The Gut-Skin Axis
Researchers find more and more that your gut and skin directly communicate, particularly through their individual microbiomes. Your gut microbiome consists of bacteria, archaea, protozoa, fungi, and more. Your skin microbiome provides your first line of defense against disease. When your gut microbiome is off, your skin is usually the first to know, reflecting problems through inflammation and imbalance of pH, leading to acne, eczema, rosacea, psoriasis, and other skin conditions. Scientists are finding that people with certain skin disorders like eczema are more likely to have gastrointestinal issues, and people with gastrointestinal disorders such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) are more likely to have skin issues. I personally suffer with acne and digestive issues, and I know that drinking filtered water does show some improvement.
Common Contaminants in Water and Their Impact on Digestive Health
Municipal water is treated to prevent dangerous contamination from diseases and bacteria. However, not all impurities are removed and many are not regulated, such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, PFAs, and heavy metals like copper, lead, and fluoride. Long term exposure to certain contaminants can cause damage to the stomach lining, stomach cramps, and other gastrointestinal issues. The chemicals used to treat water can be hard on the digestive system as well. Chlorine clears water of harmful viruses and bacteria, but can also clear the body of good, helpful bacteria in the gut microbiome. As these chemicals and contaminants affect your gut microbiome, the changes can then be reflected in your skin health. I’ve even noticed that drinking tap water for a longer period of time does upset my bladder too.
The Role of Water Filtration Systems
So what can you do to help protect your own digestive health and, in turn, your skin? Acquiring a water filtration system is a great way to promote healthier water consumption. Depending on the level of protection you are looking for, there are several options to consider, including carbon filters, whole house systems, reverse osmosis, and UV filtration.
Carbon
Filter cartridges composed of carbon media are specifically designed to absorb chemicals, chlorine in particular, from water. Activated carbon assists in absorbing chlorine, chloramines, heavy metals, pesticides, cleaning solvents, and more, but allows healthy minerals like magnesium and calcium to remain. They are also typically composed of coconut shell carbon, making them a natural and sustainable product. Often being the first line of defense for improving water, carbon media filters can be found as in-line filters, water pitcher filters, in under-sink systems, RO systems, whole house systems, and almost any water system you can imagine.
Whole House Filter Systems
Obviously improving your drinking water helps improve your digestive health, but what about your shower water? In a surprise twist, your skin is very good at absorbing stuff, including unwanted contaminants that can then affect your stomach health. To help reduce exposure, consider a whole house water filter system that installs on your main water line, allowing you to have fresh, filtered water for your entire home, including for showering, cooking, laundry, washing dishes, and more. Whole house systems allow you to choose various cartridge choices, with the most popular being carbon and sediment filters.
Reverse Osmosis Systems
If you really struggle with water quality problems, you may go a step further than carbon filtration. A reverse osmosis system provides 0.0001 micron of filtration, which means it can filter out impurities down to that size. Where carbon stops at absorbing chemicals, RO systems can filter out TDS (total dissolved solids) for almost complete reduction of heavy metals, minerals, and organic matter from water. Keep in mind that that does include healthy minerals, so an alkaline filter that adds lost healthy minerals back into water to improve pH may be a great choice, especially when considering keeping your digestive and skin health in check.
UV Filtration
Even after you filter the water, it only lasts for so long. For example, a traditional under-sink RO system stores water in a storage tank. Over time, if the water sits for too long, it may be exposed to unwanted bacteria that can cause digestive issues. A UV filter can use safe UV waves to kill any bacteria or viruses living in the stored water, ensuring it stays clean and fresh.
Long-Term Benefits of Water Filtration for Digestive Health
In the short term, water filters are going to improve the taste, odour, and appearance of your water, making it more desirable and palatable. If your water is more appealing, you’re more likely to consume it, helping you stay hydrated.
Staying hydrated boosts the digestive system’s ability to absorb vital nutrients. It also increases blood flow, which is important for transferring the nutrients as well as oxygen to the body’s organs, including the skin. Plus, increased water consumption prevents dehydration. While water may not be the miracle that immediately reduces acne, wrinkles, and other blemishes, dehydration will make skin look dull, ashy, loose, and more prone to dryness, inflammation, irritation, and an increased healing time.
Beyond immediate improvement of taste and odour, consuming filtered water over plain tap water can assist in boosting your digestive health long-term. Continued consumption may help boost your gut microbiome as it is protected from chlorine and other harsh chemicals, potentially leading to improved sleep, reduced brain fog, improved ability to focus, and much more. A healthier gut can then be reflected in your skin, giving you a healthy glow inside and out.
Conclusion
So what have we learned? Your digestive system health has a large impact on your overall health, with the link to skin health and the gut-skin axis revealing more and more connections all the time. Drinking healthy, filtered water free of potentially harmful impurities can help boost your digestive system health, and as a result, your skin health. Hopefully this article has revealed to you how water filtration can ultimately improve your digestive health, and, in turn, your skin health.
