Can You Oxygenate Your Drinking Water? The Truth Behind This Controversial Practice

Water is indeed vital for life, but the thought of oxygenating the water you drink might seem a bit bizarre. Let's dive into why you might want to consider this unusual practice and explore some methods and dispel common myths about it.

Why Oxygenate Your Water?

Why would you want to oxygenate your water? The simple answer is that our bodies naturally receive all the oxygen we need through the air we breathe. It’s our lungs, not our stomachs, that absorb oxygen into the bloodstream, which then distributes it to the body's cells. Water, despite being 80% hydrogen and 20% oxygen, does not transfer additional oxygen to the body when consumed.

Some proponents of oxygenation claim that it enhances overall health or energy levels, but these claims lack scientific backing. Human bodies have a limited capacity to absorb oxygen and any notion of 'supplementing' through water is highly questionable.

Deoxygenating Your Water: A Practical Approach

If you are curious about deoxygenating your water, boiling it is an effective method. Heating your water to a boil drives off most of the dissolved oxygen, which usually measures around 10 parts per million (ppm) at room temperature. After boiling, let the water cool and carefully transfer it to another container to minimize the oxidation of already low-oxygen water back to its original state.

Beyond the taste and odor issues, this process also reduces the amount of gases like nitrogen (N?), which can contribute to flat-tasting water. The remaining oxygen content in the boiled water will drop to less than 1 ppm, making it significantly less aerated compared to its original state.

Other Methods of Oxygenation

Some enthusiasts believe in oxygenating water by bubbling air through it or by stirring it violently. This process introduces more oxygen into the water, but it is important to note that this approach will not necessarily ensure that the water will reach a specific level of oxygenation that is beneficial.

Bubbling air through the water can be an effective method, but it is used more for aquaculture to ensure fish and aquatic plants receive adequate dissolved oxygen. When used for human consumption, it may not result in a significant change in the water's oxygen content. Violent stirring might add some oxygen temporarily, but it can also introduce unwanted contaminants from the container or environment.

Understanding Oxygen Toxicity

While oxygen is essential for life, too much of it can be harmful. Inhaling pure oxygen at high concentrations can lead to oxygen toxicity, causing damage to the central nervous system and even leading to respiratory failure. The body's tolerable levels of oxygen in the air we breathe is about 20-21%, and anything beyond this can cause serious health issues over time.

Water, being less than 1% of oxygen by mass (as it is part of H?O molecules), cannot be a significant source of added oxygen when consumed. Moreover, the oxygen content in water has minimal physiological significance since the stomach cannot absorb oxygen directly into the bloodstream similar to the lungs.

Conclusion

The practice of oxygenating your drinking water is a niche concept with minimal evidence to support its benefits. Boiling water to deoxygenate it is a practical method if you are looking for a taste change or are particularly sensitive to the taste of oxidized water. However, the idea that oxygenating water can enhance your health or provide more oxygen to your body is more of a marketing myth than a useful practice.

For optimal hydration, focus on staying well-hydrated with clean, safe water, and rely on the air you breathe for your oxygen needs. Stick to the established methods of water purification and storage, avoiding unnecessary and potentially harmful interventions.