Filtered water: Is it actually worth it?

I've been using Britney water filters for quite a few years now, mostly just to make sure my tea tastes right.

In the meantime, I've started dealing with high blood pressure—my systolic is hitting around 140-145, while my diastolic stays relatively low, right around 60.

I try to be pretty careful about what I eat, and I don't really use salt at all (honestly, I can't even stand the taste), so I suppose the only other thing that comes to mind as a possible cause for the high readings is the filtered water, though I realize how crazy that might sound...

Has anyone else experienced anything similar?😕

Did everyone just read through this without leaving a single comment?

It doesn't really matter, I suppose.

On a different note, does anyone here actually magnetize their water, and if so, what are your thoughts on it?

For those who aren't familiar, the whole idea is basically just holding a container of water under a magnet before you drink it; according to some stories going around, it's supposed to provide certain health benefits...😲

Nah, don't sweat it...

All Britney is doing is stripping the chlorine out of the water...

Most people deal with high blood pressure without even knowing why. I know you're currently hunting for the root cause, hoping to just wipe it off the map and be done with it. Just focus on finding a solid treatment plan for that annoying condition and take care of yourself...

I have no clue if there’s any connection to blood pressure, but your question actually reminded me of something. This past summer while I was on vacation, I was drinking filtered water and ended up dealing with constant diarrhea. The second I switched back to regular tap water, everything went back to normal.

Now, I am genuinely curious—has anyone else here dealt with something similar? 😕

I’ve been sticking to filtered water for a few years now—using a Britney pitcher specifically—and I haven't dealt with any stomach issues since. 🙂

The catch is that these filters don't actually stop bacteria from multiplying. If the water source isn't clean to begin with, or if the filter or pitcher itself gets contaminated, you're basically just drinking tainted water.

placidfox55 said:I’ve been drinking filtered water for a few years now—I mostly just use a Britney filter—and I haven't dealt with any issues regarding loose stools. 🙂

I suppose the real issue with these filters is that they don't actually stop bacteria from multiplying. So, if the water isn't microbiologically clean to begin with, or if the filter itself or the pitcher gets contaminated, then that filtered water might not be safe to drink.

Hey placidfox55, how has your blood pressure been?

placidfox55 said:All Britney does is basically just strip the chlorine out of the water...

Actually, she’s stripping away way more than just the chlorine! We're talking herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, and heavy metals—stuff like copper, lead, and mercury—all gone. Plus, it makes the water "soft." Now, look, being able to ditch those heavy metals is a massive win since they are absolutely terrible for your kidneys and liver, but—and here's my take—because you're losing all those minerals, especially the iron, I honestly think it leads to much looser stools...

Alright.

The manufacturer uses activated carbon derived from coconut shells in these filters to strip out organic impurities and chlorine.

They also include silver for its antibacterial properties, along with ion exchange resins designed to target elements like copper, iron, or lead.

Britney filters can even take out things like "lindane"—some kind of pesticide, I think—which is mostly thanks to the absorption power of the activated carbon.

I’m not really sure if this could have any impact on my blood pressure, but it’s the only thing I can think of; I haven't been using filtered water for a few days now, and the teas I've been making taste absolutely terrible.

The tap water where I live is just loaded with limescale... so, honestly, the only thing that seems to help is that new enhanced Britney filter.

So, I picked up this fancy water filter from Amway—paid an absolute fortune for it—but once I actually took it apart, it looked like total junk. Honestly, I’m still using it, but I have this nagging feeling it's just a complete scam.
That whole thing about magnets really caught my attention, though.
Back on the old forum, I actually started a thread about "polarized" water after a friend told me all about it.
She uses this specific filter and swears by it. I have zero clue how the science behind it works, but she claims if you take a bottle, fill it with 1/4 of this specialized water, and then top it off with 3/4 regular tap water, the whole thing becomes "polarized" within 24 hours.
I’m just passing along what she said, so please don't come for me—I don't have any answers to your questions!
As for me, I was dealing with some fungal issues, and when I used a bit of the water she gave me to breed a culture and then washed everything with it, the problem cleared up. But the second I stopped using it, the fungus came right back.
Has anyone else ever heard of this stuff? What’s your take?

granitebadger25, you mentioned you were out at the beach—do you drink tap water there, or maybe some well water or sparkling stuff? I’m wondering if that might be what's causing the stomach issues.
We used to swear by Britney, but we finally gave up on it once the kids started daycare. They just serve them unfiltered water there, and honestly, half the parents were breathing down my neck telling me I was being ridiculous. Like, why bother filtering everything at home if they're just going to gulp down raw water everywhere else? So, I just threw in the towel.
I can't tell if I made the right call. Personally, I don't drink a ton of fluids, and I haven't noticed any issues with my blood pressure or... well, my bathroom habits. Anyway, let me know what you guys think—is it just me, or is everyone else ditching their Britney filters too?

When I'm at the beach, I just stick to regular tap water.

Last summer, my parents bought one of those high-end water filtration systems, so we all switched over to filtered water.

For the first three days, I experienced some minor digestive irregularities—nothing resembling a full-blown gastrointestinal infection, mind you. I was dealing with maybe three or four bowel movements a day, but otherwise, I felt perfectly fine. At first, I assumed it was just my body reacting to a change in environment, especially since I usually struggle more with constipation.

Then, I went back to drinking plain water for a few days and everything returned to normal... but as soon as I tried the filtered water again, the frequent trips to the bathroom returned. It became clear that this system simply isn't for me, so I've gone back to standard water. No one else in my family had any issues at all... it seems my gut is just hypersensitive. 😉

I don't think it's strictly a matter of water hardness, either. For instance, I drink rainwater without any trouble and it has zero impact on my digestion.
😕

I ran into this exact issue down in Key West and Martha's Vineyard... it’s like the water straight from the cistern isn't up to par, so everyone keeps pushing that filtered stuff on you instead. One time, I had two gulps of the local stuff and—boom—instant nausea, an urge to vomit, and constant trips to the bathroom.

But if I stick to that famous cistern water? Absolutely nothing.😲

I saw some talk recently about how those Britney filters aren't actually all that great—apparently they leave just enough limescale behind while dumping other weird junk into the water. Honestly, whenever I drink that Britney stuff, I'm sprinting to the restroom. Usually, if I can drink straight from the tap, I'm good to go. If not, I'll just grab a bottle of Dasani or something...

Karen Foster said:I've been using Bridget water filters for years now, mostly just to make my tea.

Lately, my blood pressure has been hitting 140-145 systolic, while my diastolic stays pretty low, around 60.

I watch what I eat and I don't touch salt—honestly, I can't even stand it—so the only thing I can think of causing this spike is the filtered water. I know how crazy that sounds, but...

Anyone else dealt with this?😕

No way. Your pressure isn't spiking because of the filter; it's probably just because you're drinking too much water.

I stopped drinking straight from the tap after I saw what happens to the water when you actually boil it. Seriously, try it and see for yourself...

placidfalcon said:I stopped drinking straight tap water after seeing what happens when you actually boil it. Seriously, do it once and you'll never look at your sink the same way...

You’re probably just talking about those weird stains left behind after boiling—mostly just minerals from the local city water supply, honestly.

What really turned my stomach was all the gunk and rust caked onto that little mesh screen at the faucet outlet. 🤮

placidfalcon said:That doesn't seem right. I suspect your blood pressure might actually be up just because you're drinking way too much water.

What does "too much" even mean in this context?

When I'm doing intense cardio workouts, I guess there isn't much else to do besides constantly chugging water, so maybe you have a point, though it’s pretty hard to know exactly where the limit is...

I did try making some green tea using tap water (the stuff here in my town has so much calcium buildup it's almost ridiculous), but it didn't last very long since the taste was honestly pretty awful.

My next experiment involves trying it with bottled water from Dasani, though I have a feeling that might not be the best way to prep green tea either.🙄

I know they always tell people with high blood pressure to cut back on fluids and salt, obviously.
But honestly, a reading of 140-145 isn't even "high"—it’s basically just the upper limit of what’s considered normal. Your numbers are going to bounce around all day, so timing is everything. Try taking it first thing in the morning when you wake up. Sit upright for five minutes to just chill out before you start. Then, take two readings two minutes apart and average them out. I read somewhere that that's actually the right way to do it.

I’ve been sticking to filtered water for quite some time now... personally, I find the taste much cleaner—it might sound a bit ridiculous, but to my palate, it almost tastes sweeter. 😁 unknown! And there's this certain softness to it... I realize that's entirely subjective and has absolutely nothing to do with intelligence, but then again, what does any of that matter? 😁
A woman I know—she works in one of those high-end testing labs, you know, the places where they scrutinize every single variable imaginable, from tap water to the quality of dark chocolate 😁—once mentioned to me that the water in New York City is actually pretty decent. Sure, it contains all sorts of minerals and trace elements, but nothing catastrophic or life-threatening.
Well, let's see how that plays out for us. 😁