Does consumption of bottled water impact human lifespan?

From the Guidelines

Drinking bottled water does not lead to a longer life compared to drinking clean tap water, and the key factor for health is consuming safe, clean water regardless of its source. The most recent and highest quality study on the topic of water quality and health is the 2022 espen micronutrient guideline published in Clinical Nutrition 1. This study highlights the importance of fluoride levels in drinking water, but does not provide evidence that bottled water is superior to tap water in terms of health benefits. In fact, the study notes that fluoridation programs have been debated, and that high levels of fluoride in water may be associated with reduced intelligence in children and increased prevalence of cardiac complications.

When considering the health impacts of drinking water, it is essential to prioritize morbidity, mortality, and quality of life as the outcome. In this context, the most important factor is adequate hydration from any clean water source, combined with other lifestyle factors like a balanced diet, regular exercise, not smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, and regular medical check-ups. Some environmental health experts actually express concern about chemicals that may leach from plastic bottles, though the health impacts remain unclear, as noted in a 2019 study on microplastics in freshwaters and drinking water published in Water Research 1.

The environmental impact of plastic bottle production and waste may have indirect public health consequences, and for most people, focusing on simply drinking enough water daily (about 2-3 liters) from any clean source is more important for health than whether that water comes from a bottle or tap. Key considerations for health include:

• Consuming safe, clean water regardless of its source
• Adequate hydration from any clean water source
• Other lifestyle factors like a balanced diet, regular exercise, not smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, and regular medical check-ups
• Potential health impacts of chemicals leaching from plastic bottles
• Environmental impact of plastic bottle production and waste

From the Research

Drinking Bottled Water and Longevity

• There is limited evidence to suggest that drinking bottled water has a direct impact on longevity 2.
• A study on the associations of boiled water and lifespan water sources with mortality found that drinking water from certain sources, such as wells and surface water, around the age of 60 years was associated with increased all-cause mortality, while drinking water from spring around the age of 60 years and well at present was associated with decreased CVD mortality 3.
• However, this study did not specifically examine the effects of bottled water on longevity.
• Another study found that increased daily water intake and hydration had several health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, increasing body temperature, and protecting kidney function, but it did not examine the specific effects of bottled water 4.
• A study on consumer perceptions of water quality found that U.S. consumers are more likely to report bottled water as their primary drinking water source when they perceive that drinking water is not safe, but it did not examine the health effects of bottled water 5.
• A review of the literature on fluid intake and health found that higher fluid intake does not have any convincing health benefits, except perhaps in preventing kidney stones, but it did not specifically examine the effects of bottled water 6.