9 Tips To Remove Estrogen From Water

As science has kept up with the latest technology, it has been discovered that there are more chemicals and contaminants in our drinking water than we thought. Some of the compounds now found in our water are pretty shocking.

One such contaminant in our water that has been found is estrogen. Estrogen is the primary female sex hormone. It regulates the female reproductive system. The type of estrogen that has been predominantly found in tap water is estradiol.

Estrogen naturally occurs in mammals, both male and female. While it is normal to have some level of estrogen, too much can be dangerous.

There are many negative consequences to having too much Estradiol in our systems. These can include depression, acne, osteoporosis and lowered sex drive. When large quantities are consumed, this has been known to potentially increase the risk of breast and uterine cancer.

The reason that estradiol likely appears in the water supply is that it is a hormone found in birth control. Perhaps people flush unused pills and this is how it ends up in water – it is not really known. It is not the only medication that can be found in household water though.

Now you know why it is important to remove estrogen from the water in your home. The great thing is that most traces of other medications will be removed at the same time when you remove estrogen.

Luckily, there are a few ways this can be achieved. Some options are with whole house water filters or faucet water filters. I’ve written this article so that you can read about a range of tips to remove estrogen from water.

Tips to Remove Estrogen From Water

estrogen in the water

1. Buy Bottled Water

You can always buy bottled water to drink if that is your preference. However, it is not generally recommended because of its negative effects on the environment. Additionally, it may still contain estrogen, depending on where it was sourced from.

It can cost you a lot of money to drink bottled water, and even more if you want to wash your dishes in it. However, it is a viable option so it made it on this list.

2. Reverse Osmosis System

One amazing water filtering system is the reverse osmosis water filter. It provides a great way to remove estrogen from water, as well as many other substances lingering in your water. There is scientific evidence that it can indeed remove estrogen from water.

Reverse osmosis is commonly used in industrial processes for manufacturing. However, you can buy these filters for your home as well.

How it works is that it uses pressure to push water through a unique membrane that filters out particles and contaminants in the water. This is a very effective filtering technique that gets rid of a lot of harmful substances in the water.

The downside of a reverse osmosis system is that it is relatively expensive to purchase.

See more about how reverse osmosis systems work:

YouTube video

 

3. Activated Carbon Filter

Another water filter that may remove estrogen from water is one containing activated carbon. You can get refrigerator water filters, under sink water filters and more with activated carbon. The majority of countertop water filters use it.

The way carbon affects estrogen molecules is that it can bind them together, which allows them to become trapped more easily. If they are more easily trapped, it is of course easier to get them out of your water.

Activated carbon filters are a fantastic choice because they trap numerous other kinds of contaminants as well. These include chlorine, fluoride and arsenic. You don’t want that stuff in your body, so don’t accept it in your water.

4. Consider Your Lifestyle

While birth control pills may be the obvious culprit for estrogen leaking into our water supply, it is certainly not the only one.

Scientists now believe that other factors, such as animal manure and soy and dairy products are major contributors too. Their findings supported the idea that up to 90% of estrogen in the environment comes from animal manure.

You may not be a farmer, so what on earth can you do about this? By purchasing meat and dairy products, you are furthering the industry that puts the most estrogen into the environment.

If you don’t want your water contaminated with estrogen, consider stopping your support of these industries. This is the single biggest impact you can make. If everyone stopped eating meat and drinking milk, fewer animals would be farmed and there would be less estrogen in the environment.

5. Bio Filters

how to remove estrogen from water

Brand-new technology has now allowed the creation of biological filters, which contain enzymes which can break down estrogen.

This type of enzyme is a laccase and it can be found in types of fungus. While these filters are still in creation, they should be available soon so that you can remove estrogen from water in your own home.

6. Polymer Membrane

On the topic of new technology for getting rid of estrogen from water, here’s another option. It has been discovered that a semi-permeable membrane along with an activated carbon adsorber may remove estrogen as well.

The way this system works is that first, water gets pressed through the semi-permeable polymer membrane. This membrane will hold back any larger particles or microorganisms, taking them out of the water. This fresher water is then transferred through the activated charcoal layer.

This method lets through a lot of water, making it more energy efficient than some of its counterparts, such as a reverse osmosis system. Another advantage is that it is quite a quick process.

Depending on how thick the adsorption layer is, it can get rid of up to 90% of hormones in the water, such as estrogen.

7. Combination Technique

While no one method maybe 100% effective for removing estrogen from water, a combination just might be.

One study has shown that using a combination of coagulation, charcoal filters and chlorine effectively removes estrogen from water. According to this study, it removes around 98% of estrogen. That’s pretty amazing!

Coagulation refers to the method of using an aluminum or iron salt to pretreat water. This can remove manganese, arsenic, sulfides and other contaminants. It was found that on its own, this method did not remove estrogen. However, when combined with chlorine and charcoal filters, it works wonders.

8. Chlorine

While many people don’t like chlorine in their water, it has been found that it may reduce estrogen levels in water. So, if you don’t mind the taste of chlorinated water, this could be the optimal solution for you. Treating estrogen with chlorine can result in up to a 98% reduction in parent estrogens.

This method is not yet widely used. This is likely because many people are trying to take chlorine out of their water, not put it in. However, if you are seriously worried about consuming estrogen, then it may be the lesser of two evils.

estrogen in water

9. Water Testing

If it is a large concern for you that there may be estrogen in your water, you won’t know until you test it. Water testing is a good idea if you are feeling anxious about it.

Either you will be relieved and not have to worry about removing it from your water, or you get confirmation that it is in there. Then you can try one of the above methods to remove estrogen from water.

Laboratory tests for estrogen and specifically estradiol are in development. Soon, you will be able to test these levels for yourself at home. For many people, this will provide some comfort. It is unlikely that you have particularly high levels of estrogen in the water supply at your home.

While estrogen is a natural hormone that occurs in the human body, too much can be a bad thing. With acne, depression and increased chance of cancer on the cards – why risk it?

Filtering your water to remove estrogen will give you some peace of mind. That way you can be sure that you are not consuming too much of it and you will feel much safer.

Given the fact that laboratory tests are still being developed, keep an eye on this. Then you can know once and for all how much estrogen is in the water in your home.

Summary

As well as using a filtration system, it is recommended that you also cut down on animal and soy products. By doing this, you are no longer supporting these industries which are sending so many estrogen hormones into the environment.

There are multitudes of other positive environmental effects that occur as well when we cut down on meat and dairy consumption. Less water is used and energy is saved. Trying cutting down slowly and you’ll find that it’s not so hard.

By taking some simple precautions, you can be sure that you aren’t taking in too much estrogen into your system. Try them out and see what you think!

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