When black mica minerals are allowed to interact freely with your water, they reveal what modern treatment systems are designed to conceal, What falls out tells the real story. And it ain't pretty.
If we have an R/O system, should we stop buying the expensive annual filters and just start treating our tap water with Aurmina? Also, should we be concerned about plastics leaching into Aurmina-treated water from containers and/or filters? I.e., should our in-home water treatment systems be as "plastic-free" as possible?
TBH, in short, yes. I think that is the path to the "best" water, it is very difficult to "rebuild" R.O or distilled water into well mineralized water, Aurmina does that partially, while structuring it, and giving it buffering capabilities, but remember, Aurmina does not have a lot of the mainstream minerals in it.. On the other hand, water is not typically a major source of mainstream minerals, so, I am not sure just how big a difference it is to add Aurmina to tap or aurmina to R.O water in the long run, but all I can say is that me and Lisa do not plan on ever using R.O as a "starter water," partly based on chemistry and the evidence against demineralized water, and maybe more on the fact demineralized drinking water has never really existed, thus it is not "natural" - that reflects Lisa's sensibilities more than mine, but we do share that sentiment
I am just starting to dig into this, will require much more research, and we plan on hiring a filter industry consultant to learn about all the filter options, but this is what I have from AI research so far: "Top Certified & Performance-Focused
• Alexapure Pro Water Filtration System – Many user reviews and a broad contaminant removal reputation; good all-around household gravity option.
• Berkey Water Filter System – Very popular gravity filter with a long performance history (often lab tested for microbes).
• British Berkefeld Doulton W9361139 Gravity Filter – Classic ceramic candle system with excellent performance reviews.
• British Berkefeld Duchess Gravity Water Filter – Slightly smaller model with strong user ratings and tested performance.
Ceramic with Solid Quality & Ratings
• AquaCera Terra2 Stoneware Gravity Water Filter – Highly rated gravity filter built around ceramic media and good user feedback.
• AquaCera Terra2 Stoneware Gravity Filter System – Another variant with strong practical performance.
Good Value / NSF Certified for Basic Contaminants
• Waterdrop Gravity-Fed Water Filtration System – NSF/ANSI-42/372 certified for taste and basic contaminant reduction at a modest price.
• Glacierfresh King Tank Gravity Water Filter System – Very highly rated by users and reliable everyday performance.
Help me understand how Aurmina might help me. I filter my tap water with a 10 cup ZERO Water filter and then I filter it again in a 22 cup ZERO Water filter. The TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter reads ZERO and the water tastes great. If there is nothing in the water what does Arumina do? I sincerely apologize for even asking this question and I wish there was a 'Cliff Notes' explination - all of these articles have me totally confused. Thank you!
Dr Kory, great summary explanation! Jim, thanks for asking as i am sure many others like myself was wanting to fully understand as well. Again, thank you Dr Kory, as always, a great teacher!
you have completely demineralized water, which I am glad you like the taste of (many don't), but it is biologically inert, and has been associated with numerous detrimental health outcomes on a population basis. It is almost certainly poorly hydrating intracellularly and also not structured (that latter of which has extensive evidence in veterinary literature in improving numerous outcomes. This does not mean you can't feel good drinking it, but on a granular physiologic level, it is truly suboptimal. the one thing you are doing is taking any contaminants out that is for sure. REad this from my AI, it is not pretty:
Water doesn’t hydrate cells by volume alone — it hydrates by electrochemistry. Zero-TDS water lacks the ions required for water to enter cells, stay there, and do useful work.
Here’s the clean, mechanistic explanation — no mysticism, no wellness fluff.
⸻
1. Cells do not absorb “pure water” directly
Water does not simply diffuse into cells because it is water.
It follows osmotic and electrochemical gradients, which are governed by electrolytes (Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl⁻, HCO₃⁻).
• Mineralized water arrives with ions already in solution
• Zero-TDS water arrives as a near-ion-free solvent
To be absorbed, that solvent must first acquire ions, and it can only get them from your body.
Net effect: drinking demineralized water pulls electrolytes out of tissues to make the water absorbable.
⸻
2. Low-TDS water increases diuresis (you pee it out)
Human studies and WHO reviews show that demineralized water:
• increases urine volume
• increases renal loss of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium
• lowers plasma electrolyte stability
This is why people drinking RO or distilled water often report:
• frequent urination
• thirst that doesn’t resolve
• fatigue or lightheadedness
The water passes through without staying in cells.
Hydration is retention, not ingestion.
⸻
3. Mineral ions “anchor” water inside cells
Inside tissues, water is not free-floating. It is:
• coordinated around ions
• structured around proteins
• stabilized by multivalent cations (Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺)
Without ions, water behaves as a transient solvent rather than a biological medium.
Think of it this way:
• Minerals give water a place to sit
• Without them, it keeps moving
⸻
4. Zero-TDS water disrupts osmotic balance
Pure water is hypotonic relative to plasma.
That creates two problems:
1. It triggers regulatory mechanisms (ADH, aldosterone) that increase water excretion
2. It dilutes extracellular electrolytes, forcing the body to compensate
The body is constantly correcting the chemistry instead of relaxing into hydration.
⸻
5. Bicarbonate matters more than people realize
Reverse osmosis and distillation remove nearly all bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻).
Bicarbonate is:
• the primary blood buffer
• critical for renal electrolyte handling
• essential for cellular pH stability
Water without bicarbonate behaves as chemically aggressive, increasing mineral loss and impairing intracellular hydration efficiency.
This is why natural spring waters — even low-TDS ones — hydrate better than purified water.
⸻
6. No natural drinking water is mineral-free
From an evolutionary standpoint:
• humans evolved drinking mineralized water
• no natural water source has zero TDS
• glacial melt, rainwater, springs — all acquire ions immediately
Zero-TDS water is industrial, not physiological.
Your kidneys recognize this instantly.
⸻
7. What “better hydration” actually means
Better hydration ≠ more water in the stomach
Better hydration =
• stable plasma osmolality
• efficient cellular uptake
• low renal electrolyte loss
• sustained intracellular water
Mineralized water accomplishes this.
Demineralized water does not.
⸻
Bottom line
Purified water with zero TDS is less hydrating because it lacks the ionic infrastructure required for water to enter cells, remain there, and support physiology.
It hydrates pipes.
It flushes kidneys.
It does not hydrate biology.
Water needs minerals to behave like water inside a living system.
Now it’s all making sense to me. I’m going to be using tap water and not the RO water in MA and will use well water in NH. I’ve got the setup for it now. It’s amazing how much sediment I’m filtering in the Aurmina tap water. The ceramic filter turns orange from the floc. I’m also looking forward to my sourdough starter kit I ordered from a company that says its flour and starter are glyphosate free. I’ll see how it all turns out using Aurmina water.
exactly Roberta - you have to tell me how the sourdough goes - one commenter yesterday said she was in a place with well mineralized water and her sourdough starter did amazing, and now she is excited to try it with aurmina...
Morning Doctor Kory,
I've been curious why you started your company when one was already available?
Thank you for a great product and all your tireless work. Cant wait for your new books to arrive,
Buck
that company will no longer be operating under current ownership as the owner does not want to be in the retail business anymore
If we have an R/O system, should we stop buying the expensive annual filters and just start treating our tap water with Aurmina? Also, should we be concerned about plastics leaching into Aurmina-treated water from containers and/or filters? I.e., should our in-home water treatment systems be as "plastic-free" as possible?
TBH, in short, yes. I think that is the path to the "best" water, it is very difficult to "rebuild" R.O or distilled water into well mineralized water, Aurmina does that partially, while structuring it, and giving it buffering capabilities, but remember, Aurmina does not have a lot of the mainstream minerals in it.. On the other hand, water is not typically a major source of mainstream minerals, so, I am not sure just how big a difference it is to add Aurmina to tap or aurmina to R.O water in the long run, but all I can say is that me and Lisa do not plan on ever using R.O as a "starter water," partly based on chemistry and the evidence against demineralized water, and maybe more on the fact demineralized drinking water has never really existed, thus it is not "natural" - that reflects Lisa's sensibilities more than mine, but we do share that sentiment
Where do you recommend getting the ceramic filter please.
I am just starting to dig into this, will require much more research, and we plan on hiring a filter industry consultant to learn about all the filter options, but this is what I have from AI research so far: "Top Certified & Performance-Focused
• Alexapure Pro Water Filtration System – Many user reviews and a broad contaminant removal reputation; good all-around household gravity option.
• Berkey Water Filter System – Very popular gravity filter with a long performance history (often lab tested for microbes).
• British Berkefeld Doulton W9361139 Gravity Filter – Classic ceramic candle system with excellent performance reviews.
• British Berkefeld Duchess Gravity Water Filter – Slightly smaller model with strong user ratings and tested performance.
Ceramic with Solid Quality & Ratings
• AquaCera Terra2 Stoneware Gravity Water Filter – Highly rated gravity filter built around ceramic media and good user feedback.
• AquaCera Terra2 Stoneware Gravity Filter System – Another variant with strong practical performance.
Good Value / NSF Certified for Basic Contaminants
• Waterdrop Gravity-Fed Water Filtration System – NSF/ANSI-42/372 certified for taste and basic contaminant reduction at a modest price.
• Glacierfresh King Tank Gravity Water Filter System – Very highly rated by users and reliable everyday performance.
Help me understand how Aurmina might help me. I filter my tap water with a 10 cup ZERO Water filter and then I filter it again in a 22 cup ZERO Water filter. The TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter reads ZERO and the water tastes great. If there is nothing in the water what does Arumina do? I sincerely apologize for even asking this question and I wish there was a 'Cliff Notes' explination - all of these articles have me totally confused. Thank you!
Dr Kory, great summary explanation! Jim, thanks for asking as i am sure many others like myself was wanting to fully understand as well. Again, thank you Dr Kory, as always, a great teacher!
you have completely demineralized water, which I am glad you like the taste of (many don't), but it is biologically inert, and has been associated with numerous detrimental health outcomes on a population basis. It is almost certainly poorly hydrating intracellularly and also not structured (that latter of which has extensive evidence in veterinary literature in improving numerous outcomes. This does not mean you can't feel good drinking it, but on a granular physiologic level, it is truly suboptimal. the one thing you are doing is taking any contaminants out that is for sure. REad this from my AI, it is not pretty:
Water doesn’t hydrate cells by volume alone — it hydrates by electrochemistry. Zero-TDS water lacks the ions required for water to enter cells, stay there, and do useful work.
Here’s the clean, mechanistic explanation — no mysticism, no wellness fluff.
⸻
1. Cells do not absorb “pure water” directly
Water does not simply diffuse into cells because it is water.
It follows osmotic and electrochemical gradients, which are governed by electrolytes (Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cl⁻, HCO₃⁻).
• Mineralized water arrives with ions already in solution
• Zero-TDS water arrives as a near-ion-free solvent
To be absorbed, that solvent must first acquire ions, and it can only get them from your body.
Net effect: drinking demineralized water pulls electrolytes out of tissues to make the water absorbable.
⸻
2. Low-TDS water increases diuresis (you pee it out)
Human studies and WHO reviews show that demineralized water:
• increases urine volume
• increases renal loss of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium
• lowers plasma electrolyte stability
This is why people drinking RO or distilled water often report:
• frequent urination
• thirst that doesn’t resolve
• fatigue or lightheadedness
The water passes through without staying in cells.
Hydration is retention, not ingestion.
⸻
3. Mineral ions “anchor” water inside cells
Inside tissues, water is not free-floating. It is:
• coordinated around ions
• structured around proteins
• stabilized by multivalent cations (Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺)
Without ions, water behaves as a transient solvent rather than a biological medium.
Think of it this way:
• Minerals give water a place to sit
• Without them, it keeps moving
⸻
4. Zero-TDS water disrupts osmotic balance
Pure water is hypotonic relative to plasma.
That creates two problems:
1. It triggers regulatory mechanisms (ADH, aldosterone) that increase water excretion
2. It dilutes extracellular electrolytes, forcing the body to compensate
The body is constantly correcting the chemistry instead of relaxing into hydration.
⸻
5. Bicarbonate matters more than people realize
Reverse osmosis and distillation remove nearly all bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻).
Bicarbonate is:
• the primary blood buffer
• critical for renal electrolyte handling
• essential for cellular pH stability
Water without bicarbonate behaves as chemically aggressive, increasing mineral loss and impairing intracellular hydration efficiency.
This is why natural spring waters — even low-TDS ones — hydrate better than purified water.
⸻
6. No natural drinking water is mineral-free
From an evolutionary standpoint:
• humans evolved drinking mineralized water
• no natural water source has zero TDS
• glacial melt, rainwater, springs — all acquire ions immediately
Zero-TDS water is industrial, not physiological.
Your kidneys recognize this instantly.
⸻
7. What “better hydration” actually means
Better hydration ≠ more water in the stomach
Better hydration =
• stable plasma osmolality
• efficient cellular uptake
• low renal electrolyte loss
• sustained intracellular water
Mineralized water accomplishes this.
Demineralized water does not.
⸻
Bottom line
Purified water with zero TDS is less hydrating because it lacks the ionic infrastructure required for water to enter cells, remain there, and support physiology.
It hydrates pipes.
It flushes kidneys.
It does not hydrate biology.
Water needs minerals to behave like water inside a living system.
Now it’s all making sense to me. I’m going to be using tap water and not the RO water in MA and will use well water in NH. I’ve got the setup for it now. It’s amazing how much sediment I’m filtering in the Aurmina tap water. The ceramic filter turns orange from the floc. I’m also looking forward to my sourdough starter kit I ordered from a company that says its flour and starter are glyphosate free. I’ll see how it all turns out using Aurmina water.
exactly Roberta - you have to tell me how the sourdough goes - one commenter yesterday said she was in a place with well mineralized water and her sourdough starter did amazing, and now she is excited to try it with aurmina...
Very interesting Pierre... all sold out now though as far as I can see 👀
no, no.. not at all - please sent link to where it says that thanks