[thedoc]

doughoover asked the Naked Scientists:
   
I googled distilled water and found a comment made by a Dr. Joseph Mercola, "Early Death Comes From Drinking Distilled Water"

Is that true? What would happen to someone who drank a gallon of distilled water every day for 40 years? or what would happen to someone who fasted for 40 days on just distilled water?

What do you think?

[CliffordK]

This was discussed about a year ago (see above). 

The conclusion by most contributors was that there was nothing wrong with drinking distilled water.  One does need some salts (NaCl, KCl, and others) in one's diet, but, most of it would come from the food one consumes.

One can in fact buy home water distillation machines, and I've talked to someone who uses one regularly, and is still living.

[evan_au]

In truly excessive quantities, you could drown in it...

[Lab Rat]

   
 or what would happen to someone who fasted for 40 days on just distilled water?

You would die of starvation.  []