Is distilled water necessary?

[Jackinbox]

I see that distilled water is always recommended for brewing Ayahuasca. I wonder if it's really make a difference and what is the science behind this recommendation. I couldn't get distilled water so I used bottled water (supposedly coming from a spring). What kind of stuff that could be found in water that would cause problems? In case of tap water, I guess it's hard to say as it will vary from one city to another, but beside chloride and fluoride, I don't think there would be much stuff being a problem. Even chloride and fluoride, are they really a problem in normal quantity?

 

[brokenChild]

not sure on the tap water bit, as I've never tried to make aya with tap water so have no idea if the filtering additives are somehow counter-indicative to alkaloid extraction, but I just use bottled water... spring water or filtered/purified should be perfectly fine, works for me every time.

 

[benzyme]

nope.

 

[Spiritofspice]

To me aya is a natural pure medicine.
I wouldn't use water that is unnatural. Tap water is laced with industrial poisons.
Tap water is disgusting where I live it is so heavily treated you smell like a swimming pool after a shower.
I have never drunk it ever.
Destiled water is easy to obtain try an auto parts store or supermarket.

 

[benzyme]

what is 'unnatural water'? I've never heard of it.

the air you breathe is laced with industrial poisons.
is that 'unnatural air'?

for extraction purposes, tap water is fine. if you're going to brew a tea that you'd drink,
I could see filtered (or distilled) water being more desirable.

 

[thecrystalkid]

doing multiple reductions of large amounts of tap water might maybe concentrate some undesirable substances. using pure bottled mineral water will still, if doing multiple reductions, end up with high concentrations of alkaline minerals, like calcium etc. but ive used water from a tap filter, that was heavily mineralised, and had a whale of a time, so its not a fundamental necessity apparently. distilled water is also a nascent, "empty" water, that is naturally "hungry" to be filled and could possibly have more room in it, sans minerals, to hold actives, but it can't be much, if any, difference,,,just seems preferable if your gonna drink a concentrated substance, to have as little superfluous, inactive stuff in it.

i can use twenty litres doing two doses. 10 litres of mineral water minerals in a tiny cupfull??..who knows, might even help. our local tesco has mineral water that has only 10 mg of calcium in it and is even slightly acidic (why ppl buy it?) but for brewing it would be the best out of the bottled mineral water...so check for lowest calcium mg if thats what you're using but then chemist for distilled is just as easy. the more concentrated mineralised water gets the higher its alkalinty and that lowers its pulling power maybe...not alot i don't think

 

[Spiritofspice]

The main chemicals used to fluoridate drinking water are known as “silicofluorides” (i.e., hydrofluorosilicic acid and sodium fluorosilicate). Silicofluorides are not pharmaceutical-grade fluoride products; they are unprocessed industrial by-products of the phosphate fertilizer industry. Since these silicofluorides undergo no purification procedures, they can contain elevated levels of arsenic — moreso than any other water treatment chemical. In addition, recent research suggests that the addition of silicofluorides to water is a risk factor for elevated lead exposure, particularly among residents who live in homes with old pipes.

 

[benzyme]

if we're talking about extractions, none of the inorganic salts you guys are mentioning will
complex with free base dmt, nor will they migrate into the nps.

I've seen all sorts of hype regarding flourides in tap water,
but not enough consequential evidence to seriously consider it.
Personally, I use a brita filter for drinking water. It won't sequester fluorides, but I'm not concerned about them.