Williams (4) reported that distilled water introduced into the intestine caused abnormal
changes in epithelial cells of rats, possibly due to osmotic shock. However, the same conclusions
were not reached by Schumann et al. (5) in a more recent study based on 14-day experiments in
rats. Histology did not reveal any signs of erosion, ulceration or inflammation in the oesophagus,
stomach and jejunum. Altered secretory function in animals (i.e., increased secretion and acidity
of gastric juice) and altered stomach muscle tone were reported in studies for WHO (3), but
currently available data have not unambiguously demonstrated a direct negative effect of low
mineral content water on the gastrointestinal mucous membrane.