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Reducing Exposure to Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM)
MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Jan 11 5:31pm | Replies (158)Comment receiving replies
First, you are right Dr. Joe Falkinham does say they have tested spring water and found it safe. He is my go-to-guy on matters of water, studying it is his career.
Remember that the hosts on most web-based chats (like the mentors here on Mayo Connect) are not necessarily medical or scientific professionals. They are volunteers who have done a lot of reading and research (like me), so can be a helpful source of information. Every commenter filters 😉 the information they read through their own brain full of knowledge, experience, perception, values and opinions.
Let me give you a pertinent example. It is very difficult for me to engage in discussions about water I occasionally sip from a bottle, or the put ice in my drinks in a restaurant. MY brain does not believe that kind of incidental exposure to NTM/MAC is a high risk. But I may have a higher "risk acceptance" than other people, so I try to step carefully. However, I do pay attention to the water in my home, where I use it all day every day.
Having a host suggest that one check to see if a bottler is using reverse osmosis, which does not remove NTM, is the opposite of good information one would hope to receive in a chat. See this article:
"Reverse osmosis(RO) filters and granular activated carbon (GAC) filters, which are often used to remove chemicals from potable water, adsorb nutrient materials and may provide a means through which NTMs can multiply to infectious levels." https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_record_Report.cfm?Lab=NERL&dirEntryID=18293#:
I have never sat in on one of the socials in that group, but may do so just to get a feeling for the quality of the advice. Have you found them helpful on other issues?
Sue
Replies to "First, you are right Dr. Joe Falkinham does say they have tested spring water and found..."
I too had heard or read that reverse osmosis does not kill NTM and granulated charcoal filters grow NTM. I think Dr. Falkinham says spring water is safer than other bottled water (purified, etc) and has tested certain brands (only a few) that have been shown not to have NTM. If you can find out it is filtered through a .2 micron filter, then it should be safe. Some people with GERD and reflux are especially careful about their water and ice because of the chance of aspiration of stomach acid which apparently does not kill NTM. I pretty much follow Sue’s way of consuming water and ice, but then I don’t have gerd or reflux.
Hi!
I d like to find out more about RO Water I’m not sure that it’s a bad choice for us NTM and patients
That EPA report mentions reverse osmosis filter may grow Mac which of course it would since its a carbon filter but it’s upstream of the reverse osmosis 0.0001 µm filter which would take out any NTM because it’s much larger than that I believe 0.3 0.5 µm
If the carbon filter was last, that would DEFINITELY be a problem
The key to using reverse osmosis seems to be in maintaining it, and changing the filters FAITHFULLY on the timely and suggested manufacturer basis. If you don’t change the filters, then the NMM could get out and spill over just like any other filter.
Of course, any of us who don’t change our filters on any equipment increase the risk of a worse exposure because of all the back up, then overflows and you would get a large concentration of germs etc
I would love to gain more definite information on this if anyone has some.
Didn’t Dr. Falkingham mentioned RO filter change too but not sure whee that info is. Thank you !
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Very well put. Yes the hosts are themselves patients and have been for many years