If you have this bottled water at home, stop drinking it now, says FDA

You know that hydration is the key to your overall well-being. But if you get your H₂0 taken via a certain brand of bottled water, it could actually be a danger to your health rather than keeping you in great shape. According to a new report released this week by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a brand of bottled water has been potentially linked to several cases of non-viral hepatitis in children, and the agency is now urging everyone to stay away. To make sure your water is safe to drink, read on, and for more “good for you” items in your home that you should avoid, see If You Are Taking This Medication US Officials Have A New Warning For You.

On March 16, the FDA reported five cases of acute non-viral hepatitis, which resulted in acute liver failure in a handful of infants and young children in Nevada. Although the cause is unknown and the patients have recovered since falling ill in November 2020, the only common link between them seemed to be that they were all consuming Real Water bottled alkaline water. Others in the children’s four households also became ill, but with less severe symptoms, including “fever, vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite and fatigue,” according to the FDA report.

Frank Yiannas, deputy commissioner for food policy and response to the FDA, issued a statement telling Americans to avoid drinking bottled water from Real Water. “We advise consumers, restaurants and retailers not to consume, cook with, sell or serve ‘Real Water’ alkaline water until more information is known about the cause of the diseases,” said he declared.

The products in question include: 5 gallon containers (sold through home delivery and subscription services), bottles (sold online and in-store) and Real Water Concentrate (sold online). And for another danger that might lurk in your home, know that if you cook your food in this, stop now, says the FDA.

According to the FDA, 5-gallon containers of Real Water have been delivered to homes in Hawaii, California, Utah and Arizona, in addition to Nevada, where the outbreak was located. So, if you have your water delivered through one of the following services, the agency advises you not to use it:

• Tucson, Arizona via Aqua Pure
• Ventura and Santa Barbara, California via Real Water Gold Coast
• Orange County, California via Paradise Bottling Company
• Honolulu, Hawaii by Aloha Water
• St. George, Utah through Real Water Southern Utah

Yiannas’s statement indicates that the FDA is currently investigating any connection between Real Water and these medical incidents. “The FDA is committed to protecting the health of Americans and is particularly concerned when there is a food safety issue that affects our youngest and some of the most vulnerable of the population – infants and young children,” said he declared. of acute non-viral hepatitis in Nevada, affecting five young children, the FDA quickly activated a team to investigate further. We are working closely with CDCs, states and local partners to complete our investigation and monitor for any additional illnesses. “

He added: “Although the investigation is ongoing, epidemiological information currently indicates that this alkaline water product may be the cause of illnesses.” And for more health information delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

All types of hepatitis produce similar symptoms, including fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay or gray stools, joint pain, yellow eyes, and jaundice. Anyone who suffers from it at any time should contact their doctor immediately, according to the FDA. And to learn more about what your toilet habits are saying about your health, see If Your Urine Is That Color, Call Your Doctor.

A family in Las Vegas, including a toddler and his parents, suffered from health issues they believed were a result of consuming Real Water. Emely and Christopher Brian Wren and their 2 year old son, Christopher Noah Wren, all fell ill although their daughter did not drink the water and did not suffer from any illness, the Las Vegas Journal-Review reports.

The toddler and his father were hospitalized, while Emely faced extreme nausea and fatigue. Now they are suing the company behind Real Water, Affinitylifestyles.com Inc., stating in court documents: “The defendants’ bottled water was faulty and unreasonably dangerous in that the defendants failed to provide warnings on high levels of toxins in their products.

After the FDA’s report and trial filed on March 16, Real Water posted the following statement on its website: “We are saddened to learn of the potential product health issue from our Real Water home delivery operation. Las Vegas. We at Real Water take the safety of our products and concern for the health of our customers seriously. Real Water is making great strides in all areas to ensure that our product is safe for consumption . Our goal is to work diligently with the FDA to achieve an early resolution. “

Although they note that the potential issue arose in Las Vegas, the company has stopped selling and distributing Real Water across the United States “until the issue is resolved.” Real Water is asking retailers to “take the product off the shelf, effective immediately, and keep it behind the scenes or return it to distributors.” As for customers, they ask whoever has purchased Real Water to return it. And for another product that has been linked to a serious outbreak, beware that if you have this sauce at home, get rid of it now, the FDA says.