Crack Open a Beer Because Drinking Water Does Not Ease Dehydration After All!

November 21, 2011 | In News

I know. I was astonished too. As a healthcare professional for over 10 years I feel terrible. There I was inadvertently lying to my clients for all these years only to find that according to the European Food Standards Authority (EFSA) water cannot reduce dehydration after all and if anyone claims it can they could be slapped with a hefty fine, or in some European countries even a prison sentence. I am not quite sure what else I am going to suggest for a dehydrated individual yet but am waiting with bated breath to find out whether oxygen is in fact required for breathing or whether food contains any calories or nutrients after all!

This may sound like utter lunacy but the EFSA has indeed this week ruled that companies selling bottled water cannot claim that ‘drinking water eases dehydration’ or similar in their marketing and advertising campaigns. This is part of their crackdown on companies making health claims regarding their food or beverage products. It is already being hailed as the daftest Brussels diktat since the EU issued laws on how bendy bananas should be!

Interestingly, this little legislation gem results from an attempt by two German academics to test EU advertising rules, which set down when companies can claim their products reduce the risk of disease. The Germans asked for a ruling on the following statement ‘regular consumption of significant amounts of water can reduce the risk of development of dehydration and of concomitant decrease of performance.’ which, in short, claims that water could reduce dehydration. This should have been a pretty straightforward one to decide considering that dehydration is defined as “a shortage of water in the body” – but after 3 years, over 20 correspondences and after bringing 21 professors to Parma, the European Food Standards Authority decided the statement could not be allowed and that legal action could be taken against those suggesting otherwise.

On a more serious note this demonstrates the serious threat posed to many companies producing and selling healthfoods, supplements and herbal products within the EU, not to mention complementary therapists trying to help individuals to improve their health. The Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (THMPD) is already in full swing and causing the removal of many favourite remedies from healthfood stores across Europe. To put this into perspective – to receive a license to produce/sell a herbal product companies must prove that that herb has been used for 30 years in the European Union (EU) – or 15 years in the EU and 15 years elsewhere. If it can’t prove this (or can’t afford to prove it – the costs are crippling for small companies), then it won’t be licensed and it will be illegal to sell. I already know of a number of large international companies who are removing products from their ranges as they have spent four years and significant amounts of manpower and money attempting to license products with still no word as yet from the EU as to whether they will be successful. This legislation does not allow for new research or innovation in the industry as new products containing herbs recently established as beneficial to health will never make it to market.

Furthermore, as a consumer it is now almost impossible to know which herbs to take for which ailments (as no one is allowed to tell you and face a nasty fine if they try!). You will also find lots of old favourites being removed from the shelves as we speak, so your freedom of choice is being removed. However, it is good to know that Europe has my back. I would hate to think that I was inadvertently misleading my clients when recommending 2 litres of water per day – Hell, they can just have beer instead. And thank goodness noone can try and sell me a supplement that might do exactly what it says on the tin….life is so much more fun when you are left guessing at the results you might expect!

So, please help us spread the word and speak out before it is far too late. The Alliance for Natural Health (ANH), along with their director Dr. Robert Verkerk, is leading the way in getting the word out about the problems caused by the THMPD. Their details can be found at www.anh-europe.org

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