
MCT oil is a supplement touted for its benefits, which may include weight loss, increased energy and improved cognitive function. MCT, which stands for medium chain triglyceride, contains saturated fatty acids that can be broken down quickly for energy when compared to poly- and monounsaturated fatty acids. Some food sources are coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and goat's milk.
There are four types of MCT:
- C6: caproic acid or hexanoic acid
- C8: caprylic acid or octanoic acid (most common in supplements)
- C10: capric acid or decanoic acid (most common in supplements)
- C12: lauric acid or dodecanoic acid (mainly found in coconut oil)
According to a study published in the Journal of Lipid Research, MCT oil enters the cell quickly and may be used as a quick source of energy with a lower likelihood of being stored as body fat. Another benefit of MCT oil may also be weight loss, according to a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (JAND).
It's also popular with those on a ketogenic diet as it increases the amount of ketones the body has available to use for energy. MCT oil has grown in popularity due to the fame of "bulletproof" coffee, which claims to support brain function. But MCT oil can also be used in salad dressings if you want the energy-boosting effects without the coffee.
What You Need to Know
When shopping for MCT oil, it is important to review the ingredient label and make sure the MCT oil is derived from organic coconuts as this form is more easily digested. Most MCT oils come in liquid form, but MCT oil powder is also available. Also, avoid purchasing MCT oil containing caproic acid (C6), as it is foul-tasting and potentially abrasive on your digestive system. Caproic acid has poor bioavailability and may lead to gas, bloating or diarrhea, as well as stomach upset.
Why Would You Use MCT Oil?
MCT oil containing C8 and C10 is a smart choice if you are looking for sustained energy during workouts or for when you have a long work day, as well as those on a keto diet. It can also be used in your morning coffee. Due to the potential fat-burning benefits, it may help your metabolism burn calories more efficiently throughout the day. MCT oil can also be used in cooking, as saturated fats oxidize more slowly than unsaturated fats. The slower oxidation of saturated fats may reduce the creation of cancer-causing molecules during the cooking process.
Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
The Best MCT Oils Available Online
Best for Athletic Performance: Sports Research Premium MCT Oil
Amazon
With its high amount of C8 (caprylic acid), Sports Research Premium MCT is a great choice for athletes and avid gym-goers alike. C8's enhanced ability to increase your body's ketone production may lead to better endurance, focus and strength during bouts of activity.
Why Buy: Non-GMO; Certified Paleo; Great for athletes and gym-goers
Viva Naturals Organic MCT Oil
Amazon
Made from 100% coconuts, Viva Naturals MCT Oil contains three types of MCT which include caprylic, capric and lauric acids. These different forms have individual benefits which may include improved memory recall, blood sugar support and increase energy. This oil is also easily blendable in shakes, smoothies and a great addition to a morning cup of coffee.
Why Buy: USDA certified organic; Third-party tested; Paleo
Left Coast Performance MCT Oil
Amazon
With their efficient distribution process, Left Coast Performance MCT Oil ensures the consumer receives the freshest MCT oil, which may improve the efficacy of the product. Due to being derived from coconuts rather than palm kernel oil, it also ensures easier digestibility, which may lead to enhanced bioavailability.
Why Buy: Made with sustainably-sourced coconuts; May enhance metabolism; GMP certified; Vegan
Diving Deeper: MCT Oil vs Coconut Oil
For Energy
MCTs can increase energy and physical stamina for exercise, and because it's so easy to digest, MCT oil can boost energy faster than most nutrients. Coconut oil, on the other hand, takes longer for the body to break down and is a better source of slow-burning energy.
In a 2009 study, two weeks of MCT oil supplementation effectively improved the endurance of recreational athletes in high-intensity exercise. MCT oil also increased fat loss and reduced blood lactate levels. In a Japanese study, MCT oil significantly improved swimming endurance in mice after six weeks of supplementation.
For Stress and Anxiety
Coconut oil and MCT oil may help reduce stress and anxiety. Both supply anti-inflammatory nutrients to the brain and can make you more clear-headed and less stressed. Coconut oil is rich in polyphenols and healthy HDL cholesterol, making it an ideal superfood for the nervous system.
Here's what the research has to say about stress, anxiety, and MCTs:
- In mice forced to swim until exhaustion and withstand frigid temperatures, oral coconut oil was found to reduce adrenal weight, increase brain antioxidants, and shorten recovery times in a recent study.
- At the same time, a 2018 rodent study found that "(coconut oil) can ameliorate the effects of stress on anxiety-like behavior and episodic-like memory in young rats."
- A separate study published in the journal Neuropharmacology concluded that a diet high in MCTs can exert anti-anxiety effects.
For Digestion
Both coconut oil and MCT oil can support the digestive system by balancing bacteria in the gut. The body relies heavily on gut bacteria to reinforce the gut lining, fight inflammation, produce serotonin, and support mental health.
MCTs can also help the body absorb fat-soluble nutrients like:
- Beta-carotene
- Lutein
- Vitamine E
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Calcium
According to a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, researchers found that medium chain triglycerides can exhibit stronger antimicrobial effects than long chain triglycerides.
When added to human milk, infant formula, and cow's milk, MCTs were significantly more effective than long chain monoglycerides at inactivating pathogens for herpes, influenza, and streptococcus.
For Appetite Suppression
MCTs may suppress appetite by enhancing thermogenesis and increasing ketone production. Ketones, as it turns out, suppress ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and increase cholecystokinin (CCK), which makes you feel full.
In a 2014 study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers tested the effectiveness of MCTs to reduce food intake in overweight men. They found that "MCT consumption reduced food intake acutely."
Coconut oil may also be mildly effective at suppressing appetite.
In a 2015 study involving women with excess body fat, researchers determined that virgin coconut oil consumption "did not acutely change energy metabolism and cardiometabolic risk markers when added to a mixed breakfast but promoted less appetitive responses."
For Weight Loss
In addition to suppressing appetite, MCT oil may promote weight loss by boosting cellular metabolism and fat burning. Although it's far from a miracle weight loss solution, studies show that MCT oil may support certain metabolic functions related to weight loss.
Here's what researchers have discovered about MCT oil and weight loss:
- One rodent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that "overfeeding MCT diet results in decreased body fat related to increased metabolic rate and thermogenesis."
- In a human study published in the Journal of Nutrition, adults were given either medium chain fatty acids or long chain fatty acids for a 12-week period. Decreases in body fat and weight were significantly greater in the MCT group.
- A 27-day study compared the effects of MCT vs. LCT consumption on body composition and fat oxidation in obese women. The MCT group lost significantly more weight than the LCT group.
However, according to a 2017 report in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, coconut oil does not exert any obvious effects on weight loss.
MCTs and the Ketogenic Diet
MCT oil and coconut oil work great with the ketogenic diet: a high-fat, low-carb diet where the body uses ketones instead of glucose as its primary fuel source. When you take high-quality MCT oil, the liver converts it into ketones in minutes, and unlike glucose, ketones can immediately cross the blood-brain barrier to support brain function.
A 2018 study found that the ketogenic diet and medium-chain triglycerides can increase brain metabolism in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Being in ketosis is also an effective way to reduce inflammation, boost fat oxidation, and lower blood sugar. Most nutritionists recommend following the keto diet for short periods of one to three months. This gives the body adequate time to restore gut bacteria and relieve chronic inflammation.
In Conclusion
MCT oil is a supplement touted for its health benefits. When shopping, try to find products that source ingredients from sustainable sources or go the extra mile to get certified as organic. And, as with any health decision, it's important to think first about your personal goals, then talk to a qualified healthcare professional or nutritionist to make a place that's right for you.Jaclyn Jacobsen, MS is a Functional Nutritionist, freelance writer and founder of Lifestyle Nutrition. She has been in private practice for over 4 years and has extensive experience in community nutrition and the supplement industry. She earned a graduate degree in Nutrition, Dietetics and Education from Montclair State University. She has supported countless individuals in the areas of stress management, inflammation, weight management, fitness and hormonal health. Jaclyn has also worked within the eating disorder community, supporting women in resolving disordered eating behaviors, body dysmorphia and healing their relationships with food. She has applied her health and wellness knowledge through writing contributions and features in Greatist.com, Livestrong.com, and GoodHousekeeping.com.
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Cities Can Help Migrating Birds on Their Way By Planting More Trees and Turning Lights Off at Night
By Frank La Sorte and Kyle Horton
Millions of birds travel between their breeding and wintering grounds during spring and autumn migration, creating one of the greatest spectacles of the natural world. These journeys often span incredible distances. For example, the Blackpoll warbler, which weighs less than half an ounce, may travel up to 1,500 miles between its nesting grounds in Canada and its wintering grounds in the Caribbean and South America.
Blackpoll warbler abundance in breeding, non-breeding and migration seasons. Cornell Lab of Ornithology / CC BY-ND
<p>For many species, these journeys take place at night, when skies typically are calmer and predators are less active. Scientists do not have a good understanding yet of how birds navigate effectively at night over long distances.</p><p><span></span>We study bird migration and how it is being affected by factors ranging from <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=S04C3UMAAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank">climate change</a> to <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pPk38-8AAAAJ&hl=en" target="_blank">artificial light at night</a>. In a recent study, we used millions of bird observations by citizen scientists to document the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116085" target="_blank">occurrence of migratory bird species in 333 U.S. cities</a> during the winter, spring, summer and autumn.</p>Blackpoll warbler. PJTurgeon / Wikipedia
<p>We used this information to determine how the number of migratory bird species varies based on each city's level of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/light-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">light pollution</a> – brightening of the night sky caused by artificial light sources, such as buildings and streetlights. We also explored how species numbers vary based on the quantity of tree canopy cover and impervious surface, such as concrete and asphalt, within each city. Our findings show that cities can help migrating birds by planting more trees and reducing light pollution, especially during spring and autumn migration.</p>Declining Bird Populations
<p>Urban areas contain numerous dangers for migratory birds. The biggest threat is the risk of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1650/CONDOR-13-090.1" target="_blank">colliding with buildings or communication towers</a>. Many migratory bird populations have <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aaw1313" target="_blank">declined over the past 50 years</a>, and it is possible that light pollution from cities is contributing to these losses.</p><p>Scientists widely agree that light pollution can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1708574114" target="_blank">severely disorient migratory birds</a> and make it hard for them to navigate. Studies have shown that birds will cluster around brightly lit structures, much like insects flying around a porch light at night. Cities are the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2029" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">primary source of light pollution for migratory birds</a>, and these species tend to be more abundant within cities <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/gcb.13792" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">during migration</a>, especially in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2020.103892" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">city parks</a>.</p>Composite image of the continental U.S. at night from satellite photos. NASA Earth Observatory images by Joshua Stevens, using Suomi NPP VIIRS data from Miguel Román, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
The Power of Citizen Science
<p>It's not easy to observe and document bird migration, especially for species that migrate at night. The main challenge is that many of these species are very small, which limits scientists' ability to use electronic tracking devices.</p><p>With the growth of the internet and other information technologies, new data resources are becoming available that are making it possible to overcome some of these challenges. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07106-5" target="_blank">Citizen science initiatives</a> in which volunteers use online portals to enter their observations of the natural world have become an important resource for researchers.</p><p>One such initiative, <a href="https://ebird.org/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">eBird</a>, allows bird-watchers around the globe to share their observations from any location and time. This has produced one of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.04632" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">largest ecological citizen-science databases in the world</a>. To date, eBird contains over 922 million bird observations compiled by over 617,000 participants.</p>Light Pollution Both Attracts and Repels Migratory Birds
<p>Migratory bird species have evolved to use certain migration routes and types of habitat, such as forests, grasslands or marshes. While humans may enjoy seeing migratory birds appear in urban areas, it's generally not good for bird populations. In addition to the many hazards that exist in urban areas, cities typically lack the food resources and cover that birds need during migration or when raising their young. As scientists, we're concerned when we see evidence that migratory birds are being drawn away from their traditional migration routes and natural habitats.</p><p>Through our analysis of eBird data, we found that cities contained the greatest numbers of migratory bird species during spring and autumn migration. Higher levels of light pollution were associated with more species during migration – evidence that light pollution attracts migratory birds to cities across the U.S. This is cause for concern, as it shows that the influence of light pollution on migratory behavior is strong enough to increase the number of species that would normally be found in urban areas.</p><p>In contrast, we found that higher levels of light pollution were associated with fewer migratory bird species during the summer and winter. This is likely due to the scarcity of suitable habitat in cities, such as large forest patches, in combination with the adverse affects of light pollution on bird behavior and health. In addition, during these seasons, migratory birds are active only during the day and their populations are largely stationary, creating few opportunities for light pollution to attract them to urban areas.</p>Trees and Pavement
<p>We found that tree canopy cover was associated with more migratory bird species during spring migration and the summer. Trees provide important habitat for migratory birds during migration and the breeding season, so the presence of trees can have a strong effect on the number of migratory bird species that occur in cities.</p><p>Finally, we found that higher levels of impervious surface were associated with more migratory bird species during the winter. This result is somewhat surprising. It could be a product of the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/heatislands" target="_blank">urban heat island effect</a> – the fact that structures and paved surfaces in cities absorb and reemit more of the sun's heat than natural surfaces. Replacing vegetation with buildings, roads and parking lots can therefore make cities significantly warmer than surrounding lands. This effect could reduce cold stress on birds and increase food resources, such as insect populations, during the winter.</p><p>Our research adds to our understanding of how conditions in cities can both help and hurt migratory bird populations. We hope that our findings will inform urban planning initiatives and strategies to reduce the harmful effects of cities on migratory birds through such measures as <a href="https://www.arborday.org/programs/treecityusa/index.cfm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">planting more trees</a> and initiating <a href="https://aeroecolab.com/uslights" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">lights-out programs</a>. Efforts to make it easier for migratory birds to complete their incredible journeys will help maintain their populations into the future.</p><p><em><span style="background-color: initial;"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/frank-la-sorte-1191494" target="_blank">Frank La Sorte</a> is a r</span>esearch associate at the </em><em>Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kyle-horton-1191498" target="_blank">Kyle Horton</a> is an assistant professor of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at the Colorado State University.</em></p><p><em></em><em>Disclosure statement: Frank La Sorte receives funding from The Wolf Creek Charitable Foundation and the National Science Foundation (DBI-1939187). K</em><em>yle Horton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</em></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/cities-can-help-migrating-birds-on-their-way-by-planting-more-trees-and-turning-lights-off-at-night-152573" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
By Lynne Peeples
Editor's note: This story is part of a nine-month investigation of drinking water contamination across the U.S. The series is supported by funding from the Park Foundation and Water Foundation. Read the launch story, "Thirsting for Solutions," here.
In late September 2020, officials in Wrangell, Alaska, warned residents who were elderly, pregnant or had health problems to avoid drinking the city's tap water — unless they could filter it on their own.
Unintended Consequences
<p>Chemists first discovered disinfection by-products in treated drinking water in the 1970s. The trihalomethanes they found, they determined, had resulted from the reaction of chlorine with natural organic matter. Since then, scientists have identified more than 700 additional disinfection by-products. "And those only represent a portion. We still don't know half of them," says Richardson, whose lab has identified hundreds of disinfection by-products. </p>What’s Regulated and What’s Not?
<p>The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently regulates 11 disinfection by-products — including a handful of trihalomethanes (THM) and haloacetic acids (HAA). While these represent only a small fraction of all disinfection by-products, EPA aims to use their presence to indicate the presence of other disinfection by-products. "The general idea is if you control THMs and HAAs, you implicitly or by default control everything else as well," says Korshin.</p><p>EPA also requires drinking water facilities to use techniques to reduce the concentration of organic materials before applying disinfectants, and regulates the quantity of disinfectants that systems use. These rules ultimately can help control levels of disinfection by-products in drinking water.</p>Click the image for an interactive version of this chart on the Environmental Working Group website.
<p>Still, some scientists and advocates argue that current regulations do not go far enough to protect the public. Many question whether the government is regulating the right disinfection by-products, and if water systems are doing enough to reduce disinfection by-products. EPA is now seeking public input as it considers potential revisions to regulations, including the possibility of regulating additional by-products. The agency held a <a href="https://www.epa.gov/dwsixyearreview/potential-revisions-microbial-and-disinfection-byproducts-rules" target="_blank">two-day public meeting</a> in October 2020 and plans to hold additional public meetings throughout 2021.</p><p>When EPA set regulations on disinfection by-products between the 1970s and early 2000s, the agency, as well as the scientific community, was primarily focused on by-products of reactions between organics and chlorine — historically the most common drinking water disinfectant. But the science has become increasingly clear that these chlorinated chemicals represent a fraction of the by-product problem.</p><p>For example, bromide or iodide can get caught up in the reaction, too. This is common where seawater penetrates a drinking water source. By itself, bromide is innocuous, says Korshin. "But it is extremely [reactive] with organics," he says. "As bromide levels increase with normal treatment, then concentrations of brominated disinfection by-products will increase quite rapidly."</p><p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15487777/" target="_blank">Emerging</a> <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.7b05440" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">data</a> indicate that brominated and iodinated by-products are potentially more harmful than the regulated by-products.</p><p>Almost half of the U.S. population lives within 50 miles of either the Atlantic or Pacific coasts, where saltwater intrusion can be a problem for drinking water supplies. "In the U.S., the rule of thumb is the closer to the sea, the more bromide you have," says Korshin, noting there are also places where bromide naturally leaches out from the soil. Still, some coastal areas tend to be spared. For example, the city of Seattle's water comes from the mountains, never making contact with seawater and tending to pick up minimal organic matter.</p><p>Hazardous disinfection by-products can also be an issue with desalination for drinking water. "As <a href="https://ensia.com/features/can-saltwater-quench-our-growing-thirst/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">desalination</a> practices become more economical, then the issue of controlling bromide becomes quite important," adds Korshin.</p>Other Hot Spots
<p>Coastal areas represent just one type of hot spot for disinfection by-products. Agricultural regions tend to send organic matter — such as fertilizer and animal waste — into waterways. Areas with warmer climates generally have higher levels of natural organic matter. And nearly any urban area can be prone to stormwater runoff or combined sewer overflows, which can contain rainwater as well as untreated human waste, industrial wastewater, hazardous materials and organic debris. These events are especially common along the East Coast, notes Sydney Evans, a science analyst with the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG, a collaborator on <a href="https://ensia.com/ensia-collections/troubled-waters/" target="_blank">this reporting project</a>).</p><p>The only drinking water sources that might be altogether free of disinfection by-products, suggests Richardson, are private wells that are not treated with disinfectants. She used to drink water from her own well. "It was always cold, coming from great depth through clay and granite," she says. "It was fabulous."</p><p>Today, Richardson gets her water from a city system that uses chloramine.</p>Toxic Treadmill
<p>Most community water systems in the U.S. use chlorine for disinfection in their treatment plant. Because disinfectants are needed to prevent bacteria growth as the water travels to the homes at the ends of the distribution lines, sometimes a second round of disinfection is also added in the pipes.</p><p>Here, systems usually opt for either chlorine or chloramine. "Chloramination is more long-lasting and does not form as many disinfection by-products through the system," says Steve Via, director of federal relations at the American Water Works Association. "Some studies show that chloramination may be more protective against organisms that inhabit biofilms such as Legionella."</p>Alternative Approaches
<p>When he moved to the U.S. from Germany, Prasse says he immediately noticed the bad taste of the water. "You can taste the chlorine here. That's not the case in Germany," he says.</p><p>In his home country, water systems use chlorine — if at all — at lower concentrations and at the very end of treatment. In the Netherlands, <a href="https://dwes.copernicus.org/articles/2/1/2009/dwes-2-1-2009.pdf" target="_blank">chlorine isn't used at all</a> as the risks are considered to outweigh the benefits, says Prasse. He notes the challenge in making a convincing connection between exposure to low concentrations of disinfection by-products and health effects, such as cancer, that can occur decades later. In contrast, exposure to a pathogen can make someone sick very quickly.</p><p>But many countries in Europe have not waited for proof and have taken a precautionary approach to reduce potential risk. The emphasis there is on alternative approaches for primary disinfection such as ozone or <a href="https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/eco-friendly-way-disinfect-water-using-light/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ultraviolet light</a>. Reverse osmosis is among the "high-end" options, used to remove organic and inorganics from the water. While expensive, says Prasse, the method of forcing water through a semipermeable membrane is growing in popularity for systems that want to reuse wastewater for drinking water purposes.</p><p>Remucal notes that some treatment technologies may be good at removing a particular type of contaminant while being ineffective at removing another. "We need to think about the whole soup when we think about treatment," she says. What's more, Remucal explains, the mixture of contaminants may impact the body differently than any one chemical on its own. </p><p>Richardson's preferred treatment method is filtering the water with granulated activated carbon, followed by a low dose of chlorine.</p><p>Granulated activated carbon is essentially the same stuff that's in a household filter. (EWG recommends that consumers use a <a href="https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/reviewed-disinfection-byproducts.php#:~:text=EWG%20recommends%20using%20a%20home,as%20trihalomethanes%20and%20haloacetic%20acids." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">countertop carbon filter</a> to reduce levels of disinfection by-products.) While such a filter "would remove disinfection by-products after they're formed, in the plant they remove precursors before they form by-products," explains Richardson. She coauthored a <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.9b00023" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2019 paper</a> that concluded the treatment method is effective in reducing a wide range of regulated and unregulated disinfection by-products.</p><br>Greater Cincinnati Water Works installed a granulated activated carbon system in 1992, and is still one of relatively few full-scale plants that uses the technology. Courtesy of Greater Cincinnati Water Works.
<p>Despite the technology and its benefits being known for decades, relatively few full-scale plants use granulated active carbon. They often cite its high cost, Richardson says. "They say that, but the city of Cincinnati [Ohio] has not gone bankrupt using it," she says. "So, I'm not buying that argument anymore."</p><p>Greater Cincinnati Water Works installed a granulated activated carbon system in 1992. On a video call in December, Jeff Swertfeger, the superintendent of Greater Cincinnati Water Works, poured grains of what looks like black sand out of a glass tube and into his hand. It was actually crushed coal that has been baked in a furnace. Under a microscope, each grain looks like a sponge, said Swertfeger. When water passes over the carbon grains, he explained, open tunnels and pores provide extensive surface area to absorb contaminants.</p><p>While the granulated activated carbon initially was installed to address chemical spills and other industrial contamination concerns in the Ohio River, Cincinnati's main drinking water source, Swertfeger notes that the substance has turned out to "remove a lot of other stuff, too," including <a href="https://ensia.com/features/drinking-water-contamination-pfas-health/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">PFAS</a> and disinfection by-product precursors.</p><p>"We use about one-third the amount of chlorine as we did before. It smells and tastes a lot better," he says. "The use of granulated activated carbon has resulted in lower disinfection by-products across the board."</p><p>Richardson is optimistic about being able to reduce risks from disinfection by-products in the future. "If we're smart, we can still kill those pathogens and lower our chemical disinfection by-product exposure at the same time," she says.</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://ensia.com/features/drinking-water-disinfection-byproducts-pathogens/" target="_blank">Ensia</a>. </em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2649953730#/" target="_self"></a></p>Trending
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piyaset / iStock / Getty Images Plus
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