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2 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Leaders praise retiring Talent police Chief Mike Moran ... Capturing autumn beauty: Winners of our 2015 Fall Colors Photo Contest ... 20,000-tree solution: How historic Ashland ranch project is keeping irrigation districts afloat ... Leaders praise retiring Talent police Chief Mike Moran ... Capturing autumn beauty: Winners of our 2015 Fall Colors Photo Contest ... 20,000-tree solution: How historic Ashland ranch project is keeping irrigation districts afloat ... Ashland's Lithia Water makes no boasts about healthfulness How healthful is the water from the Lithia fountain? I mean, what are the minerals and how much of each? And how much is too much of it to drink? Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 6, 2014 at 12:01 AM Updated Jun 6, 2014 at 2:15 AM Posted Jun. 6, 2014 at 12:01 AM Updated Jun 6, 2014 at 2:15 AM » Social News How healthful is the water from the Lithia fountain? I mean, what are the minerals and how much of each? And how much is too much of it to drink? — Charles, via email That's a dreaded two-parter, Charles, but we'll bite ... er, hold our nose and sip. To get you Lithia Water's specific mineral content, we reached out to Steve Walker, the water quality and distribution supervisor for the city of Ashland. He explained that while trace amounts of many elements are present in the water, the primary minerals that give Lithia Water its characteristics are as follows, (measurements in parts per million): Chloride — 1,840 ppm Sodium — 1,750 ppm Calcium — 271 ppm Boron — 85.8 ppm Lithium — 9.9 ppm As for how much is too much, well, that can be a little trickier. Walker sent us the following statement: "The Lithia Fountain is a historic novelty that serves as reminder of Ashland's past. The city of Ashland makes no claims as to the health benefits of Lithia Water or any recommendations as to how much you should drink." Although lithium is still used in modern medicine as a mood stabilizer, a clinical dose is much, much higher than what's present in Ashland's famed water. An Oct. 3, 2008, Ashland Daily Tidings story examining the water's health benefits noted that a standard dose of lithium is 1,200 milligrams per day, according to Ashland psychiatrist Dr. Mark Bradshaw. In contrast, Lithia Water at that time was tested to have 6.71 milligrams per liter. "A person would have to drink about 150 liters to get to that dose. It would take a whole lot of water, and I think people would probably get water toxicity first," Bradshaw said in the article. Water intoxication is a rare condition that occurs when the body's electrolytes are flushed out of the system due to an extreme overconsumption of water. So if you can get past large quantities of that sulfur taste, try to show the same level of moderation you give to regular 'ol drinking water. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected]. We're sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 6, 2014 at 12:01 AM Updated Jun 6, 2014 at 2:15 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501