Distillation kills and removes bacteria, viruses, cysts and heavy metals. Although there is some debate about the effects of distilled water removing beneficial minerals as well as these disease forming metals and germs, it is useful to note that the mineral content in water is so minute that one would have to drink approximately six-hundred 8oz glasses of water to attain the RDA of calcium and 1,800+ glasses to fulfil their daily requirement of magnesium.