By By Katerina Nikolas Nov 19, 2011 in World Brussels bureaucrats have been lambasted for conducting a three year study that has resulted in an E.U. ban on bottled water claims that drinking water prevents dehydration. Roger Helmer, a conservative member of the European Parliament reacted to the ruling by saying "This is stupidity writ large. The euro is burning, the EU is falling apart and yet here they are: highly-paid, highly-pensioned officials worrying about the obvious qualities of water and trying to deny us the right to say what is patently true. If ever there were an episode which demonstrates the folly of the great European project then this is it." ( A spokesperson for the British Dept. of Health said "Of course water hydrates. While we support the EU in preventing false claims about products, we need to exercise common sense as far as possible." The E.U. scientific claim is at odds with the accepted fact that water prevents dehydration, as the three year study concluded "that reduced water content in the body was a symptom of dehydration and not something that drinking water could subsequently control." Whilst critics of the new policy are outlining the pointlessness and stupidity of money being wasted on such studies which defy common sense, the ban does have its supporters. The The general consensus is that the E.U. is wasting vast amounts of money conducting pointless studies which result in ridiculous bans which they then implement across member countries, without any merit. The A three year study by European bureaucrats in Brussels has resulted in a ban on producers of bottled water from claiming that water prevents dehydration. The ban met with widespread criticism in Britain where the advice of the National Health Service is that drinking water helps to prevent dehydration. However if bottled water carries such claims from next month, the producers could face a two year prison sentence, according to Town Hall Roger Helmer, a conservative member of the European Parliament reacted to the ruling by saying "This is stupidity writ large. The euro is burning, the EU is falling apart and yet here they are: highly-paid, highly-pensioned officials worrying about the obvious qualities of water and trying to deny us the right to say what is patently true. If ever there were an episode which demonstrates the folly of the great European project then this is it." ( IB Times A spokesperson for the British Dept. of Health said "Of course water hydrates. While we support the EU in preventing false claims about products, we need to exercise common sense as far as possible."The E.U. scientific claim is at odds with the accepted fact that water prevents dehydration, as the three year study concluded "that reduced water content in the body was a symptom of dehydration and not something that drinking water could subsequently control."Whilst critics of the new policy are outlining the pointlessness and stupidity of money being wasted on such studies which defy common sense, the ban does have its supporters. The Telegraph reported Prof Brian Ratcliffe, spokesman for the Nutrition Society said “The EU is saying that this does not reduce the risk of dehydration and that is correct" adding there is nothing special about bottled water.The general consensus is that the E.U. is wasting vast amounts of money conducting pointless studies which result in ridiculous bans which they then implement across member countries, without any merit.The American Heart Organization meanwhile offers this advice: "Hydrate! Drink plenty of water before, during and after physical activity to avoid dehydration." More about EU ban, Bottled Water, water prevents dehydradation More news from EU ban Bottled Water water prevents dehyd...