The water element

The spa water of Terme di Sirmione is of meteoric origin and, before pouring out of the Boiola spring, follows a long route that takes more than 20 years.

 

It springs from the Mount Baldo watershed, at an altitude of more than 800 metres, and descends to more than 2,100 metres below sea level, where it is enriched with minerals and increases its temperature to 69°;. Finally, it pours out into the Boiola spring, where a complex system of steel pipes channels the water into two wells, Catullo and Virgilio, situated on the eastern bank of the Sirmione peninsula.

 

The water of Terme di Sirmione is classified as a mineral, hyper-thermal water since it is bacteriologically pure, at its source, with a fixed residue of over 0.50 g/l (precisely of 2.476 g/l) and flows at a temperature of 69° C. Mineral waters are unique since they only exist in nature and it is practically impossible to reproduce them. Attempts made in this sense, in fact, have shown that artificial mineral waters have biological activities that are different from natural ones.

 

On the basis of its chemical-physical characteristics, the water of Terme di Sirmione is classified as sulphurous containing sodium chloride, bromine and iodine: in fact, it contains a considerable amount of sulphur, in the form of hydrogen sulphide, sodium, bromine and iodine. The trace elements present, lithium, potassium, iron, arsenic, cadmium, chrome, nickel, selenium and zinc, act as catalysts and therefore activate chemical reactions. Trace elements are particularly important in aesthetical medicine.

 

Medical literature is particularly interested in sulphurous waters containing sodium chloride, bromine and iodine and this is why considerable information is available about their biological actions. Generally speaking, thermal waters determine both a local action and an action on the whole organism (tonic-sedative on the endocrinic system, antiallergic on the metabolism).  Terme di Sirmione water has shown itself to be beneficial in absorbing sulphur through the skin and for trophism for the articular cartilages, mucous membranes of the airways, the middle ear and the vaginal mucous membranes. It also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, with an increase in vasal permeability and a reduction in systemic blood pressure. Finally, the analgesic effect of heat is very important since, by producing an immediate increase in plasmatic beta-endorphin, it causes an analgesic, miorelaxing effect.