Have
you heard all the recent buzz about alkaline water? People claim alkaline water
has powerful health benefits, from preventing cancer to boosting weight loss. All these
health claims probably have you wondering — what is alkaline water and
should you be drinking it?
What is alkaline water?
Alkaline water is
water containing a higher pH level (around 8 or 9) than regular drinking water
(pH closer to 7). The higher the pH level, the less acidic a substance is. For
comparison, lemon juice has a pH around 2, so it is very acidic.
There
are two types of alkaline water — natural and artificial.
Natural
alkaline water, also known as spring water, is created when water passes over
rocks, picking up minerals from the rocky surface, which increases the water’s
alkalinity. Artificial alkaline water undergoes a process called electrolysis
via an ionizer. Vendors love advertising this to add legitimacy to the product,
but what does it really mean? In theory, ionizers use an electric current to
separate the acidic and neutral water molecules (pH of 7 and less) from the
alkaline ones (pH greater than 7) and filter them out, resulting in alkaline
water. But there is no significant evidence to imply that these machines work
as described. Additionally, electrolysis is not a purification method. It is
recommended that water undergo reverse-osmosis for purification before being
hooked up to the ionizer. However, this process also removes natural minerals,
which are supposed to be added back in by the ionizer. Since the ionizer may
not work correctly, it is not guaranteed that these minerals are actually added
back.
What science says about alkaline water
People
claim many things about the health benefits of alkaline water, including its
ability to:
·
Prevent and treat cancer
·
Promote bone health
·
Boost anti-aging efforts
·
Prevent and manage chronic conditions
·
Improve rehydration
·
Lead to weight loss
·
Prevent acid reflux
If
alkaline water actually achieved all the claims listed above, there would be
breaking news — we’d all have alkaline water in our hands right now. When
claims like these are made, it’s best to approach it with skepticism and look
for biases and limitations in the research to understand its applicability.
Cancer
This
theory is unsubstantiated as of yet, but cancer is thought to thrive in an
acidic environment. Supposedly, consuming alkaline water will raise your blood
pH and create an unfavorable environment for the cancer. But multiple studies
show that while urine pH changes, blood pH is not significantly altered by diet. Our bodies
have natural mechanisms to maintain proper blood pH (7.35-7.45) and even the
smallest change in pH can lead to severe health issues. These stances are
supported by the American Institute of Cancer
Research.
Weight loss
Alkaline
water is thought to lead to weight loss, which points to its ability to help
manage diabetes and hypertension. This
theory relies on the concept that the body makes fat cells to store excess
acid, so by creating an alkaline environment, the body will make fewer fat
cells. However, this thinking is flawed. In fact, fat cells are created to
store energy from excess food intake, not excess acid.
Acid reflux
One small study found that water with a pH of
8.8 could destroy an enzyme in the stomach called pepsin, thus potentially
relieving people of acid refluxsymptoms like
heartburn. However, there are some limitations to this study since it was
performed in a lab. Also, destroying pepsin in the stomach could lead to other
complications since pepsin is involved in digestion. Additionally, the alkaline
water could lower your stomach acidity, which aids the immune system by
destroying viruses, bacteria and other pathogens.
Conclusion
— alkaline water should not yet be recommended as a treatment for acid reflux.
Hydration
Some
claim that alkaline water is more hydrating than regular drinking water.
However, studies don’t show a significant difference between the two in terms
of hydration.
A small
study was conducted regarding the rehydration abilities of alkaline water
compared to regular water. In this study, blood viscosity was
decreased significantly in subjects rehydrating with alkaline water than those
rehydrating with regular water. Blood viscosity is a measure of how easy or
difficult it is for your blood to move through your body. So, by lowering blood
viscosity, blood flow is improved post-workout, meaning your muscles and other
tissues receive oxygen more promptly and effectively for recovery. It’s worth
noting that blood viscosity is only one measure of rehydration, which is
already difficult to conclusively measure. Other factors assessed in this study
did not show significant differences between alkaline and regular water.
So, it
is possible there are recovery benefits to drinking alkaline water, but it’s
not necessary for rehydration.
Potential benefits of alkaline water
However,
alkaline water may contain minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium,
all of which have health benefits.
·
Calcium is important for the health of our bones, heart muscles
and nerves.
·
Magnesium is needed for optimum breakdown of food into energy
and muscle, nerve, heart and kidney function.
·
Potassium plays a critical role in keeping the heart pumping and
helps regulate digestion.
It is
crucial to point out that while natural alkaline water is one way of obtaining
these minerals, it is not the only way — meaning you don’t need to buy this
water to get these important minerals.
It is
crucial to point out that while natural alkaline water is one way of obtaining
these minerals, it is not the only way — meaning you don’t need to buy this
water to get these important minerals.
A diet
rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables will help make sure you’re getting
sufficient amounts of these nutrients. This kind of healthy diet is also
associated with reduced risk and better management of cancer and other chronic
diseases, promoting an overall healthier lifestyle.
All
this to say, while alkaline water is not necessary to live a healthy and happy
life, it is safe to consume. Just don’t replace large components of your daily
intake with alkaline water.
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