Is Alkaline Water Really Better for You?

It's been proven in court that an alkaline diet reverse disease. It's also been proven that anything man made causes sickness, spoo drinking man made alkaline water definitely won't reverse. #drsebi

I am a scientist and medical researcher, and therefore intrigued by this topic that was presented to me by a friend. I haven't researched it thoroughly so forgive my ignorance, however I understand from the various comments in this tread and from the information in this link (https://www.waterionizerjapan.com/what-is-ionized-water) that the benefits claimed by alkaline ionized water do not rest with its alkalinity (pH) but with its "antioxidant" effects. Still not clear to me though how ionized water (whatever that is chemically) could create such properties, but it may help to refocus the discussion away from the pH issue which in itself is unlikely to affect body's physiology. Will post more if I come accros relevant info

I want to say thanks to you for this great eye opening article.

This is an eye-opening article for those who just crazily west their money on the name of water purifier. I agree with you that all your mentioned terms.

What about this study? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4906185/ A 3-year survival study on a population of 150 mice was carried out in order to investigate the biological effect of alkaline water consumption. Firstly, nonparametric hazard and survival plots suggest that mice watered with alkaline water overwhelmed control mice. Secondly, data were analyzed with accelerated failure time (AFT) model inferring that a benefit on longevity, in terms of “deceleration aging factor,” was correlated with the consumption of alkaline water. Finally, histological examination of mice kidneys, intestines, hearts, livers, and brains was performed in order to verify the risk of diseases correlated to alkaline watering. No significant damage, but aging changes, emerged; organs of alkaline watered animals resulted to be quite superimposable to controls, shedding a further light in the debate on alkaline water consumption in humans.

I would like to point out that in both studies that showed negative effects of high alkalinity used inorganic compounds such as Sodium hydroxide (lye) in the water. Alkaline water made this way to such high pH levels would obviously be bad for your health. Just as some popular systems use electrolysis to change the water this method of adding inorganic compounds that are caustic is not appropriate. Alkaline water made by passing water over organic compounds is the only way it should be achieved. There are many studies using good quality alkaline water made by nature or natural means that show the positive effects of alkaline water on humans and rats. please do proper research before filling peoples minds with biased information that only proves that you can hurt humans and rats by poisoning their water with caustic inorganic materials. The earth make alkaline water, are you saying it is in the wrong and has been?

Dietary supplements intended to alter the body's pH are the new snake oil. If it was that easy to change the pH of our complex digestive and circulatory systems, we'd all be dead. We already know, for example, that it's a bad idea to take proton-pump inhibitors for long periods. They reduce the amount of acid our stomachs secrete, increasing the pH there. This may help reduce acid reflux, but it also affects how well we can digest our food. Minerals like calcium, which our bodies need to function properly, cannot pass into the bloodstream unless they are oxidized first by stomach acids. In theory, drinking lots of highly alkaline water would have the same effect. If you don't really understand what pH is, you probably shouldn't try to alter it. At best it's a waste of money, at worst you will experience unintended consequences.

Got more information about alkaline water learned new things from this post. Thank you

I am 66 years old and I am a survivor of Metastasis Stage IV, I have since January 2016 drinking 3 liters of alkaline water every day (kangen 9.54 of Enagic) and my results have been quite satisfactory to have had 120 of prostate antigen, now I only have 0.03 of prostate antigen and together with that I have lost 45 kg of weight, goodbye high pressure, normal all my organs. Congratulations, I've become a vega

From a the perspective of a physician who cares deeply about the health and well-being of our population, I'm disturbed by manufacturer's false and unproven claims of health benefits. There is no reasonable evidence that drinking alkalinized water is healthier than drinking regular water or even healthy at all. In addition, despite common folk wisdom, there is no evidence to support any particular volume of water to drink every day. All of the publicity around special drinks is marketing hype to get you to spend your hard earned money on useless products.

You could have just gone with NO and saved some news print.

My GI doctor suggested that due to damage to my esophagus caused by acid reflux, I should raise the pH of my diet; cut out spicy foods, peppers, tomatos, and switch to alkaline water. And it tastes better than our awful tap water.

Thanks for the article. A friend bought a Kangan water machine, four grand, many years ago. She tried to talk my husband and I into buying the machine. We thought it was a very expensive scam. She was told it would prevent cancer to drink Kangan water. Last year she got cancer.

I suggest that devotees of this stuff get a kit from their local swimming supply store and check if the ph is what it is claimed to be. Many analyses of "alternative medicine" products have shown that the miracle ingredient is present in much lower quantity than what the label says, and many samples show that there isn't any of the substance at all. It's an industry rife with charlatans, as it always has been.

All the fooling around with water in bottles just shows that we have no shortage of fools willing to part with their money for the next "new" thing. I filter my water and even that probably is not necessary where I live, but it does taste good that way.

I am very conscious of plastic. I carry a stainless steel straw. I talk to restaurant owners about switching to paper straws. I do not use plastic wrap. I avoid plastic bags as much as possible and use glass containers with lids to store foods in the fridge (although I still use plastic containers purchased from Montgomery Ward in 1980!) I cannot remember the last time I bought bottled water except ... Every five years or so, I buy a case of Vichy water, imported from France. I live in Toronto but have to bring it from Montreal because, as far as I can tell, there's no market for it here ... yet. Vichy is naturally alkaline right out of the ground in a volcanic region of France. It's been a spa since Roman times. Its alkalinity is why I am convinced that the French have been able to drink all that wine and eat all that cream and butter and not end up doubled over. Anyway, I always keep a bottle in my fridge and, whenever I (or a guest) have over indulged or have an upset stomach from some medication (e.g. ibuprofen), I pour a glass and 10 minutes later, voila! Acid stomach gone from the purest form of bicarb with a little hydration kicked in. It works for me whereas Tums, Eno, Pepto-Bismol etc. don't. Chacune a son gout I guess. For me, it's strictly medicinal but totally natural. I would never drink it daily because I simply hate the taste. I'd rather drink shampoo. But I will attest to its benefits.

Dr. Fenton knows best. Heed his snake oil salesmen comparison. A fool and his money are easily parted. People who are regularly drinking imported water in plastic bottles from places like Iceland, Fiji, Korea or where ever are part of a very large environmental problem we have today.

This article is ridiculous. Lumping Alkaline bottled water in with the same group as Water Ionizer machines is completely wrong. ALKALINE WATER is a scam. ALKALIZED WATER SUCH AS KANGEN WATER IS NOT! The alkalinity is basically a side effect and not the cause of the healing properties.... it is the incredible amount of FREE ACTIVE HYDROGEN that is the real benefit from Ionized/Alkalized Water. This article doesn't even know the difference which makes me feel it was not researched well and is spreading false information. There are many studies showing the incredible benefits of Molecular hydrogen.... alkaline water is a scam trying to copy what Kangen Water is.... ALKALIZED Water!

12 is a very high pH. Salt is needed by the body. A kilo of salt will kill you. Acidic foods drain energy. Basic food (green leafy veggies mostly) lighten the feel in the body. This also depends on the ayurvedic body type.

Thank you Ms. Callahan for pointing out the various pH levels that are tightly regulated throughout the body, regardless of what we eat. As small a change in blood pH from 7.40 to 7.45 causes the condition of alkalosis (alkalemia) which can be a medical emergency. Is this what drinkers of alkaline water are aiming for? We humans love to engage in magical thinking and the producers of bottled water have been making a fortune - and generating HUGE amounts of plastic waste - from this foible for decades now. Bottled water, of any pH, is one of the great rip-off and environmental catastrophes of our time, a waste of money and of resources, plain and simple.

"But there’s no evidence that drinking water with a higher pH can change the pH of your body" and that is a very good thing!

Alkaline gave me the worst stomach/abdominal pain of my life. Am I the only one? Once I quit the stuff I was better in a day.

Of course alkaline water is much better than neutral water and 10000% times better than water with lime or lemon slices. The guy who reads my aura told me that basic water is worth every extra penny I fork over to him.

For people with interstitial cystitis, a chronic bladder condition, alkaline water is a godsend. I drink Iceland Spring Water, pH 8.88. It improves how I feel considerably over brands with a lower pH.

I drink alkaline water because to me, it's more refreshing and therefore, easier to drink at least 64 oz. (if not more) a day. I've offered alkaline water to friends and family and most agree that they find it easier to drink than tap water. I don't believe that alkaline water will cure my ills, but a product that can have me eagerly drinking water from the minute I get up until bedtime is a positive to me.

As stated, blood ph is 7.4. Slightly alkaline. How does the body maintain this alkaline balance? 1. Breathing. Carbonic acid is off-gassed on exhale as CO2. 2. Food. Following ingestion, foods have an acidic, alkaline, or null effect. 3. Bones. Minerals like calcium are 'borrowed' from bones to balance acids. Breathing, especially during exercise, removes carbonic acid. In the lungs, a carbon atom bonds with 2 oxygen atoms to form a co2 molecule. The carbon dioxide gas is released on exhale. Foods eaten have an effect on the ph of the body. A lemon is obvi acidic, yet contains lots of minerals. So the overall effect of lemon ingestion is alkaline. A canned soda is acidic, but lacks minerals. The effect is acidic. Bones, vast living stores of minerals like calcium and phosphorous, are tapped to balance out any excess acid. Just like baking soda will react with vinegar to a balanced ph of 7. Later, hopefully, these minerals are replaced in the bone. When the body receives a slightly alkaline balance of foods and active breathing from exercise, bone mass is well maintained. When the body receives an acidic balance of foods and less active breathing, bones are tapped. Replenishing bone mineral is not as simple as adding calcium pills to an acidic diet and sedentary lifestyle. This is what I understand. Please correct me. Given that we are mostly water, seems logical to me that the ph of water entering the body would effect body ph.

Save money and your life. Instead of buying more plastic bottles that purport to increase alkaline levels, go plant-based! Eradicating meat and dairy and replacing with plants and legumes will naturally lead to increased alkaline and decreased acidity.

Magical thinking about food.

It is exceedingly unlikely that alkaline drinking water can change the body's pH. We have a lot of buffering systems to prevent that type of event. Nonetheless, there was an interesting article suggesting that it might have a very different effect that would be anti-inflammatory via a vagus nerve pathway: "Our data indicate that oral NaHCO3 activates a splenic anti-inflammatory pathway and provides evidence that the signals that mediate this response are transmitted to the spleen via a novel neuronal-like function of mesothelial cells." Ray SC, Baban B, Tucker MA, Seaton AJ, Chang KC, Mannon EC, et al. Oral NaHCO3 Activates a Splenic Anti-Inflammatory Pathway: Evidence That Cholinergic Signals Are Transmitted via Mesothelial Cells. J Immunol. 2018. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1701605. PubMed PMID: 29661827.

In spite of clearly stated facts like these, people I know will continue to believe that the expensive filtration system they bought is curing them of cervical stenosis, arthritic pain and a host of other chronic conditions. I think the psychology is that once you have invested so much money in the product, and recruited others to join you in this "secret" miracle cure, you need to keep hailing its praises or risk looking like a fool. It helps if you can make the case that big pharma and the military-medical-industrial complex is trying to keep this elixir off the market so they can make money on all your diseases. This isn't about marketing, it's fraud.