A lkaline water – is it a trend, or does it bring real benefits? The world around is talking about Kangen water, ionizers, electrolysis, which have been not once associated with curing cancer, acid reflux disease, providing better hydration, fighting old age, and so on. One of the most important promoters is Gwyneth Paltrow, but there are a lot of other celebs that talk about how they have discovered their water ionizer and started enjoying the effects of ionized water. The Obamas are one of them. The thing with high-pH water is that its fame got ahead of the scientific research behind it, and many of the promises that come with drinking it haven’t been proven yet.
In this article, we focus on describing what alkaline water does to your body from a scientific point of view and bust some myths that have been associated with drinking it. We also discuss practical aspects like how much should you pay for an ionizer and what contaminants you should expect for it to filter.
Countertop Water Ionizer
Eternal youth is a fascinating concept that has charmed a lot of people over the years. In the 15th century, Juan Ponce de Leon, who was the first governor of Puerto Rico, was so eager to preserve his youth and extend his life that he started to look for a legendary “fountain of youth”. Ponce de Leon didn’t find his fountain, but a new one seems to have emerged in the meanwhile, which is more accessible – the water ionizer.
The story of the alkaline ionizer machine starts with Michael Faraday, who was the first to discover electrolysis, a process that allows separating the positively charged ions in the water from the negatively charged ions by using electrically charged titanium plates and a semipermeable membrane.
The first alkaline water machines appeared in Japan in the 1950s, but they were huge and used only by hospitals. Korea was the first to produce an ionizer for home use in the 1970s, which was subsequently imported by the US.
Today, alkaline water machines are commercialized both online and in physical stores and are becoming more and more popular. Many Americans have switched from tap or bottled water to high-pH water, some for the hype that was created around it and some after having it prescribed by their doctor for a specific medical condition on which the water has a positive effect.
The reason this type of water has become so controversial is that many of its properties were exaggerated for publicity purposes. Some water ionizer companies paid for a series of studies, which were not performed according to the academic rigors and thus cannot be trusted. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the water lacks the proprieties they have advertised, but more research is necessary to prove them. Here are the myths and truths that have been proven by this moment:
Some manufacturers will tell you that you need to buy a large machine with a lot of plates as it is more efficient than a smaller one. There is no evidence to support this claim. The most a bigger device can deliver is a higher water flow, so it is more suitable for a larger family, but the process happening inside is the same as the process taking place in a smaller model. You should focus on the quality of the plates instead. They should be made from titanium and coated with platinum. Also, the machine should have a self-clean feature to ensure that it doesn’t allow bacteria to grow inside and contaminate the water.
If you were looking at the wattage of the units you have been considering, you should know that this has nothing to do with the value of the current being used during the electrolysis. In fact, this process requires a low voltage for the reaction to take place, which is between 2 and 4 volts. Of course, bigger models that have 9, 10, 11 plates or more need more power, but this has to do with the energy they require to make the water flow over the plates.
All ionizers produce the same type of water, which is called alkaline ionized water and has a pH between 8 and 12 and a negative ORP. The only differences that appear are related to what pH value you select. Therefore, there is no such thing as superior water. Plus, most machines have broad pH and ORP ranges that allow you to select exactly how ionized the water should be.
This is the biggest lie that is told about this type of water, and I like to think that it comes from a misconception about how the human body works, but there are probably persons out there that understand the process and continue to promote a false affirmation. Yes, high-pH water is indeed basic, but, in general, human blood has a basic pH as well, so there is actually no correction to be made here. If there is a too high concentration of carbon dioxide caused by acidosis, which appears when the organism has been poisoned or there is a pre-existent metabolic problem, drinking high-pH can reduce the blood pH according to this study, but doesn’t affect the overall body’s pH.
This research paper tried to find and review all the studies that targeted the connection between drinking hydrogen-enriched water and cancer. Unfortunately, the researchers couldn’t find any study to support this theory and concluded that there is no justification behind promoting ionized water as effective in cancer treatments.
While it cannot change your body’s pH, it does affect pepsin. This study has discovered that regularly ingesting water with an 8.8 pH can render pepsin inactive and reduce acidity in the stomach, providing alleviation for individuals who are struggling with the effects of acid reflux.
There is a research paper that has proved that the water produced by an ionizer is absorbed faster in the bloodstream of athletes, and this has to do with the fact that it is composed of smaller clusters than regular water. Thus, after intense aerobic exercises, when the body dehydrates fast, this type of water can restore the balance faster.
This is true in comparison to tap water, which tends to have an acidic pH as it is contaminated with heavy metals and bacteria. This study demonstrated an amelioration in teeth decaying in patients who started drinking ionized water. However, it cannot counteract the effects of drinking high-sugar sodas and eating acidic food like sweets, eggs, or red meat.
This clinical trial tested if alkaline water makes iron tablets absorb faster in kids compared to regular water and the results were very promising. After 14 days, the researchers were able to observe a higher hemoglobin level in the primary group compared to the results obtained for the control group. However, this doesn’t mean that you should take all your medication with hydrogen-enriched water. Check with your doctor before.
Water Ionizer on Kitchen Countertop
A common question is if ionized water is the same as purified water. They certainly aren’t, as they are produced by different systems. Yet, this doesn’t mean that ionizers do not provide filtration. Most of them include carbon filters that function as a strong sieving layer. Activated carbon is very efficient in removing odors and improving the water’s taste. However, compared to a reverse osmosis system, filtration is less efficient.
Having your body fat scale give you good news every day becomes more difficult as you get old. This is because your bone and muscle mass begin to drop. It is a natural process but one that can be slowed down. Compared to filtering systems, ionizers don’t remove minerals but use them to increase the pH, so you will not lose this calcium and magnesium source. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t rely on it only as the percentage of minerals in water is not very high. If you have deficiencies, your doctor can prescribe other sources as well.
Their filtering system is pretty basic but can remove a good part of the extra chlorine found in the water. This way, the taste is improved. If you are looking for more advanced filtration, though, Life Ionizers offers a wide range of purification options that include external filters to be placed between the machine and the water source and even UV-light purification specially designed for well water.
The price can go from as low as $300 and up to $5000 depending on the brand that produces the machine and the pH and ORP ranges it offers. Among the most reliable brands, you will find Tyent, Life Ionizers, Bawell, and Alkaviva. In general, a machine costing between $1,000 and 1,500 will give you the pH freedom you need and will last for a long time. On the other hand, models that cost over $2,000 usually come with lifetime warranties, which means that they have longer life expectancies.
If you are determined to change your lifestyle and have already added gym equipment to your room, an ionizer can improve your efforts. Alkaline water is not dangerous but instead, as a series of serious studies have proven, it can be efficient in hydrating you after a lot of effort and even treating some conditions like increased acidity in your stomach or tooth demineralization. It cannot cure grave illnesses and will not keep you young forever, but it is cleaner than tap water and has antioxidant properties. Moreover, the machine is easy to install and maintain, and you will never have to drink bottled water that was contaminated with plastic.