What is alkaline water?
What is alkaline water?
Alkaline water is water with lower acidity than ordinary tap water. This means it is richer in "alkalizing compounds," including calcium, silica, potassium, magnesium and bicarbonate. Some people believe it can neutralize the acid in your blood and help your body process nutrients more effectively.
Pure tap water has a pH value near 7, which we call pH neutral. Alkaline water has a pH greater than 7. The pH value of water is different again from water hardness. The hardness of water is determined in part by the amount of calcium (lime), magnesium and other minerals.
Canyou make alkaline water?
If your local tap water is more acidic, you may be wondering if it is possible to fix it. In general, water utilities always try to provide pH neutral tap water. You can buy a machine called a water ionizer that creates alkaline water through a process called ionization. However, most chemists say that "ionized water" is a meaningless term and that health claims for ionized water are unfounded.
Is it good for my body?
For starters, the human body is complex. Whether alkaline water makes a clear health difference - or not - remains to be seen. To claim that everyone should "alkalize" is too simplistic. For starters, each organ system has a unique pH balance. And because there are different ways the body maintains pH balance, when pH levels are off, it is important to identify the underlying cause. Without knowing the cause, you can't determine if alkaline water will really help.
For example, if a person has kidney disease, or takes a medication that alters kidney function, some of the minerals in alkaline water may begin to accumulate in the body. For these people, high alkalinity can lead to negative side effects. So just making an appointment with the doctor is better then.
The claims
We have listed some claims in conjunction with current research data.
- Alkaline water deacidifies
Weak / speculative. The body tightly regulates pH levels and different organs have slightly different pH requirements. There is little evidence that alkaline water contributes to this. - Alkaline water improves overall health
Weak / speculative. It is not clear that it improves your health. People with certain health conditions should avoid excessive mineral intake. - Alkaline water is important for athletes
Weak / speculative. Proper hydration helps athletes, but there is no evidence that alkaline water is better than normal tap water in this regard. - Alkaline water protects us from toxins
Weak/questionable. There are substances that have less effect in alkaline water, but other toxins can actually thrive in alkaline water. - Alkaline water improves glucose metabolism
Suggestive / speculative. Studies on rats have shown lower blood sugar levels and less liver damage. Yet this has not been proven to be the case in humans.
IS BOTTLED WATER ALKALINE?
Bottled mineral water tends to be alkaline. Spring water water is probably not alkaline. Adding certain minerals to water can make it alkaline. Evian, for example, has a pH of 7.2, which is more alkaline. Read all about the difference between spring water and mineral water here.
CONCLUSION
Our bodies and organs do a fantastic job every day of maintaining the pH level of the blood. Currently, there is no clear evidence whether alkaline water does us any good. There is no hard data, no matter how you look at it. But for most people, drinking alkaline water will not be harmful. Unless you suffer from kidney problems, then it's best to visit your doctor since high alkalinity can result in negative side effects.
