Water and Alkalinity

July 7, 2020 By Marci

You probably already know that drinking water is good for you — really good for you – and we all need it for reaching optimal health. Many water proponents say what is even better for you and hydrates the body better than tap or filtered is alkaline water.

Is there truth behind higher alkalinity in water being necessary and healthy? Some studies say yes, there could be something there. (1)

What Exactly is Alkaline Water?

A substance’s pH or potential hydrogen is the measure of the hydrogen ion concentration within it. The scale ranges from 0 to 14 and is based around the hydrogen ion concentration of pure water, which is neutral—a pH of 7. A pH below 7 is considered acidic and above a 7 pH is referred to as alkaline.

Studies show that alkaline water and also eating a high alkaline diet may be medicinal, promotes optimal health, and perhaps even affect longevity. This is based on the belief that acidic properties in the body and blood are a major cause of disease and need to be neutralized. Therefore, a more alkaline body will lead to better health. (2) (3) (4) (5)

Drinking naturally alkaline water – the kind that emerges as the result of water passing through rocks, such as what happens in natural springs, picking up minerals along the way – is best. most water advertised as alkaline water goes through the ionization procedure and gets mixed with potentially harmful chemicals that can negate any beneficial effects. Additionally, ionizers do not filter water, leaving in the contaminants that result from industrial water processing.

But — is too much alkalinity bad for you?

Although alkaline drinking water is considered safe, it may produce some negative side effects including the lowering of natural stomach acidity, which helps kill bacteria and expel other undesirable pathogens from entering the bloodstream.

Additionally, too much alkalinity may also agitate the body’s normal pH, leading to metabolic alkalosis, a condition that can also negatively affect how your heart transports oxygen around the body through the blood, hydration, bone health, and kidney function. (6)

Some symptoms of alkalosis include:

nausea
vomiting
hand tremors
muscle twitching
tingling in the extremities or face
confusion

In conclusion, it is probably best to drink naturally alkaline water that is at a neutral pH of 7 or slightly higher to get some of the health benefits plus maintain much-needed hydration.

1) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26338903/

2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3195546/

3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5126823/

4) https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/6/e010438

5) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4906185/

6) https://jasn.asnjournals.org/content/11/2/369