

Effect of electrolyzed high-pH alkaline water on blood viscosity in healthy adults.Acidic or Basic? What is an acid or a base? Effects of alkaline-reduced drinking water on irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea: A randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study. Alkaline water and longevity: A murine study. Potential benefits of pH 8.8 alkaline drinking water as an adjunct in the treatment of reflux disease. Systematic review of the association between dietary acid load, alkaline water and cancer.

Drinking water regulations and contaminants.You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. We link primary sources - including studies, scientific references, and statistics - within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. Learn more about the potential health benefits of alkaline water here. However, these are small studies, and more human studies are necessary to back up these initial results. The people who drank water with a pH of 8.5–10 had higher self-reported quality-of-life scores after 8 weeks than those who did not. Researchers have also found that drinking water with a pH of 8.5–10 may be beneficial for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) whose primary symptom is diarrhea. The researchers found that alkaline water appears to permanently inactivate an enzyme that plays a role in heartburn, which may reduce symptoms. Due to this, drinking this water after a workout or while sick may help keep minerals and electrolytes balanced and prevent dehydration.Īdditionally, the findings of a smaller study suggest that people with acid reflux disease may benefit from drinking alkaline water with a pH of 8.8. In general, alkaline water tends to be more alkaline because it has minerals and electrolytes in it. However, alkaline water may still be helpful for some people. So, if it were possible to change the body’s pH using food and drink, it would be dangerous to do so. Changes in the body’s internal pH, such as blood pH, can mean serious problems in the organs and tissues. The body strictly regulates its pH levels. While drinking alkaline water may temporarily affect the pH of the mouth or urine, there is no scientific proof that it will change the overall pH of the body. However, there is little evidence to back up these claims. The thinking behind this is that drinking alkaline water helps the body itself to become more alkaline, which will treat a number of illnesses, including cancer. According to advocates of alkaline drinks, acidic environments in the body cause several chronic illnesses, which they claim could not persist in an alkaline environment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend keeping the pH between 6.5 and 8.5 in drinking water, and many states in the United States choose to enforce these levels.ĭrinking water and other water-based drinks of varying pH levels may play a role in a few different health factors.Īlkaline water and other alkaline products have gained popularity in recent years, becoming a new health trend. Most of the time, water that providers intend for use or drinking will stay closer to the neutral point of 7, although it may still vary slightly. On the other hand, water with a low pH may corrode metal pipes and extract metal ions into the water, making it harmful to drink or use in the home. It can also lead to reduced water pressure or even blockages. Mineral buildup can cause various issues with water in the home, such as making detergents and soaps less effective. As the water passes through pipes and machines that use water, such as dishwashers or showers, these minerals stick to both the pipes and each other, leading to mineral buildup. These minerals make the water very alkaline. In general, a very high or very low pH can make water unusable for certain applications.įor instance, hard water is the common term for water containing a lot of minerals. The pH may also be a sign of other contaminants or bacterial life in a liquid. A high pH would make heavy metals less available, and, therefore, less toxic. Heavy metals in water with a lower pH tend to be more toxic, as they are more available to the body. PH plays an important role in the properties of a liquid containing water.įor instance, the pH of water may make certain elements in it, such as minerals and metals, more or less available to the body.
