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Health See other Health Articles Title: Alkaline Water: Beneficial or All Hype? Alkaline Water: Beneficial or All Hype? Dr. Josh Axe Alkaline water has gained rapid popularity in recent years among everyone from health enthusiasts to professional athletes, whether they’re following an alkaline diet or just trying to get more out of their hydration. In fact, NBA superstars like Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James are some of the most well-known alkaline water aficionados, with reports claiming that certain pro players get more than half a dozen alkaline water bottle cases shipped to their home every single month. (1) It’s true that your body’s pH plays a big role in overall health, and the standard American diet is typically filled with refined sugars, hydrogenated oils, excess sodium, high-fructose corn syrup, chemical additives, pesticides, synthetic hormones and ultra-processed foods that can all contribute to low-grade acidosis, or an overproduction of acid in the blood, fostering an environment where disease can thrive. Some claim that alkaline water — or high pH water — is the best water to drink when it comes to health, citing a long list of potential alkaline water benefits from enhanced weight loss to resistance against cancer. But does this popular beverage live up to the hype, or is it just another fad used to target health-conscious consumers? Let’s break down the debate and find the truth. What Is Alkaline Water? Alkaline water is a type of water with a higher pH than regular water. This is a measure of acidity — a low pH level indicates a more acidic substance while a higher pH is more alkaline. Too many hydrogen ions means less oxygen is available to the cells, resulting in higher acidity. Fewer hydrogen ions mean more oxygen is available, leading to a more alkaline, or basic, state. There is no known disease that can survive in an alkaline state. Because it has a higher pH level, alkaline water is supposedly more beneficial than your basic tap water. It typically clocks in with a pH level around 8 or 9 while the pH of water is usually closer to 7.0 or less. It’s also said that alkaline water offers more key minerals the body needs to function properly, such as calcium, potassium, sodium and magnesium. On average, your pH levels should be approximately a 7.365 for the blood on a scale between 0–14, leaving the blood at a 60/40 alkaline-to-acid ratio. Alkaline compounds buffer acids in the blood with four main minerals — calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium — which work together to keep the body healthy and running properly. Calcium strengthens our bones and supports a healthy circulatory system. Magnesium helps convert our food into energy and works to maintain muscle, nerves, heart and kidney function. Sodium controls blood pressure, balances fluids in the body and influences muscle movement. Potassium helps maintain muscle relaxation and contraction, which is extremely important around the heart, and also aids in digestion and fluid elimination. The body works hard to naturally keep the blood tipping toward an alkaline state and will take from stored reserves whenever necessary to keep it balanced. Poster Comment: More links in text at source. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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