Does alkaline water need to be ionized to be healthy?

Alkaline water is good for you because it contains healthy minerals, and can  neutralize acidity. Ionized alkaline water is better for health because it has an additional benefit: It reduces harmful compounds called Reactive Oxygen Species to harmless, neutral compounds. “Reduced water” is actually the correct name for ionized alkaline water, and it gets it’s oxidation-reducing power from electrons. Oxidation in the body, when it is out of control, destroys tissues and DNA.

Drinking ionized alkaline water with high Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) can help fight harmful oxidation, alkaline water that isn’t ionized doesn’t have that benefit.

The kind of ions in the water you drink makes a difference

All water, except distilled water and reverse osmosis water, is ionized water. What makes a difference in you health is what substances ionized the water. Water becomes ionized when you dissolve something in it. For example, tap water contains mineral ions, and  carbonate ions. These ions are mixed in with water molecules in tap water. What a water ionizer does is replace the carbonate ions in the water with hydroxyl ions. The hydroxyl ion is what gives ionized alkaline water it’s antioxidant potential.

A water ionizer converts the mineral carbonates in tap water into mineral hydrates. It does this by splitting the mineral ions apart from the carbonate ions. Once separated from the carbonate ions, the mineral ions have a high positive electrostatic charge that breaks water molecules apart – liberating a hydroxyl ion and a hydrogen ion. The hydroxyl ions take the place of the carbonate ions in balancing out the atomic charge of the mineral ions. The hydrogen ions combine with themselves to form the normal, diatomic – meaning two atoms together – form of hydrogen.

Alkaline water compared to ionized alkaline water

Any water with a pH above 7 is alkaline water, in fact you may have alkaline water flowing from your tap. To find out, get a pH test kit (available where pool supplies are sold) and test your tap water. If it’s pH is above 7, it’s alkaline water. However, alkaline water from the tap doesn’t have reduction potential. In fact, alkaline water from the tap has the opposite effect: It can cause oxidation!

Ionized alkaline water is different, it has a negative electrical charge. You can measure that charge with a meter called an ORP meter. Unfortunately, ORP meters are quite expensive! The electrical charge that gives ionized alkaline water it’s reduction potential is a negative electrical charge, it is measured in millivolts (mV). It is that electrical charge that ionizes the alkaline water. A substance is said to be ionized when it has either a positive or negative electrical charge. In general, you want ionized alkaline water with a high negative electrical charge on it, the higher the charge, the better it is going to be for your health.

How oxidation can affect your health

Oxidation happens when a substance with a positive electrical charge grabs electrons from another substance. In the body, free radicals and other reactive oxygen species grab electrons from healthy tissues and DNA, oxidizing and destroying them. As oxidation builds up over time, the accumulated damage to tissues and DNA manifests itself in premature aging and illnesses. This is why health experts recommend consuming antioxidants, because they reduce the amount of oxidation in the body.

Ionized alkaline water and the antioxidant sparing effect

Antioxidants in the body have to reduce free radicals and other reactive oxygen species like hydrogen peroxide to protect tissues and DNA. Ionized alkaline water with Oxidation Reduction Potential helps by reducing reactive oxygen species – which spares the body’s own antioxidants to fight free radicals. This is what’s known as the ionized alkaline water sparing effect. A clinical study called “The effect of daily consumption of 2 liters of

electrolyzed water for 2 months on body composition and several physiological parameters in four obese subjects” showed that drinking ionized alkaline water resulted in the test subjects having consistently higher levels of antioxidants in their bodies.

Energy and endurance – Two benefits of ionized alkaline water

Oxidation Reduction Potential has benefits beyond reducing reactive oxygen species, it increases energy and endurance. Two studies on the effect of ionized alkaline water on athletes show that it improved athletic performance by reducing the amount of effort an athlete needs to make to maintain their performance. It simply made the athletes feel like it took less effort perform their best. Other research found that when you combine ionized alkaline water with high reduction potential with electrolytes, it creates a potent sports drink.

Ionized alkaline water can help improve digestive health

There is a war going on inside your gut right now. It’s between beneficial probiotic bacteria, and harmful bugs that are trying to rob the food you eat of it’s nutrients. Ionized alkaline water can help tip the balance in favor of the beneficial bacteria. Oxidation destroys probiotic bacteria, and favors harmful oxidative bacteria. By reducing oxidation, probiotic bacteria can gain the upper hand, and flourish in the gut.

Ionized alkaline water may also help protect the brain

Oxidation in the brain destroys brain tissue, excessive levels of oxidation in the brain has been cited as a factor in the loss of cognitive function that some people experience as they age. A European study showed that drinking ionized alkaline water made with a water ionizer reduced levels of oxidation in the brain. Researchers concluded that, if maintained over the long term, reducing oxidation in the brain could help prevent age-related cognitive decline. This finding needs to be confirmed by further research.

Ionized alkaline water triples the antioxidant potential of Vitamin C

Vitamin C and ionized alkaline water have something in common: They both have antioxidant potential. As you might expect, they can work together; combine alkaline water with Vitamin C, and it triples the antioxidant effect of Vitamin C. The reason alkaline water triples the antioxidant effect of Vitamin C is that when combined, alkaline water and Vitamin C make calcium ascorbate – which is a more powerful antioxidant than Vitamin C alone.

How to use alkaline water to increase the antioxidant potential of Vitamin C

Yes, your alkaline water should be ionized for health

Ionized alkaline water is truly better than alkaline water that lacks antioxidant potential. Antioxidants in the body play a vital role in maintaining good health, and ionized alkaline water has been shown to help maintain healthy levels of antioxidants in clinical testing. On it’s own, ionized alkaline water plays a vital role in breaking down reactive oxygen species that contribute to liver problems, digestive problems, and can even damage brain tissue. For all these reasons and more, alkaline water does need to be ionized for good health.

 

Ionized alkaline water by Life Ionizers has the highest antioxidant potential at pH levels perfect for daily consumption. Call us at 877-959-7977 to find out what ionized alkaline water can do for you.

References

 

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performance in physically active men and women: double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial of efficacy and safety..” Serbian Journal of Sports Sciences. 5.3 (2011): 83-89. Print.

 

Lee, MY, YK Kim, and et al. “Electrolyzed-reduced water protects against oxidative

damage to DNA, RNA, and protein.” Springer Link. Humana Press, 01 Nov 2006. Web. 2 Jul 2013. <http://link.springer.com/article/10.1385/ABAB:135:2:133>.

 

Hiraoka, A, M Takemoto, and et al. “Studies on the Properties and Real Existence of

Aqueous Solution Systems that are Assumed to Have Antioxidant Activities by the Action of “Active Hydrogen.”Journal of Health Science. Journal of Health Science, 09 Jun 2004. Web. 2 Jul 2013. <http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200421/000020042104A0723444.php>.

 

Abraham, Guy, and Jorge Flebas. “The effect of daily consumption of 2 liters of

electrolyzed water for 2 months on body composition and several physiological parameters in four obese subjects: a preliminary report.” Highbeam Research. Original Internist, 01 Sep 2011. Web. 2 Jul 2013. <http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-269433201.html>.

 

Yan, H, , and et al. “The neuroprotective effects of electrolyzed reduced water and its model

water containing molecular hydrogen and Pt nanoparticles.” BMC Proceedings. Europeans Society for Animal Cell Technology, 22 Nov 2011. Web. 29 Oct 2013. <http://www.biomedcentral.com/1753-6561/5/S8/P69>.

 

Vorobjeva, N.V.. “Selective stimulation of the growth of anaerobic microflora in the

human intestinal tract by electrolyzed reducing water.” Medical Hypotheses. Elsevier, 14 Jun 2004. Web. 5 Jul 2013. <http://www.medical-hypotheses.com/article/S0306-9877(04)00489-X/abstract>.