Women health

  • Alkaline Water: Risks and Benefits                               

What is the definition of alkaline water?

You've probably heard a lot of promises about how good alkaline water is for your health. Some claim it can help slow the aging process, balance the pH level of your body, and prevent chronic diseases like cancer. But what is alkaline water and why is it so popular?

The term "alkaline" refers to the pH level of alkaline water. On a scale of 0 to 14, the pH level of a substance indicates how acidic or alkaline it is. Something with a pH of 1 is extremely acidic, while something with a pH of 13 is extremely alkaline.

The pH level of alkaline water is greater than that of conventional drinking water. As a result, some proponents of alkaline water claim it can help to neutralize the acid in the body.

The pH of normal drinking water is usually about 7. The pH of alkaline water is usually between 8 and 9. However, pH alone isn't enough to give water significant alkalinity.

Alkaline water must also include alkaline minerals and have a low propensity for oxidation-reduction (ORP). ORP refers to water's ability to serve as a pro- or antioxidant. The lower the ORP value, the more antioxidizing the substance is.

Is it truly effective?

Alkaline water is a contentious topic. Many health specialists believe there is insufficient evidence to back up the numerous health claims claimed by users and vendors. The sorts of alkaline water studies may explain differences in research findings.

Regular water is optimal for most people, according to the Mayo Clinic. They believe that there isn't enough scientific data to back up the claims made by proponents of alkaline water.

However, a few studies suggest that alkaline water may be beneficial for certain illnesses.

Drinking naturally carbonated artesian-well alkaline water with a pH of 8.8 may help deactivate pepsin, the major enzyme that causes stomach upset, according to a 2012 study.

Another study found that persons with high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol may benefit from drinking alkaline ionized water.

After a rigorous activity, recent research of 100 persons observed a substantial difference in whole blood viscosity after eating high-pH water versus standard water. The direct measurement of how efficiently blood flows through arteries is viscosity.

The viscosity of those who drank high-pH water was lowered by 6.3 percent, compared to 3.36 percent for those who drank ordinary purified drinking water. This suggests that alkaline water helped blood flow more efficiently. This has the potential to improve oxygen distribution throughout the body.

Despite the absence of scientific evidence, proponents of alkaline water believe in the health benefits it claims to provide. These are some of them:

  • Characteristics that is anti-aging (through liquid antioxidants that penetrate into the human body more quickly)
  •    qualities that help to cleanse the colon
  • assistance for the immune system

other detoxifying characteristics include hydration, skin health, and other detoxifying capabilities.

  •   Slimming down
  • Resistance to cancer

They further contend that soft drinks, which are notoriously acidic, have extremely positive ORPs, causing a slew of health issues, whereas properly ionized and alkalinized waters have highly negative ORPs, causing a slew of difficulties. Green tea has a slightly negative ORP and is high in antioxidants.

Alkaline water's potential adverse effects and hazards:

Although alkaline drinking water is thought to be harmless, it can have negative consequences.

Lowering natural stomach acidity, which helps kill bacteria and remove other undesired organisms from entering your circulation is one example of a negative side effect.

An excess of alkalinity in the body can also create gastrointestinal problems and skin irritations. Too much alkalinity can upset the body's natural pH, resulting in metabolic alkalosis, which can cause the following symptoms

·Nause

· Vomiting

·       Tremors in the hands

·       Twitching of muscles

·       tingling in the hands and feet or on the face

·       confusion

Alkalosis can also lead to a reduction in free calcium in the body, which can have an impact on bone health. The most prevalent cause of hypocalcemia is an underactive parathyroid gland, which is caused by consuming alkaline water.

Is it better to be natural or artificial?

Natural alkaline water is formed when water runs over rocks, such as springs, and picks up minerals, raising its alkaline level.

Many people who drink alkaline water, on the other hand, purchase alkaline water that has gone through a chemical process called electrolysis.

To boost the pH of normal water, this method employs the usage of an ionizer. Ionizer manufacturers claim that electricity is utilized to separate acidic and alkaline molecules in water. The acidic water is subsequently discharged.

Nonetheless, several doctors and academics argue that these statements aren't backed up by solid evidence. Before ionization, the water quality of the original source is critical to ensure pollutants aren't introduced.

Before attaching an alkaline ionizer, which can boost pH and add minerals, some experts recommend employing reverse osmosis to thoroughly filter water.

Water with low mineral content, such as that produced by reverse osmosis, distillation, and other processes (without added mineralization), should not be consumed on a daily basis, according to a report released by the World Health Organization.

What store do you buy it from?

Alkaline water is available in a variety of grocery and health food stores. It's also available on the internet.

Many huge chain retailers sell water ionizers as well.

You can make your own at home as well. Even though lemon and lime juices are acidic, they contain minerals that, when eaten and metabolized, can produce alkaline byproducts. When you squeeze a lemon or lime into a glass of water, it becomes more alkaline as it is digested by your body. Another approach to make water more alkaline is to add pH drops or baking soda.

There's no indication that there's a limit to how much alkaline water can contain if it's properly filtered to eliminate pollutants, ionized and re-mineralized, or acquired from a reputable source.

Is it secure?

The issue with alkaline water for many health professionals is not its safety, but rather the health claims made about it.

There is insufficient scientific evidence to support the use of alkaline water as a therapy for any disease. Medical professionals advise against accepting all marketing claims.

Natural alkaline water, which contains natural minerals, is typically deemed safe to drink.

Artificial alkaline water, on the other hand, should be treated with caution because it likely contains fewer beneficial minerals than its high pH would suggest and may contain pollutants. Also, keep in mind that consuming too much alkaline water can cause mineral deficiency.

 


 

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