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Some people believe that alkaline water helps our bodies metabolize nutrients and
expel toxins more efficiently than regular tap water, leading to better health and
performance.
Water basics
Most of us know that water is a big deal. In fact, our bodies are largely made of the
stuff. No other substance is so important to our physiology or health. No wonder so
many of us feel concerned about increased pollutants and contaminants in our tap
water.
But before we completely dismiss North American tap
water, the good news is that it’s actually quite safe
compared to the water in many other parts of the world.
Tap water contains different dissolved elements that influence its pH level. Pure
water has a pH level close to 7. Alkaline water has a pH above 7.
alkalinity.
However, this may not always be a benefit. For example, if someone has a kidney
condition, or is taking a medication that alters kidney function, some of the minerals
in alkaline water could start to accumulate in the body. For these people, high
alkalinity might lead to negative side effects.
Thus: Alkaline water might improve overall hydration status in active people over
time. And proper hydration is important to our health. But again, this is a big
“maybe”.
Exercise
Physical activity and diet can alter pH balance. A diet high in fresh vegetables will
usually result in greater alkalinity.
So alkaline water’s benefits might be more obvious in people who do not exercise, or
those who eat a typical Western diet of processed foods. Meanwhile, folks who
exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet of whole foods might fail to notice much
change from drinking alkaline water.
But even if they don’t particularly notice a change, active people might benefit from
alkaline water for reasons that go beyond improved hydration.
Intense exercise spurs our muscles to produce more hydrogen ions than our body
can efficiently remove. Fatigue increases. Drinking alkaline water might enhance the
body’s buffering capacity and temper the acidity, thus improving our performance.
Note that mineral supplements (calcium, magnesium, potassium) decrease cardio-
respiratory stress and blood lactate responses, while improving power output in
endurance athletes. That’s why long-distance runners sometimes supplement with
sodium bicarbonate.
This practice would seem to support the benefits of mineralized water.
Toxins
Tap water is disinfected to protect us from bacteria and toxins. But when
disinfectants interact with organic matter in our tap water, disinfectant by-products
form. DBPs can lead to health and environmental problems – a good reason to avoid
them.
Alkaline water seems to break down some DBPs, neutralizing their dangers to us.
Meanwhile, alkaline urine might help to draw certain environmental toxins and
pharmaceuticals from the body, another potential benefit.
Sounds great, right? But other DBPs seem to thrive in an alkaline environment.
So all in all, alkaline water is not necessarily better at protecting us from toxins.
Gut health
Oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) is a measure of the tendency of a solution to
either gain or lose electrons when it is subject to change by the introduction of a new
species.
ORP seems to influence bacteria in the gut. Electrochemically activated (i.e. ionized)
water possesses a negative oxidation-reduction potential, which means
microorganisms.
Glycation
Glycation is a reaction that takes place when simple sugar molecules, such
asfructose or glucose, become attached to proteins or lipid fats without the
moderation of an enzyme. This results in the formation of rogue molecules known as
advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). AGEs are associated with health risks
such as Alzheimer’s and diabetes.
Ionized water seems to result in lowered glycation levels and reduced liver damage
in rats with poor blood sugar control.
Now, rats are not humans, and it is tricky to extrapolate directly from animal studies
to human health. Even so, this evidence is worth weighing in the balance.