As a result of human activity, not only the climate has changed. We made the world more sour. And it's not just acid rain. Over the past hundred years, the acidity of the oceans has dropped from 8.2 to 8.1 pH. Under these circumstances, it's no surprise that any alkali is surprisingly useful to us. Let's take a look at "ionized" alkaline water. Is she really as good as people think?
What is Alkaline Water?
The logarithmic pH scale is widely used to measure the acidity of various media in the world. Substances at the top of the scale (pH 1 to 7) are considered acidic. At the same time, substances located in the upper half of the scale, with a pH of 7 to 14, are considered alkalis, or bases.
Technically, pH refers to the amount of ions released by a substance when dissolved in water. The acid releases positively charged hydrogen ions. The lower the pH of an acid, the more ions it releases. Since the pH scale is logarithmic, when dissolved in water, an acid with a pH of 4 will release 10 times more hydrogen ions than an acid with a pH of 5, and 100 times more than an acid with a pH of 6.
At the same time, alkalis, when dissolved in water, release hydroxide ions OH (negatively charged water molecules that lack a hydrogen atom). In pure water, hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions neutralize each other, and as a result it has a perfectly neutral acidity of pH 7.
However, the water we drink is slightly acidic due to impurities and minerals. Common drinks such as lemonade and orange juice are even more acidic. Against their background, alkaline water involuntarily attracts attention. Most of the commercially available alkaline water has a pH of 8 to 10.
Presumably, it should have a positive impact on health. Pop stars drink alkaline water to treat various ailments from hangovers to osteoporosis and even cancer, while protecting their bodies from excess acidity. But is there scientific evidence? Looks like no.
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Self-sufficiency of the body
According to nutritionist and epidemiologist Tanis Fenton, it's all about marketing. In other words, alkaline water is more of a marketing ploy than a scientific phenomenon. From 2014 to 2017, sales of alkaline water increased tenfold, bringing producers millions in profits. However, there is little evidence that such water is beneficial for the average person.
In fact, our bodies are quite capable of maintaining our health even when we drink modern, slightly acidic drinks. We have developed strong internal mechanisms to regulate our acidity levels simply because we would not have survived otherwise. If the acidity level of our blood goes beyond 7.35-7.45, we will die.
So what happens when you consume too much acidic substance? For the most part, your urine becomes slightly more acidic. Normal urine is always slightly acidic - this is a sign that the urinary system is keeping internal pH in check.
As for alkaline substances, the stomach is on guard for excessive alkalization of the body. Although the pH of the blood is constant at 7.4, the stomach is much more acidic, with a pH of 1.5 to 3.5. A wise stomach neutralizes unnecessarily alkaline substances - including water - long before they enter the bloodstream.
In some cases, alkaline water may be beneficial. For example, if you have acid reflux, it can help soothe irritation. But again, the available evidence is not very convincing, and more convincing studies can be risky. In some experiments, rats fed with alkaline water suffered from heart problems and became less active than rats who drank regular water.
So, it looks like alkaline water isn't worth the extra money, let alone the potential health risks. However, plain water is very healthy, and we recommend it from the bottom of our hearts!
Evgeniya Yakovleva