Close-up of a glass of water, representing the discussion on the health benefits of alkaline water.
You might have heard about alkaline water and its purported health benefits. With claims ranging from improved hydration to disease prevention, it’s natural to wonder, Why Is Alkaline Water Good For You? However, despite the hype and marketing, the straightforward answer is often no, alkaline water isn’t significantly better for you than regular water in most cases. There’s limited scientific evidence to support the notion that choosing alkaline water over regular tap water or bottled water provides substantial health advantages for the average person.
To understand the discussion around alkaline water, we first need to grasp the concept of pH. pH is a scale used to measure the acidity or alkalinity of a liquid. This scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. A pH below 7 indicates acidity, while a pH above 7 signifies alkalinity. The higher the pH number, the more alkaline the substance; conversely, the lower the number, the more acidic it is. For context, human blood is naturally slightly alkaline, ideally within a pH range of 7.35 to 7.45. In stark contrast, the fluid in our stomach is highly acidic, typically with a pH between 1.5 and 3.5, crucial for digestion.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the US recommends that municipal water systems maintain water pH between 6.5 and 8.5. Most public water supplies average around a pH of 7.5. Standard bottled waters usually hover close to neutral, around pH 7.0. Alkaline bottled waters, on the other hand, boast a higher pH, generally between 8 and 9.
Once water, whether alkaline or regular, enters your body, it encounters stomach acid. Due to the stomach’s highly acidic environment, the pH of the water you drink has minimal lasting impact on your overall stomach pH. While consuming a large quantity of alkaline water might temporarily elevate stomach fluid pH, this effect would be short-lived. Even if you managed to drink enough alkaline water to slightly increase your blood pH, your kidneys would efficiently work to restore the natural pH balance of your blood. The body is remarkably adept at maintaining its internal equilibrium.
One area where alkaline water might offer a minor, temporary benefit is in alleviating heartburn symptoms caused by acid reflux. Some individuals find that it can provide fleeting relief. However, it’s crucial to recognize that this relief is temporary, and far more effective and lasting solutions are available, such as antacids and medications specifically designed to reduce stomach acid production.
Furthermore, there are potential downsides to consider, particularly when consuming alkaline water with a pH exceeding 9. Water at this high alkalinity level can often have an unpleasant bitter taste. More seriously, for individuals who regularly take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), medications that reduce stomach acid production and thus raise stomach pH, drinking highly alkaline water could be problematic. Combining alkaline water with PPIs could excessively increase stomach pH and potentially lead to metabolic alkalosis, a condition where blood pH becomes too high. This imbalance can disrupt normal blood levels of essential chemicals like potassium, particularly concerning for individuals with pre-existing kidney disease.
In conclusion, while the concept of alkaline water may sound appealing due to marketing claims, the scientific evidence supporting significant health benefits over regular water is lacking for most people. For optimal hydration and overall health, safe, clean drinking water, whether from the tap or bottled, remains a sound and evidence-based choice.
