Alkaline water is touted for its ability to neutralize acid in the body and promote weight loss, among other things. Find out whether it’s really better for you than regular water.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
The Claim: Alkaline water is better for you than regular water.
If you listen to celebrities and athletes, you get the impression that alkaline water can work wonders, from clearing up skin to preventing cancer, not to mention hydrating you better than regular water. But if you listen to scientists, you get something else: a bucket of cold water thrown on the claims.
To understand what alkaline water is, you need to know about the pH scale.
Ranging from 0 to 14, it indicates how acidic or basic a substance is.
A pH level below 7 means acidic.
A reading of 7 is neutral.
And a pH above 7 is basic or alkaline.
Alkaline water typically has a pH of 8 to 10.
In some cases, water is naturally alkaline because it contains dissolved minerals.
In others, water is made alkaline through a so-called ionization process.
You can also buy home devices that do this.
Whatever the case, proponents say alkaline water is beneficial because it helps neutralize acid in the body.
In fact, this makes no sense biologically. When functioning normally, our bodies keep the pH of our blood constant. What we drink or eat does not affect it.
As for specific claims, one of the most common is that alkaline water can reduce acid reflux.
But this is based mainly on research in test tubes, not human beings.
The evidence that alkaline water is superior for hydration is also limited consisting largely of company-funded studies.
There’s even less evidence for other purported benefits such as detoxifying the body, killing cancer cells and promoting weight loss.
For most people, alkaline water isn’t harmful, so if you like the taste, it’s fine to drink. Just don’t count on it doing anything more than regular water except shrinking your wallet
For more on diet and nutrition claims, check out my book, Coffee is Good For You, which reveals the truth about everything from red meat to read wine.
Helping you be a healthy skeptic, I’m Robert Davis.