By Dr. Keith David Kantor
Most alkaline waters make two main claims – that they restore pH balance to the body and that they have superior hydration qualities. Hydration claims are hard to prove or disprove so let’s deal with the alkaline claims. First, alkalinity is a quantitative measurement of the ability of a water to neutralize acid (hydrogen) as measured by pH. Neutralization can be accomplished by one of two methods. The first method occurs when an alkaline substance with a negative charge is added to counteract the positive charge of an acid. This is called buffering and is accomplished by the addition of minerals, trace minerals or electrolytes, all of which are alkaline. Although this helps restores the pH balance, it does not eliminate the acid. This is the main focus of most alkaline waters and how they accomplish their main goal of helping to restore pH balance.
The second method of neutralization occurs when hydroxide is introduced. Hydroxide (OH–) is a natural acid (hydrogen – H+) hunter that does not merely buffer the body against excess hydrogen but eliminates it by combining with it to form harmless water. That water can then be used for hydration or eliminated through urination. Here is the formula of the elimination reaction: OH– + H+ = H2O. This is a far more effective way to deal with excess acidity than mere buffering and it also increases the hydration potential of the water because it creates water. The power of hydroxide is founded in the fundamentals of all acid-base theories and is undeniable. Any alkaline water that has negative ions or undergoes some form of ionization contains hydroxide. The problem is that most alkaline waters use this as a secondary and subsidiary means of restoring pH balance and focus too much on buffering. By eliminating acidity which eliminates acidosis and most studies show this helps drastically reduce inflammation. Inflammation causes the insulin mechanism to work poorly which negatively affects diabetes and the CDC says up to 85% of all chronic diseases like arthritis, Crones diseases, IBS and many others. Although alkaline water helps these to a small extent by buffering the acidity, hydroxide water helps to a much larger extent because is eliminates the acidity instead of just buffering it.
Both of the below articles were Peer Reviewed by two open access scientific international journals.
http://namedprogram.com/understanding-alkalinity-and-acidity-version-2-0/
http://namedprogram.com/the-lactatelactic-acid-debate-an-outsiders-perspective/
So what conclusion can be reached? Most alkaline waters do have the potential to help restore pH but they miss the true power of alkalinity by focusing on buffering rather than elimination of the acid. Why does this matter? Because acidity and inflammation go hand in hand. By chemical definition, acidity is a problem of too much hydrogen (H+). Too much acidity (H+) in the body can stem from diet, disease, exercise, and other life style factors. It is generally recognized that excess acidity in the body creates acidosis which most studies show causes inflammation. The CDC says that inflammation adversely affects or is causative in up to 85% of all chronic diseases. Acidity also causes a lack of oxygen and a lower pH condition in which pathogens flourish. If all you do is buffer, then you do not reduce the hydrogen levels even though you have helped restored the pH balance. The body’s natural buffering system is very adept at keeping pH in the 7.35-7.45 range but it needs help eliminating the excess acid (H+) because of our western lifestyle. The only way to truly reduce inflammation is to eliminate the excess hydrogen, which is where hydroxide comes in to play.
What does all of this mean? Simply put: a water that concentrates on providing as many free hydroxide ions as possible will do more to reduce inflammation than typical alkaline waters. Finding a hydroxide rich water is more important than finding a water that claims high alkalinity, especially if that alkalinity relies on minerals or electrolytes. Emphasis on hydroxide content rather than mineral content makes the water a more transformative water with greater restorative potential. Hydroxide rich water also increases the oxygen content of the blood; in many cases this tends to give people more energy.
Chаngе іn рH lеvеlѕ соuld роtеntіаllу lеаd tо рооr оxуgеn dеlіvеrу tо thе bоdу’ѕ сеllѕ. Addіtіоnаllу, thе рH оf уоur blооd рlауѕ а vіtаl rоlе іn rеgulаtіng іnѕulіn, аnd аn іmbаlаnсе іn уоur bоdу’ѕ іnѕulіn lеvеlѕ саn ѕраrk thе оnѕеt оf dіаbеtеѕ. Your рH lеvеlѕ аrе аlѕо dіrесtlу rеlаtеd tо hеаlthу thуrоіd funсtіоn. Fоr еxаmрlе, thе thуrоіd саnnоt funсtіоn wіthоut рrореrlу mаіntаіnеd lеvеlѕ оf іоdіnе іn thе bоdу. Sіnсе рH іѕ сrіtісаl tо mаіntаіnіng thе bоdу’ѕ іоdіnе lеvеlѕ. Maintaining a hеаlthу рH equally plays a role in keeping a hеаlthу thуrоіd and metabolism.
Thе bоdу іѕ соntіnuоuѕlу excreting tоxіnѕ through ѕwеаt glаndѕ, lуmрhаtіс ѕуѕtеm, соlоn аnd kіdnеуѕ. It dоеѕ thіѕ іn оrdеr tо hеlр уоur рH lеvеlѕ rеmаіn nоrmаl. If mоrе tоxіnѕ gаthеr thаn thе bоdу саn соре wіth аt а tіmе, іt wіll ѕtоrе thе еxсеѕѕ іn fаt сеllѕ thаt асtѕ аѕ а ѕhіеld tо рrоtесt уоur оrgаnѕ.
Sуmрtоmѕ аѕѕосіаtеd wіth еxсеѕѕ асіdіtу include:
- Aсіd Indіgеѕtіоn / Hеаrtburn
- Lоw Enеrgу Lеvеlѕ
- Frеquеnt Cоldѕ аnd Infесtіоn
- Lеg Crаmрѕ
- Nаuѕеа
- Irrіtаbіlіtу
- Dеhуdrаtіоn
- Inflammation
Fortunately, it іѕ possible to bring уоur bоdу’ѕ рH lеvеlѕ bасk wіthіn nоrmаl rаngе. Eating an alkaline diet and drinking a HYDROXIDE rich water are part of the success plan.
Hydroxide Water Perfected
BEYOND ALKALINITY
AQUA OH-! is a purified hydroxide water concentrate. It is a shelf stable concentrate optimally calibrated so that one ounce added to a quart of distilled water produces a ready to drink hydroxide water solution with numerous benefits.
Safe and Effective Acidity Removal
AQUAH OH-! Fulfilled a need to produce a pure concentrate with an optimal amount of hydroxide and a minimal amount of mineral residue that can be consumed daily to assist in the removal of acidity from the body at an economical cost. Most people will discover that this water produces results for them that no other product has been able to do. This is because it deals with the most basic cause of disease — acidity.
ADDING ALKALINITY IS NOT THE SAME AS REMOVING ACIDITY
AQUA OH–! has the highest free hydroxide ions available on the market today. It is truly alkalinity surpassed: hydroxide water perfected.
For more information in reference to AQUA OH-! please click here: http://www.natratech.com/Products/aquaoh.htm
REFERENCES
Source: https://www.britannica.com/science/Arrhenius-theory
Source: Myers, Richard (2003). The Basics of Chemistry. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 157–161. ISBN 978-0-313-31664-7.
- Brønsted–Lowry acid–base theory
Source: https://www.britannica.com/science/Bronsted-Lowry-theory
Source: Masterton, William; Hurley, Cecile; Neth, Edward (2011). Chemistry: Principles and Reactions. Cengage Learning. p. 433. ISBN 1-133-38694-6.
- Hydroxide
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroxide
Source: Marx, D.; Chandra, A; Tuckerman, M.E. (2010). “Aqueous Basic Solutions: Hydroxide Solvation, Structural Diffusion, and Comparison to the Hydrated Proton”. Chem. Rev. 110 (4): 2174–2216.