If the youth fountain had ever existed, it would have been made of alkaline water!
Many researchers firmly believe that alkaline water slows down the ageing process. Moreover, drinking alkaline water comes with benefits like prevention of cancer and regulating the acidity of the body. Now, you must be thinking what is this alkaline water?
There are various blogs on the internet describing the benefits of purified water. But, let’s learn what is alkaline water and why do you need it. The word ‘alkaline’ is related to the pH level of any solution. pH is a measurement of total concentration ions, H+ (Acid) and OH– (Alkaline), in a solution. Excess of H+ makes the solution acidic and their pH range from 1 to 7. On other hands, an excess of OH– increase the pH from 7 to 14 making solutions alkaline. The solution acts as neutral at 7, which is a pH value of normal drinking water.
The pH of alkaline water is generally 8 or 9, which is not the only factor imparting alkalinity to water. Alkaline water is also loaded with alkaline minerals and has a negative oxidation-reduction potential (ORP). Ageing is actually an effect of oxygen on the body. A solution having high ORP has a large capacity to accelerate the process of oxidation. On the hand, negative ORP enables alkaline water to work as an antioxidant, the liquid which slows down the damage caused by oxygen- ageing.
Working of alkaline water:
Though experts are still debating over its usefulness, a few studies propose that alkaline water can help if consumed under particular conditions. It is especially beneficial to people suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure and excess cholesterol. A study published in 2016 concluded the significant difference in blood viscosity after drinking high pH water. This indicates that alkaline water positively affects the blood flow and increase oxygen delivery in the body. Some of the suggested the advantages of drinking alkaline water:
- The enhanced cancer-fighting ability of a body
- Improved immunity
- Colon cleansing
- Slowing down the process of ageing
- Better hydration, thus good skin
- Detoxification
As mentioned earlier, Alkaline water is a controversial subject among the scientific community regarding its benefits to human health. Just like some studies state their advantages, some studies talk about their side-effects. The major side effect of alkaline water can be observed on gastric acidity level. The acid present in the stomach does not just digest the food material but also protect the inside from bacterial attack. Alkaline water with its high pH may disturb this pH balance and leave stomach vulnerable to bacterial attack.
Other side effects of alkaline water include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Disturbance in motor function, like hand tremors and twitching of a facial muscle
- Disturbed perception
Regardless of pH, pure drinking water is essential for health which you can get at home by installing a water purifier. Alkaline water can be obtained from a natural source like mineral springs or through the artificial process of electrolysis and water filtration.