We’ve all studied in science class that regular drinking water is neutral in pH. And we believed in this information until something called Alkaline water made its way to the headlines. A common question nutritionists get to answer these days is: Does alkaline water help you lose weight? And to come up with credible information, they support their arguments with research.
Since this idea is novel and challenges the usual paradigms of hydration, the door to scientific investigation hasn’t been closed. Thus, intending to delve deeper into the reality of the correlation between alkaline water and weight loss, we must consult authentic information.
This guide gradually moves towards a final explanation with everything backed by studies to see if it is possible to lose weight with alkaline water. All you have to do is to scroll down and keep reading.
The Proponents of This Hypothesis
In the mid-twentieth century, researchers from Russia started a scientific evaluation of the health benefits of alkaline water. Back then, their area of focus didn’t specify weight loss. But this marked the beginning of an era where water was artificially processed to carry an alkaline pH.
The process gained more fame as follow-up research in Japan aimed at discovering the healing properties of electronically alkaline ionized water.
So, what happened as a result of all the prior research? You guessed that right. Water Ionizers and Ionized Alkaline Water became the talk of the towns in Japan and other Oriental countries, including Korea, after such investigation. The popularity of alkaline water reached Europe after a self-proclaimed naturopath co-authored a book. In 2002, Robert O. Young wrote about an alkaline diet’s healing and weight loss properties in this book. However, his reputation didn’t last long. He was found guilty of practicing medicine unlicensed in 2016.
What’s Their Claim?
New York Times best-selling author Robert O. Young claimed to have studied the impact of typical foods and drinks on the pH of bodily fluids for 30 years. In one of his online appearances, he expressed his ideas explicitly in favor of purified alkaline water.
Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of consuming such water since this is a way to neutralize the acidic effects of food and metabolism. As a result of such a hypothesis, it is now believed that weight loss correlates with two factors: 1) a balance between calorie intake and calorie burn, and 2) a balance between the acidic-basic pH of blood.
The pH of Blood and Altering Agents
Under normal circumstances, the pH of blood remains alkaline (somewhere between 7.35 to 7.45). This makes perfect sense as to why the supporters of alkaline water look forward to maintaining the balance with it. In short, the blood of a healthy individual is alkaline.
And in cases where it turns towards the acidic end, something alkaline must make it return to its original self. With this logic in mind, it doesn’t seem pointless to prescribe alkaline water for weight loss.
It is critically important to understand the altering agents leading to a disruption in blood pH. Consequently, this allows us to conclude whether orally consumed can affect bodily fluids. Be it acidic or basic, if something can’t make it there, there remains no point in changing usually healthy diets for weight loss.
For now, the medically documented reasons contributing to an imbalance in blood pH are improper functioning of the kidneys and lungs. Our liver has a fair share in this as well. The kidneys release excessive acids/alkalies through urine, preventing alkalosis and acidosis. And our lungs, with the exhalation of carbon from our blood, contribute to the same cause.
Does Alkaline Water Reach Blood Untouched?
The argument on alkaline water reaching our bloodstream has already been built. So far, the medically explored causes of alterations in blood pH have been highlighted. But more evidence suggests that alkaline water doesn’t leave our blood untouched.
Dr. Jamie Koufman, a revolutionary physician and surgeon specializing in laryngology, has expressed negative views on drinking alkaline water. He claims that scientific research doesn’t support this hypothesis. And that’s because alkaline water, when consumed, gets neutralized the moment it chemically reacts with the hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
Documented Benefits of Alkaline Water
Apart from being associated with weight loss, alkaline water has been linked with curing cancer and heart diseases. However, the recession of bone loss is the only domain in which research has proven it beneficial.
At a micro level, more studies are required to determine whether it’s effective in the long run. Furthermore, alkaline water impacts bones’ mineral density while fixing the loss.
Adverse Effects of Drinking Alkaline Water
Drinking large volumes of alkaline water could slightly alter the blood pH if it doesn’t completely neutralize the HCL in the stomach. Chances are, the stomach’s acid might also get diluted with excessive water consumption, be it alkaline.
That’s a hypothesis based on probability. However, an excessive intake of this water can give rise to other health concerns without doing anything about weight loss. Some adverse effects of consuming alkaline water include the following:
- Water with a pH of more than 8.5 can taste bitter and cause your skin to become dry and itchy
- Hyperkalemia is a medical condition in which the blood manifests excessive quantities of potassium in it. Certain studies conducted on animals have shown a presence of Hyperkalemia in subjects who’d excessively consumed electrolyzed alkaline water.
- There is a likelihood that people suffering from a kidney condition may experience signs of worsening after drinking alkaline water.
Final Words
Given the existing evidence, it doesn’t seem apt to conclude that alkaline water can affect blood pH. Hence, if that does not affect it, the likelihood of the efficiency of alkaline water for weight loss reduces.
Similarly, little scientific research proves it affects obesity in other ways. All in all, it’s unsafe to change normal diet entries unless medical practitioners or certified nutritionists allow you to do so.
