Is Alkaline Water Healthy for You? And Is It Really Alkaline?

In the United States, Essentia Water advertises that every bottle is "pure and smooth tasting" because the water therein is treated with dipotassium phosphate (used in fertilizer and bread baking) and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to achieve a distinctly alkaline pH of 9.5. If you happen to be concerned that your health-giving water might actually be more alkaline that some drain clog removers, you're out of luck, however, because the company advises that their water is "too pure to be measured with test strips." The truth is, the sodium bicarbonate adds alkalinity to the water, and the dipotassium phosphate removes it. But why would you need alkaline water, anyway? 

• Manufacturers of bottled water always tell us that we need to stay hydrated. And that's completely true. However, the average adult only needs about 1200 ml (five cups, not five glasses) of water per day and it's OK if some of it is juice or a caffeinated beverage. We don't need bottle after bottle of store-bought water.

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• Manufacturers of bottled water also tell us that their products hydrate us better than pure water. That's also true. Your body carefully regulates the concentrations of sodium, potassium, and other ions in your blood plasma. It won't absorb water if that means lowering potassium and sodium concentrations below the levels needed for nerves to fire and cells to absorb nutrients. However, you don't necessarily have to get your electrolytes with your water. It's OK to get your electrolytes from food.
• Manufacturers of alkaline water tell us that their water draws out acidic toxins. That claim is false. Your body doesn't need alkaline water to regulate pH. Your kidneys do that with calcium or an amino acid called glutamic acid, neither of which is found in most brands of alkaline water. 
• Alkaline water usually doesn't provide two critical electrolytes. Most brands of alkaline water include sodium and potassium. Every cell in your body that responds to insulin takes glucose fuel in by importing sodium and exporting potassium. Without sodium and potassium, insulin simply doesn't work. However, your body also needs magnesium for nerve function and muscle tone, and chloride (from salt) to break down protein, absorb vitamin B12, and regulate muscle relaxation and contraction. You are more likely to have a shortage of magnesium than shortages of the other three electrolytes. Some spring waters, however, are particularly good sources of magnesium.

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• Manufacturers of alkaline water often claim that raising the pH of your urine will reduce the symptoms of metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and weight issues). Actually, reducing the symptoms of metabolic syndrome raises the pH of your urine, as will simply eating less protein.
• Alkaline water cannot, as some companies claim, raise blood pH by "40 to 70 percent." Healthy blood plasma pH ranges from 7.35 to 7.45. Raising the pH of the blood above 8, just about 8 percent higher than normal, usually results in death.
• Makers of alkaline water also make many other false claims. Alkaline water doesn't increase the potency of vitamin C. It doesn't lower your blood pressure unless you have a relatively rare deficiency of sodium and/or potassium. And the excess sodium in alkaline water can actually interfere with bone health, not improve it.

What Do You Need to Do for Healthy Hydration?

The supposed alkaline water benefits don't really exist, so you don't need bottled alkaline water or an alkaline water machine. You don't need "ionized water," although you certainly do need electrolytes, just not necessarily with your water. However, you can get all the supposed benefits of alkaline water by some simple changes to diet, drinking patterns, and lifestyle.

• If you want to keep your body "alkaline," eat more fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens, and less meat. Your kidneys aren't going to let your body become acidic. However, they have more work to do the more meat and other protein foods you eat. That's because the body breaks down excess amino acids, about 30 percent of all the protein you eat, into glucose and urea. The kidneys have to alkalize urea before they excrete it. They won't let your body become acidic (unless you are extremely ill), but they will have less need for the calcium and, ironically, amino acids they need to neutralize if you simply eat less meat and fewer protein foods. No added alkalis are required.

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• Alkaline water can reduce the effects of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but at the expense of good digestion. The acid in your stomach neutralizes the alkali in alkaline water, but the alkali in alkaline water also neutralizes the acid in your stomach. You may feel better after your drink alkaline water if you have a problem with heartburn or GERD. However, that stomach acid has a purpose. Its job is digesting your food. If you neutralize stomach acid, your stomach doesn't do as good a job of releasing minerals and amino acids, some of which your body needs to maintain the right pH.
• While you don’t need “alkaline water,” water that happens to be alkaline may be exactly what your body needs. You don’t need water at a certain pH (as long as it is not so alkaline or too acidic that it damages your mouth, throat, and digestive tract). You do need electrolytes, but not necessarily the electrolytes you find in alkaline water. Spring waters that contain magnesium and other trace minerals may be especially helpful.

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• Water that helps you look younger is best applied on you, not in you. Water is a great moisturizer. In fact, water is the best moisturizer for your skin. Its effects just don’t last very long. A splash of mineral water with your moisturizer before you put on makeup can bring out your skin’s natural tones all day long. And if you don’t use makeup, just use water to take away skin grayness and smooth out wrinkles.
• You never need to drink so much water that you slosh. If you live in a hot or arid climate, you may need three or four liters of water a day. You will also need more electrolytes. However, salt on your food and plant foods every day will provide the electrolytes your body needs.