Table of contents:
- What is alkaline water?
- Health benefits of alkaline water
- 1. Maintain body hydration
- 2. Neutralize excess acid in the body
- 3. Help control blood pressure and blood sugar
- 4. Maintain bone health
Have you been feeling nauseous, vomiting, or have a headache lately? This could be because your body is not properly hydrated, so that the pH level of the body becomes too acidic. Now, to restore the body's pH to normal, drinking alkaline water with a pH of 8+ can be the right solution. Indeed, what are the health benefits of alkaline water? Find out through the following reviews.
What is alkaline water?
Basically, alkaline water is like any other drinking water. If normal drinking water usually has a neutral pH or pH 7, the pH level in alkaline water tends to be more alkaline, which is above 8.
Drinking water that is alkaline in nature is believed by experts to affect the pH of the body. The higher the pH of the body (alkaline), the better. In addition, water with a pH of 8+ also usually contains alkaline minerals and a negative ORP.
ORP or oxidation reduction potential is water's ability to act as an antioxidant. The more negative the ORP value, the more antioxidant content in the drinking water.
Health benefits of alkaline water
Hydration, or maintaining the amount of fluid in the body, is very important for everyone. This aims to keep the pH level in your body balanced and neutral, not too acidic and not too alkaline. If you are able to maintain the pH balance in the body, then the function of your organs will remain normal. Furthermore, you will also avoid the risk of diseases that arise due to organ dysfunction.
Well, this is where the importance of drinking water with an alkaline pH, aka pH 8+. Here are the various health benefits of alkaline water:
1. Maintain body hydration
According to a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in 2016, the blood viscosity level of people who drank alkaline water tended to decrease by up to 6.3 percent compared to people who sipped regular drinking water. This means that people who drink water with an alkaline pH or pH 8+ have blood that is more fluid, while people who drink plain water have thicker blood.
Thick blood means that it doesn't contain enough water. The thicker a person's blood is, the slower the blood will flow.
On the other hand, blood that has enough water will be easier to flow and circulate throughout the body. Well, this proves that drinking water with an alkaline pH or 8+ can help improve blood flow and maintain body hydration.
2. Neutralize excess acid in the body
The benefits of alkaline water that are no less amazing are maintaining the pH balance in the body. If you have frequent headaches, nausea, or vomiting due to dehydration, this alkaline pH content can help neutralize excess acid in the body, you know!
A study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sport Nutrition in 2010 has proven it. The study involved 38 participants who were divided into 2 groups, namely the group who drank alkaline water and plain water. After that, the experts took blood and urine samples from participants 3 times a week to measure their acid-base levels.
Experts reported that participants who drank alkaline water had a more balanced acid-base level than participants who drank plain water. In addition, the volume of urine tends to be less, indicating better hydration.
3. Help control blood pressure and blood sugar
Experts from Shanghai reveal that the benefits of alkaline water can also be felt by people who have diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. The results of these findings were published in the 2010 Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine.
The study involved 3 groups of participants, namely people who have high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, and high cholesterol. Then, all participants were asked to drink alkaline ionized water for 3-6 months and see their progress.
The results are quite surprising. After 3-6 months of regularly drinking alkaline pH water, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and blood lipids drop drastically. In fact, this alkaline ionized water makes all measurement results return to normal. That is why, nowadays alkaline water is widely used in the treatment of hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, of course in addition to medical treatment under the supervision of a doctor.
4. Maintain bone health
Who would have thought that drinking water with an alkaline pH of 8+ aka alkaline could maintain bone health? This was revealed by a study in the journal Bone in 2009 which found the effect of alkaline water on bone resorption.
Bone resorption is the process of breaking down old bone cells into new bone cells. The less breakdown of bone cells that occurs, coupled with more mineral density, the stronger your bones will be.
Experts have found that drinking water with a pH of 8+ is rich in bicarbonate and calcium. These two ingredients are useful to help inhibit the bone resorption process so that your bones remain strong and healthy.
Even so, this doesn't mean that drinking pH 8+ water can prevent osteoporosis, huh. Experts still need further analysis and study to prove it.
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