
Alkaline water has been growing in popularity due to all the possible health benefits that it can offer. While some researchers still think that there isn’t enough evidence to back these claims, several studies have been conducted, which showed some of these benefits to be true. A person’s body comprises 80% of water, which means you are mostly water. Think of yourself as a swimming pool. What do you have to do with a swimming pool to make it healthy and safe to swim in? You have to check, adjust, and monitor the pH levels constantly. Well, the same thing is true for the human body. You need to maintain a healthy pH level; otherwise, you will end up with an abundance of health problems.
Alkaline water is considered generally safe to drink, but there are potential risks and side effects. Alkaline water can reduce the acid in your stomach, which may sound great if you suffer from acid reflux (1). However, most healthy people with low levels of gastric acid should avoid alkaline water altogether. Since alkaline water reduces the level of acid in your stomach, if you drink too much alkaline water, there is a good chance that you could potentially increase your risks of various health conditions.
How Is Alkaline Water Produced?
Most of the drinking water is considered to have a neutral pH level, which means it does not contain any acid or alkaline. You can use a device called an ionizer, which uses electricity to separate the water’s hydrogen and oxygen molecules. When the particles are charged with electricity in this manner, some of the particles become positive and the others negative. This means that they are going to travel to different sides of the water chamber.
The water’s hydrogen side becomes alkaline, while the other side of the water will become more acidic. This happens because of the shift in the hydrogen ions.
Alkaline Water And Medications
At some point in your life, you will probably have to take some medication. It might be over the counter, or a doctor might prescribe it. Whatever the case might be, you should be highly cautious when it comes to taking medications alkaline water. Alkaline water is highly reactive with most medications. It is possible that when the alkaline water mixes with the medicines, it can create a dangerous by-product, which could be harmful to your health.
Possible Side Effects Of Drinking Alkaline Water
Some possible side effects can be associated with consuming alkaline water. If alkaline water is consumed daily, the small intestine can become overly alkaline. This means that your stomach will not be able to digest the foods in a normal manner.
Keep in mind that acid is needed in the stomach to digest foods properly. When drinking alkaline water, you might experience:
- Headaches
- Muscle aches
- Flu-like symptoms
- Runny nose
- Darker stool
Just remember that these are possible side effects, and, likely, none might even show up in your case.
Natural Alkaline Water And Artificial Alkaline Water
Did you know that there is natural and artificially-made alkaline water? Natural alkaline water can be found in nature, which contains a pH level greater than 7. You may have heard the term hard water since it is commonly used to describe tap water. Hard water is also considered to be natural alkaline water. However, you can also artificially make alkaline water any time by add baking soda or lemon to tap water. The water that ionizers create is also considered to be natural alkaline water.