HISTORY OF ALKALINE IONIZED WATER

The ancient Greeks used to ionize their water by swirling the water in circular movements in urns built of copper and brass. In the 1930s, Dr. Henri Coanda, a renowned Romanian scientist and Nobel Prize winner, known primarily for his study of fluid dynamics and its application to aeronautics, reportedly traveled to remote villages in the Himalayas (the Hunzas), and in parts of China, to investigate the longevity of people in those areas. He looked closely at the properties of the glacial alkaline water ingested by the villagers, and wondered if it was possible to re-create this water's structure artificially. The issue remained unsolved until the 1940s, when Japanese researchers experimented with the process of electrolysis (which was invented by the Russians in the 1920's), separating water into alkaline and acidic components through the use of a membrane.

Concerning the history of alkaline water ionization, all roads lead to Hunza of the Himalayas and to the Andes Mountains, the Shin-Chan area of China and the Caucasus in Azerbaijan. These are remote places, but places where longevity is the rule, not the exception.

Alkaline ionized water is made by using a water ionizer to electrically split flowing, filtered tap water into ionized alkaline water and acid water, each of which then feeds into a separate chamber. One chamber contains the alkaline water that has been found to be so enriching to human health and wellness. The second chamber contains the acidic water, which has remarkable uses as well.

The first alkaline ionic water ionizers were available in Japan in l958. At first, only very large units were used in hospitals. In l960, a group of Japanese medical doctors and agricultural research scientists formed a special medical and agricultural research institute to investigate ionized water. Annual meetings were held to report their findings. Finally, in January 1966, the Health and Rehabilitation Ministry of the Japanese Government acknowledged that alkaline, ionized water was a legitimate medical treatment for improving human health.

These Japanese-made ionizers were first introduced to Korea in the 1970's, and today are also approved as medical devices by the government of South Korea. In 1985, the Korean-made household unit was introduced in the United States. A successful toxicity test was conducted by an independent testing laboratory in Los Angeles the following year utilizing FDA standards. The results proved that there was no toxicity in the Alkaline-Ionized water generated by the water ionizer.

Many believe that Alkaline Ionized Water is the solution to our bodies' internal pollution, created by the inverted lifestyle and diet of people today in every country.

Due to these results, the majority of us no-longer use our in-home tap water as a drinking source, thus creating a billion dollar water market.  Our fear of chemicals and possible contaminants has forced us to turn to bottled water.  A common issue with all water, whether bottled or tap, is that it is made up of very large water clusters.  The ionization process breaks up the water clusters into a much smaller size that is far more absorbable by our bodies. SapHa Water specifically carries the minerals in those smaller clusters right into the cellular structure of the body. This enables the body to be properly hydrated. While we are not permitted to make any health claims, shared testimonies have shown that the result thus far has been improved health in many areas like gout, migraines, intestinal disorders, brain function, and much, much more.

Due to these results, more mainstream doctors are accepting alkaline ionized water as the best choice for drinking water.  SapHa Water has positioned itself to capitalize on this shift that is starting to occur by providing a trusted source of this water with our enhanced ionization technology. IT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! Be sure to try our water today!

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER

Over the past decade, there has been a growing interest in alkaline diets and living an alkaline lifestyle. Part of this interest may involve drinking alkaline, ionized water from water ionization technology as a way to improve wellness, enhance performance, and prolong vitality. Alkaline, ionized water is water that has been selectively altered thru ionization to raise pH from neutral pH 7 to a more healthy pH 9 or more and also to display negative change (-ORP). Water above a pH 7 is alkaline and water below pH 7 is acidic. pH can be easily measured by using pH reagent or a meter, and Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) is measured using an ORP meter.

Life on earth depends on appropriate pH levels in and around living organisms and cells. Human life requires a tightly controlled pH level in the body fluid serum of about 7.4 (a slightly alkaline range of 7.35 to 7.45) to survive. The ability of the body to maintain this level of pH can be compromised by poor diet, lack of or excessive exercise, pollutants, dehydration, and stress. From available evidence, it would be prudent to consider the effects of alkaline water on the body and an alkaline diet to reduce morbidity and mortality from the chronic diseases that are plaguing our aging population. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3195546/)

Along with this interest in all things alkaline, there have also been some unsubstantiated health claims made. Such claims give rise to pseudo-sciences that undermine the significant body of peer-reviewed, published research into how altering alkaline (pH) levels can bring about health changes. Part of the issue in studying the beneficial effects of an alkaline diet is the lack of funding available for such research coupled with the complexity in trying to isolate what factors are creating positive change. Indeed, a few studies failed to find health changes from altering diet, although other studies acknowledge distinct benefits. Everyone agrees that more research is needed to further investigate alkaline health benefits.

Below are excerpts from peer-reviewed, alkaline diet studies along with references as to where the full articles can be found if you wish to study further.


ARTICLES AND RESEARCH ON ALKALINE IONIZED WATER

THE EVOLUTION OF DIET

Estimates of the net systemic load of acid in ancestral pre-agricultural diets as compared to contemporary diets reflect a mismatch between the nutrient compositions of the diet and genetically determined nutritional requirements. The result is that contemporary diets generate diet-induced metabolic acidosis in contemporary Homo Sapiens.
Sebastian A, Frassetto LA, Sellmeyer DE, Merriam RL, Morris RC Jr., Estimation of the net acid load of the diet of ancestral pre-agricultural Homo sapienshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12450898/.

Here is a report compiled by the World Health Organization from studies in different regions of the world on the importance of minerals in drinking water. Ong, Choon. Minerals from drinking-water: Bioavailability for various world populations and health implications. WHO | Water Sanitation Health. World Health Organization, 17 Aug 2004. https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/monitoring/jmp04.pdf , https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water , https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/monitoring/jmp2004/en/

Because of the increased incidence of obesity in our population, electrolyzed water at 2 liters/day for 2 months was given to four obese subjects. A statistical evaluation of the results of said study suggests that electrolyzed water consumption resulted in near significant weight loss and a significant loss of body fat in obese subjects.
Abraham, Guy, and Jorge Flebas. The effect of daily consumption of 2 liters of electrolyzed water for 2 months on body composition and several physiological parameters in four obese subjects: a preliminary report, 01 Sep 2011. Web. 2 Jul 2013.  https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+effect+of+daily+consumption+of+2+liters+of+electrolyzed+water+for...-a0269433201

BONE LOSS

The bone minerals that are wasted in our urine may not have complete compensation through intestinal absorption, which is thought to result in osteoporosis. An alkaline diet typically does improve the K/Na ratio and may benefit bone health, reduce muscle wasting, as well as mitigate other chronic diseases such as hypertension and strokes. It has been found that increases in the alkaline content of a diet, may reduce (attenuate) bone loss in healthy older adults.
G. K. Schwalfenberg, University of Alberta, Oct 2011.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3195546/

Dietary acid charge enhances bone loss. Bicarbonate or alkaline diet decreases bone resorption in humans. We compared the effect of an alkaline mineral water, rich in bicarbonate, with that of an acid one, on bone markers, in young women with a normal calcium intake.
Wynn, E, MA Krieg, JM Aeschlimann, and P Burckhardt. Alkaline mineral water lowers bone resorption even in calcium sufficiency: alkaline mineral water and bone metabolism. Bone. Elsevier, 27 Oct 2008. Web. 1 Jul 2013. http://www.thebonejournal.com/article/S8756-3282(08)00781-3/abstract.

Excess dietary protein with high acid renal load may decrease bone density if not buffered by ingestion of supplements or foods (water) that are alkali rich.
G. K. Schwalfenberg, 2012  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3195546/

This work shows that bone depletion is absolutely dependent on extracellular acidification; these cells are inactive at pH levels above about 7.3 and show maximum stimulation at a pH of about 6.9. Bone resorption is most sensitive to changes in H+ concentration at a pH of about 7.1 (which may be close to the interstitial pH in bone). In vivo (in living organisms), severe systemic acidosis (pH change of about -0.05 to -0.20) often results from renal disease; milder chronic acidosis (pH change of about -0.02 to -0.05) can be caused by excessive protein intake, acid feeding, prolonged exercise, aging, airway diseases or menopause. Acidosis can also occur locally as a result of inflammation, infection, wounds, tumors or diabetic ischemia (causing restriction to blood flow to parts of the body). Cell function, including that of osteoblasts (cells from your bone marrow that form new strong, structural bone cells), is normally impaired by acid; the unusual stimulatory effect of acid on osteoclasts may represent a primitive 'fail-safe' that evolved with terrestrial vertebrates to correct systemic acidosis by ensuring release of alkaline bone mineral when the lungs and kidneys are unable to remove sufficient H+ equivalent. The present results suggest that even subtle chronic acidosis could be sufficient to cause appreciable bone loss over time.
Arnett T., Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College London,  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14506899/

Humans generally consume a diet that generates metabolic acids leading to a reduction in the systemic bicarbonate and a fall of pH. Chronic metabolic acidosis alters bone cell function; there is an increase in osteoclastic bone resorption and a decrease in osteoblastic bone formation. As we age, we are less able to excrete metabolic acids due to the normal decline in renal function. Bushinski DA., Nephrology Unit, Strong Memorial Hospital, New York. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11842949/

Chronic metabolic acidosis is a process whereby an excess acid load is placed on the body due to excess acid generation or diminished acid removal by normal homeostatic mechanisms. Excessive meat ingestion and aging are two clinical conditions often associated with chronic metabolic acidosis. The body's homeostatic response to this pathology is very efficient. Therefore, the blood pH is frequently maintained within the "normal" range. However, these homeostatic responses engender pathologic consequences such as nephrolithiasis (kidney stone disease), bone demineralization, muscle protein breakdown and renal growth. Alpern RJ1, Sakhaee K., Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9016905/

Excessive dietary intake of protein with consequent increase in metabolic acid production result in compensatory mechanisms that lead to progression of kidney stones, bone disease, renal disease and a catabolic (breaking down in living organisms of more complex substances into simpler ones, with the release of energy) state.
Alpern, R. Trade-offs in the adaptation to acidosis, Kidney International 47: 1205-1215, 1995. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7783420/

ALKALINITY AND MUSCLES

As we age, there is a loss of muscle mass, which may predispose to falls and fractures. A three-year study looking at a diet rich in potassium, such as fruits and vegetables, as well as a reduced acid load, resulted in preservation of muscle mass in older men and women.
Dawson-Hughes B, Harris SS, Ceglia L. Alkaline diets favor lean tissue mass in older adults. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008;87(3):662–665.

Correction of acidosis may preserve muscle mass in conditions where muscle wasting is common such as diabetic ketosis (accumulation of excessive ketones (organic carbonyl compounds that cause cell degradation) in the body), trauma, sepsis (invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms or their toxins), chronic obstructive lung disease, and renal failure (kidney malfunction).
Gerry K. Schwalfenberg, University of Alberta, The Alkaline Diet: Is There Evidence That an Alkaline pH Diet Benefits Health? Journal of Environmental and Public Health, Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 727630. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2597402/

Chronic metabolic acidosis increases net muscle protein degradation in rat muscle tissue. Metabolic acidosis stimulates protein degradation in rat muscle by glucocorticoid-dependent mechanism.
Mitch WE, Medina R, Grieber S, May RC, England BK, Price SR, Bailey JL, Goldberg AL., University School of Medicine, Georgia, Metabolic acidosis stimulates muscle protein degradationhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8182144/

ALKALINE DIET AND GROWTH HORMONES

It has long been known that severe forms of metabolic acidosis in children, such as renal tubular acidosis, are associated with low levels of growth hormone with resultant short stature. Correction of the acidosis increases growth hormone significantly and improved growth. Improving growth hormone levels may improve quality of life, reduce cardiovascular risk factors, improve body composition, and even improve memory and cognition.
Wass JAH, Reddy R. Growth hormone and memory. Journal of Endocrinology. 2010;207(2):125–126. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20696696/

ALKALINE MINERALS AND BACK PAIN

There is some evidence that chronic low back pain improves with the supplementation of alkaline minerals. With supplementation there was a slight but significant increase in blood pH and intracellular magnesium. Ensuring that there is enough intracellular magnesium (inside the human cell) allows for the proper function of enzyme systems that improves back pain and also allows for activation of vitamin D.
Gerry K. Schwalfenberg, The Alkaline Diet: Is There Evidence That an Alkaline pH Diet Benefits Health? J Environ Public Health. 2012; 2012: 727630. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2597402/

ALKALINITY AND CHEMOTHERAPY

The effectiveness of chemotherapeutic agents is markedly influenced by pH. Numerous agents such as epirubicin and adriamycin require an alkaline media to be more effective. Cell death correlates with acidosis and intracellular pH shifts higher (more alkaline) after chemotherapy may reflect response to chemotherapy. It has been suggested that inducing metabolic alkalosis may be useful in enhancing some treatment regimes.
Gerry K. Schwalfenberg, The Alkaline Diet: Is There Evidence That an Alkaline pH Diet Benefits Health? J Environ Public Health. 2012; 2012: 727630. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2597402/

ALKALINITY AND CANCER

Diet-induced acidosis is a potential upstream and indirect trigger in a multifactorial cascade of molecular events associated with carcinogenesis (start of cancer formation). The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) comprehensive global report has compiled numerous studies demonstrating associations between dietary habits and cancer risk. The findings recommend increased or regular consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes, while discouraging excess consumption of sugary and energy-dense foods and drinks, red and processed meats, and salty processed foods. Ian Forrest Robey, University of Arizona, Examining the relationship between diet-induced acidosis and cancer, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3571898/

Oral administration of pH buffers can reduce the development of spontaneous and experimental metastases in mice, and has been proposed in clinical trials. It is notable that cancer cells maintain a high level of glucose metabolism even in the presence of oxygen, which was first documented by Warburg more than 80 years ago. This is a consistent finding across a variety of cancers, and has been recognized as a “hallmark” of cancer.
Maria de Lourdes C Ribeiro, Ariosto S. Silva, Kate M. Bailey, Nagi B. Kumar, Thomas A. Sellers, Robert A. Gatenby, Arig Ibrahim-Hashim, and Robert J. Gillies, Buffer Therapy for Cancer, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3872072/

A significant consequence of increased glucose metabolism is the production of acids, such as lactic acid, which can be an independent negative prognostic factor for cancer outcome. Prior mathematical models and empirical studies have shown that solid tumors export acid into the surrounding parenchyma (the body's functional tissue). This is consistent with measurements of tumor pH in mouse models, which have shown that the extracellular pH of solid tumors is acidic. Combined, these observations have led to the generation of the “Acid Mediated Tumor Invasion” hypothesis, which proposes that fast-growing tumors export acid to surrounding stroma (connective tissue), and that reduced pH contributes to the tissue remodeling required for tumor invasion.
Ian F. Robey, Brenda K. Baggett, Nathaniel D. Kirkpatrick, Denise J. Roe, Julie Dosescu, Bonnie F. Sloane, Arig Ibrahim Hashim, David L. Morse, Natarajan Raghunand, Robert A. Gatenby, and Robert J. Gillies,Bicarbonate Increases Tumor pH and Inhibits Spontaneous Metastases, Cancer Res. 2009 Mar 15; 69(6): 2260–2268. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2834485/