Last Updated on April 20, 2020
Alkaline water, also known as ionized water, differs from the normal water by its pH level. While normal water has a pH of 7 (which means neutral), alkaline water has a pH of almost 8. The pH scale is the measure for acidity or alkalinity of solutions. It ranges from pH 0 to 14, solutions with pH 7 being neutral, pH > 7 alkaline and pH < 7 acidic.
In order for the normal water to become alkaline, it has to go through a process of electrolysis.
This article is an overview on all information I found on alkaline water benefits and water ionizer systems. It is only a starting point for discussions, so if you have any experience to share with us regarding ionized water and what it did good or bad for you, please use the comments section below.
Alkaline Water Benefits
While there are scientifically proven benefits to drinking water, there’s no proven medical evidence in stating alkaline water is superior to normal water. Nonetheless, many people claim alkaline water is good for health, some of them speaking from their own experience. I remember reading in a discussion forum that somebody said alkaline water helped her with her asthma condition. Maybe it did, or maybe it was only the placebo effect, we have no way of knowing that.
One of the most often used arguments in favor of ionized water is that many foods are acidic, therefore upsetting the pH balance of the body. Since the method of neutralizing an acid solution is to add a base, alkaline water is thought to help balancing the body, thus leading to a state of well-being. I didn’t find any research to support this. However, if you want to read more about alkalinity and the acidic diet, and to get a list of alkaline and acid foods, you can download this free report. The report comes with an optional bonus, a free consultation with a water specialist with whom you can discuss your water issues. I think it’s worth taking a look into it.
Back to the benefits of ionized water, here’s what I found:
Alkaline electrolyzed water assists in the alleviation of gastrointestinal disorders, acidosis, chronic diarrhea, and poor digestion. This claim appears to be endorsed by the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare. Source: http://www.detoxifynow.com/water_conference.html
Antioxidant properties: antioxidants strengthen the immune system. They neutralize free radicals which are the cause of cell damage. Vitamins E, C and A are among the most-known antioxidants and they’ve been proven effective by research. As of the antioxidant properties of ionized water, here’s a quote from the previously mentioned source:
Recent research in Japan has shown that electrolyzed alkaline drinking water has a synergistic effect on antioxidants. For example, the antioxidant strength of vitamin C in electrolyzed alkaline water is several times greater than vitamin C in tap water. The synergistic effect is due to the higher dissociation/ionization constant of the functional (electrolyzed) water.
The previously mentioned website lists references, thus being much more credible than other sources. Here’s the reference for the above quote: Hanaoka, K.; Antioxidant Effects of Reduced Water Produced by Electrolysis of Sodium Chloride Solutions, (to be published in J Applied Electrochemistry, 2001).
Shirahata, S., et al: Electrolyzed-Reduced Water Scavenges Active Oxygen Species and Protect DNA from Oxidative Damage, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 234 (1997) 269 is a study supporting the claim that ionized water enhances the immune system and inhibits autoimmune disease. Mice given electrolyzed alkaline water lived 30% longer. I found no research on humans, however, on the antioxidant properties of alkaline water.
Management of metabolic acidosis. Metabolic acidosis is a result of endogenous acids accumulation in the body or of kidneys failure of eliminating the acids. It is a very severe and possibly lethal condition. I found this study published by Department of Urology, El Mansoura Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura University in Egypt, regarding the use of ionized alkaline water as a strategy for the management of metabolic acidosis. The study was done on dog and rats and it showed significant improvement. The conclusion was that alkaline ionized water can be considered as a major safe strategy in the management of metabolic acidosis secondary to renal failure or dialysis or urinary diversion. Studies on humans are yet to be done.
This sounds promising, but I’m not sure how it translates for the average, healthy individual who isn’t sure whether or not ionized alkaline water provides real benefits for him and his family. If you’re a resident of USA or Canada, you can click here to get a free pH saliva test which can reveal whether your body is in an overly acidic condition.
Also for USA and Canada residents, you can click here to get a water quality report for your area. The report is based on a zip submit form.
Water Ionizer Systems
Water ionizers for home use connect directly to the faucet and they usually play a double role: filter and ionizer. They come with installation kits and instructions, so anyone with basic DIY skills can install one without needing a plumber. Maintenance of water ionizers is simple, as they have a self-cleaning feature. The only thing you need to do is replace the filter. If you live in an area with hard water, you may also need descaling every 1-2 years. You can use a vinegar solution to do that.
There are several manufacturers of water ionizers such as Ionways (former Jupiter), Tyent, Enagic (Kangen), Life Ionizers or KYK. I’m not going into details about their devices, but here’s a comparative table of the most popular water ionizers.
| Name of ionizer | Jupiter Melody | Jupiter Athena | KYK Harmony 9040 | Enagic SD501 | Life Ionizer 7500 | Tyent 7070 | |
| Overall Rating | Overall Rating |  |
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| Price | Suggested Retail | $1495 | $2195 | $1199 | $3980 | $1995 | $2495 |
| Certified Independent Lab Performance Rating | pH at highest setting | 10.47 | 10.54 | 9.48 | 9.46 | 10.72 | 9.47 |
| ORP at highest setting | -637.1mv | -812.0 mv | -482.0 mv | -578.7 mv | -164.7 mv | -740.1 mv | |
| Flow Rate | 3 LPM | 3 LPM | 3 LPM | 8 LPM | 1.5 LPM | 1.5 LPM | |
| Important things to consider about the manufacturer | Manufacturer | Emco Tech | Emco Tech | YiShan / KYK | Enagic | Unknown | Tae Young |
| How long making water ionizers? | 28 years | 28 years | 4 years | 7 years | 3 years | 2 years | |
| How long in US | 14 years | 14 years | 3 years | 4 years | Less than one year | 1+ year | |
| Manufacturer Assembler? | Manufacturer | Manufacturer | Assembler | Manufacturer | Assembler | Assembler | |
| True R&D Capability? | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | |
| Quality Assurance Certification | ISO9001 & 14001 and CE | ISO9001 & 14001 and CE | None | ISO9001 & 14001 and CE | Unknown | Unknown | |
| Safety Certifications? | UL; CSA; RoHS | UL; CSA; RoHS | Unknown | UL & ULC | None | None | |
| Category Rating | 5 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | |
| Important things to consider about the company you will buying from | How long in Business? | IonLife 10 years |
IonWays 3 years |
WaterforLifeUSA 3 years |
Enagic USA 4 years |
LifeIonizer LLC 1 year |
Ityent USA 1+ years |
| Experience in ionizer business? | 6 years | 1 year | 4 years | 4 years | 10 years | 1+ years | |
| Warranty | Lifetime parts 5 yrs. labor |
Lifetime parts 5 yrs. labor |
5 year parts Parts & Labor |
5 year parts Parts & Labor |
5 year parts 3 labor |
5 year parts 3 labor |
|
| Guarantee | 60 day money back No restocking fee |
15 day trial | 15 day money back 15% restocking fee |
3 day money back 20% restocking fee |
60 day money back 15% restocking fee |
60 day money back 15% restocking fee |
|
| Water Expertise? Can they help solve your water issue? | WQA Water expert on staff / full line of specialty filtration | WQA Water expert on staff / full line of specialty filtration | Limited | None | Limited Expertise / Full line of specialty filtration | None | |
| Customer Support | Full office staff including customer support | Full office staff including customer support | Full office staff including customer support | Full office staff including customer support | Limited / staff size and roles unknown | Limited / staff size and roles unknown | |
| Service Center | Yes Factory trained – Dedicated |
Yes Factory trained – Dedicated |
Yes Factory trained |
Yes Factory trained |
Yes Unknown |
Yes Unknown |
|
| Headqrters / Warehouse | Reno NV, New Fairfield CT, Edmonton Canada | Reno NV, Vancouver BC | waterforlifeusa.com | Hermosa Beach, CA | Encinitas, CA | Blackwood, N.J. | |
| Category Rating | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Electrode Plate Information | Number of Electrode Plates | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Electrode Plate design | Standard flat Plate | Mesh | Standard flat Plate | Standard flat Plate | Mesh | Mesh | |
| Manufacturing process | Electroplating | Electroplating | Dipped | Dipped | Dipped | Dipped | |
| Plate source | Emco Tech / Japan | Emco Tech / Japan | YiShan / Taiwan | Enagic / Japan | Korea | Unknown / Korea | |
| Category Rating | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4,5 | 3 | 3 | |
| Ionization features | Mineral Port? | Yes | Yes | No | Saline injection | No | No |
| Hot Water Alarm | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | |
| Flow Rate Indicator | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | |
| Can unit regulate flow? | Onboard | Onboard | Tap only | Tap only | Onboard | Tap only | |
| Category Rating | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Cleaning System / frequency / convenience | Cleaning type / frequency | Automatic Post Use / each time used | DARC System / each time used | Simple Reverse Polarity / 30 seconds per 12 hours | Simple Reverse Polarity / 30 seconds every 15 gals | none, website says to call customer service | RTR (Real Time Refresh) automatic washing of electrolytic tank |
| Eliminates Mineral scaling on plates | Substantially | Yes | No | No | No | No | |
| Do you have to wait while cleaning? | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Category Rating | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | |
| Installation Options | How many ways can you install it? | 3 options | 3 options | To tap with diverter only | Countertop | 2 options | |
| Category Rating | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
| Filtration Features | Filtration Rating (in microns) | .1Micron / .01Micron | Dual filtration – .1Micron / .01Micron | .01Micron | .1Micron | Dual Filtration – .1Micron | Dual Filtration .1Micron |
| Filtration Media | GAC with Calcium and Tourmaline | GAC with Calcium and Tourmaline | GAC | GAC with Calcium | GAC with Calcium | GAC and ceramic | |
| Filter Life indicator | Yes, by counter | Yes, by counter | Yes, by counter | Yes, by timer | Yes, by counter | Yes–display, no counter | |
| Replacement cost | $60 / $90 | $60 / $90 | $75 | $145 | $50 | $85 (includes 2 filters) | |
| Category Rating | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Electrical Power | Electrical Supply | Transformer | Transformer | SMPS | Transformer | SMPS | SMPS |
| Power Consumption | 110w / .5amps | 110w / .5amps | 200w | 230w / 2.5amps | unknown | 85w | |
| Category Rating | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | |
| Other features to consider | Number of pH levels | 9 – but infinite control with Flow valve | Adjustable to 48 | Adjustable to 64 | 6 | 9 | 9 |
| Color changing Control Panel? | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | None | |
| PH and ORP Display? | No | No | Yes** | No | No | No | |
| Category Rating | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | |
* Silver State Laboratories, 2008
** Uncalibrated
If you’ve already done your research, decided you want to drink alkaline water and you don’t mind buying a reconditioned water ionizer, you can check out this page and get 25%-30% off the regular retail price on these models of Ionways (Jupiter) water ionizers.
What do you think? Is alkaline water good for you or is it just another scam?
