water wellness series: part 2
hi! welcome back to part 2 of the water wellness series. for part 1 we dove into various types of water - tap, bottled, reverse osmosis, and gravity fed filtration systems. today we are going to talk about my favorite type of water produced by a water ionizer: electrolyzed reduced water.
i’m going to get pretty technical here. the reason being is that your health matters, and being educated on what you put into your body is a priority. stick with me here! I promise it’s worth it.
if you haven’t read part one of this series, you can find it here.
what is a water ionizer?
a water ionizer is a kitchen appliance that hooks up to your tap water, and uses the process of electrolysis to change the structure of the water on a molecular level. this process creates antioxidant-rich ionized and alkaline water, as well as ionized acidic water at the same time. the water is split (alkaline and acidic) and the two streams of water come out simultaneously from different hoses.
Step 1: water flows out the tap and passes through an internal water filter within the ionizer. while removing impurities is great, the goal of a water ionizer is not to create filtered water. the goal of a water ionizer is to create therapeutic water.
Step 2: the water then travels from the filter into the electrolysis chamber and undergoes a process called electrolysis. within the chamber, the water runs over highly conductive electrically charged plates. the minerals within the water will be attracted to either a positive ‘pole’ or a negative ‘pole’. when this happens, the ionizer will separate the water into two streams: an alkaline and acid stream. The alkaline water is for drinking while the acid water is used externally, like for washing skin, watering plants, and cleaning.
Step 3: this next part is really important for health reasons. while alkaline and acidic water are created through the ionization of electrodes, it also splits water into negative ions and positive ions.
the water is separated into H+ (which is acidic) and OH- (which is alkaline).
without diving into a full chemistry lesson, H+ (a positively charged hydrogen proton without an electron) is unstable and needs an electron. it therefore takes an electron from the platinum plate. H (aka atomic hydrogen) consists of one proton and one unpaired electron and rarely exists on its own because its unpaired electron seeks to join up with another electron. It is a very unstable arrangement, and as a result, we get H2 (also known as molecular hydrogen). H2 is two hydrogen atoms bonded together and becoming a hydrogen molecule. It consists of two protons and two electrons.
okay, so why is this relevant?
so we know that H2 is a gas which forms when two hydrogen atoms bond together and become a hydrogen molecule. as we learned above, it consists of two protons and two electrons. H2 is incredibly stable with a neutral charge, and acts as an antioxidant within the alkaline stream of water.
this is key: it is NOT the alkaline water that makes ionized water therapeutic and healthy. it is the H2 rich water. and this water is called electrolyzed reduced water (ERW).
it is all about the H2.
the alkaline water trend that most bottled water companies market is a scam. alkaline water is not the same as electrolyzed reduced water. molecular hydrogen water is where the health benefits are found, and this can only be created through a high quality electrolysis chamber (more in quality another day!). you cannot recreate this with a chemical additive such as putting baking soda in the water. baking soda would give you alkaline water, but no H2. alkaline water companies bank on you being uneducated on all of this.
therapeutic H2
ERW is rich in molecular hydrogen (H2), and H2 provides the therapeutic properties of the water. These health benefits are research backed. There are currently over 1000+ articles in scientific journals showing evidence of the therapeutic properties of ERW.
H2 acts as an antioxidant.
H2 is a colorless, odorless, and non-toxic gas that protects cells from oxidative damage. It is infused into each glass of ionizer water.
Oxidative stress can damage cells, proteins, and DNA, which can contribute to aging. It may also play a role in development of a range of health conditions, including diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.
free radicals, oxidative stress, and antioxidants
Free radicals are oxygen atoms that have have split and contain unpaired electrons. Simply put, this is a highly unstable state so the atoms scavenge the body to seek out an additional electron to stabilize. This is highly damaging to our cells and DNA. Our bodies are exposed to toxic free radicals through everyday living such as exposure to stress, air pollution, environmental toxins, sleep deprivation, electromagnetic fields (EMF) from electronic devices, poor diets, strenuous exercise, and even the water that we drink... pretty much if you are alive, you are facing free radicals daily!
Oxidative stress occurs when there are too many free radicals, and the body becomes overwhelmed with cellular damage. This leads to inflammation, disease and premature aging. The majority of diseases that we face in the western world are linked to oxidative damage.
Here is where antioxidants come into play. Antioxidants protect our cells by donating an electron to a free radical without becoming destabilized in the process. This stops the free radical chain reaction in its tracks.
Our bodies produce antioxidants, and we also accumulate antioxidants from the food we eat. The amount that we produce is often insufficient due to our lifestyles. Molecular hydrogen comes in and acts as an antioxidant to fight free radical damage. It keeps our cells healthy and alive while also activating pathways that boost the immune system. You cannot take in too much. Any H2 not used is exhaled out.
bottled alkaline water
Bottled alkaline water has a higher pH because of chemical additives like baking soda (just check the ingredient list the next time you're shopping). There are no proven health benefits, and the buzz is simply a marketing gimmick. Alkaline water is not rich in molecular hydrogen (H2). Water that runs through a water ionizer only contains H2 for up to 24 hours. The fresher, the more therapeutic value. Bottled water frequently sits in a bottled for years before it is consumed. In addition, plastic bottles leech toxins and microplastics into your water which are terrible for you body and harmful to the environment.
and there you have it!
in a future part of this series we will talk more specifically about the quality of a water ionizer, why you get what you pay for, and why I believe kangen machines are the best investment you can make for your health. we will also get into the research and therapeutic benefits of the water.
see you then!
chemistry cheat sheet:
H = Atomic Hydrogen
Atomic hydrogen is number 1 on the Periodic Table of Elements. It consists of one proton and one unpaired electron and rarely exists on its own because its unpaired electron seeks to join up with another electron.
H2 = Molecular Hydrogen
Also known as diatomic hydrogen. H2 is a gas which forms when two hydrogen atoms bond together and become a hydrogen molecule. It consists of two protons and two electrons. It is stable with a neutral charge. It is the antioxidant in electrolyzed reduced water.
H+ = Proton
When the Hydrogen atom loses an electron all that is left is a proton. it is a positively charged hydrogen ion. The H+ hydrogen ion is the basis of the pH scale.
pH = Potential of Hydrogen
pH stands for potential of Hydrogen and is a measurement of the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution. pH indicates whether water is acidic, neutral, or alkaline. More H+ = more acidic. Less H+ = more alkaline.