How Stomach Acid Does Not Cancel Out the Benefits of Alkaline Water

A question that people often ask is why should we bother with alkaline water, when stomach acid will simply cancel out the higher pH level. 

The answer is a little long winded, but simple to follow.

 This article attempts to explain just why alkaline water is indeed beneficial to your body, despite being faced with strong hydrochloric acid at its first hurdle. The hydrochloric acid in our stomach has a pH level of between 2 and 4, compared to alkaline water which has a level of more than 7.

Stomach acid is at its most acidic when digesting heavy duty, protein-based meals. This is exactly as it should be, and drinking alkaline water is not an attempt to raise the pH in our stomachs. Without this powerful acid, foods would pass through into our intestines undigested, causing fermentation and toxicity.

When we drink alkaline water, our bodies produce more hydrochloric acid in response, to lower the pH in the stomach once again.

The key point here is that the body produces more acid, and there is no storage area for acid in the body. It would be impossible to store fresh hydrochloric acid (HCL), as it would simply burn through any organic container.

Instead, cells in the wall of the stomach create HCL as it is required, by splitting sodium chloride into two chemicals (HCL and sodium bicarbonate). The HCL is directed to the stomach, and the sodium bicarbonate goes into the bloodstream to help other organs produce alkalising fluids. The liver then uses this to to produce bile and the pancreas to produce pancreatic juices.

Therefore, more HCL produced by the stomach results in more sodium bicarbonate being released into the bloodstream.

Sodium Bicarbonate is important as it acts as an acid buffer in the body. This is unerringly useful, particularly during digestion. As when food leaves the stomach it is still highly acidic, and could potentially cause damage to the small intestine as it passes through.

When the body is functioning correctly, pancreatic juice neutralises the acidic food before it makes its way through the digestive tract.

Acids must also be neutralised before they can enter the bloodstream to be eliminated by the kidneys. Failure to neutralise these acids prevents their elimination and results in excess acids building up in joints, tissues and organs.

This buildup of acid is what subsequently causes inflammation and disease if it is left to roam freely inside your body.

Firstly you must remember that purified water is not the same as alkalised water. In fact, some methods of purifying result in water with an acidic pH level.

Distilled water, and water that has gone through reverse osmosis are two examples of water that requires alkalising to reach an optimum pH level for heath. There are, however, a number of options you can consider to obtain a good supply of alkaline water.

Alkaline jug filters are one option available to provide convenient healthy water in a cost-effective way without expensive plumbing and electrical connections. These jugs cleanse the impurities present in tap water, bring the pH to alkaline and also ionise the water.

You could also install an alkalising filter directly to your water system, so that water comes out of your tap at the desired pH level. These systems do not automatically purify the water so it is important to check the full facts relating to what each system offers before going down this costly route.

In addition to the benefits alkaline water can have on the digestive system, there are other advantages to drinking it. Alkaline water is abundant in hydrogen ions, natural antioxidants which help to neutralise harmful free radicals.

Drinking pure alkalised, ionised water could provide the optimum hydration for our bodies. The benefits are far-reaching and point towards improved health and disease prevention thanks to the antioxidants present in the water.

Acids must also be neutralised before they can enter the bloodstream to be eliminated by the kidneys. Failure to neutralise these acids prevents their elimination and results in excess acids building up in joints, tissues and organs.

This buildup of acid is what subsequently causes inflammation and disease if it is left to roam freely inside your body.

Drinking pure alkalised, ionised water could provide the optimum hydration for our bodies. The benefits are far-reaching and point towards improved health and disease prevention thanks to the antioxidants present in the water.