The one on the right drank alkaline water and developed healthy bones
A study performed on rats makes it easy to see how effective alkaline water is in supplying calcium. The image on the left shows two rats that were deprived of calcium in their food. Both rats were given calcium in their water, which researchers referred to as “calcium sufficient water”. The rat on the left was given calcium-sufficient tap water (pH 7) it shows visible signs of calcium deficiency such as hair loss, and researchers reported that it’s bones broke easily. The rat on the right was given calcium-sufficient ionized alkaline water (pH 8 – 9) and it showed no signs of calcium deficiency, even though it received no calcium in its diet!
Researchers divided 36 rats into 6 groups. Three of the groups were used as control groups, and were given adequate dietary calcium in their food. The other three groups were not given any calcium in their food. One control group received alkaline water, and one calcium deficient group received alkaline water.
During the study period, the concentration of calcium in the rats’ urine was measured. To find out how well the rats in the study actually absorbed the calcium that they received. Researchers found that rats given alkaline water (groups 3, 6) tended to have lower levels of calcium in their urine than the other groups, which indicates that the rats were retaining the calcium rather than losing it in their urine.
At the end of the study period, the rats were dissected in order to measure the calcium concentration in various body tissues and it was discovered that rats given alkaline water retained significantly higher calcium in their tissues and organs than all other groups. Based on the results of both the urine testing, and the tissue testing, the researchers concluded that alkaline water improves the bioavailability of calcium.
Alkaline Water Good for Bone Health even if you get enough Calcium in your Diet
Animal studies can tell researchers a lot, but they are not considered to be medical proof. A human study was conducted to find out if alkaline water had an impact on bone resorption – the process by which osteoclasts break down bone and release minerals. In this study, 30 female dieticians were divided into two groups. The first group drank calcium-rich alkaline water; the second group drank calcium-rich acid water.
To measure the rate of bone resorption, researchers measured two bone markers – levels of substances in the blood and urine – (referred to in the study as PTH and S-CTX) that are associated with bone loss. The two groups were tested at the beginning of the study to make sure that their levels of bone markers were the same. During the study, both groups consumed an identical diet (with sufficient calcium intake).
Both groups had their bone markers measured at 2 weeks, and again at 4 weeks. The tests revealed that the bone markers were significantly lower in the group that drank alkaline water. Based on the test results, the researchers concluded: “In calcium sufficiency, the acid calcium-rich water had no effect on bone resorption, while the alkaline water rich in bicarbonate led to a significant decrease of PTH and of S-CTX.”
Conclusions
The results of these studies point to one obvious conclusion: Alkaline water makes calcium more bioavailable. Both studies showed that alkaline water improved calcium absorption, whether there was sufficient calcium in the diet or not. There are even indications that alkaline water may be safer than bisphosphonate-based medications for maintaining bone health!
Has the FDA evaluated alkaline water for bone health?
Not yet. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The preceding information and/or products are for educational purposes only and are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, or treat illness. Please consult your doctor before making any changes or before starting ANY exercise or nutritional supplement program or before using this information or any product during pregnancy or if you have a serious medical condition.
References
[1] Chen H, Kimura M, Zhu Z, Itokawa Y, Evaluation on ionized calcium as a nutrient. The 11th
Symposium on Trace Nutrients Research, Japan Trace Nutrients Research Society, p131-138, 1994.
[2] Wynn E, Krieg, M.A, Aeschlimann, J.M, Burckhardt, P, Alkaline mineral water lowers bone
resorption even in calcium sufficiency. Bone; January 2009 44 (1): 120-124 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18926940
