Thirty days is a useful period to observe your alkaline water 30 day results and see whether a new hydration habit really works for you. Drinking alkaline water every day is often promoted as a way to support hydration, energy, digestion and overall wellness. If you start drinking alkaline water every day you will probably not see the big changes that people talk about in ads.
You might become better hydrated if you drink water because of your new habit. You might also notice that the water tastes different or that your digestion changes.. You should not expect your blood pH to change a lot or that it will detox your body or that it will cure any health problems. There is not a lot of research on what happens when you drink alkaline water for thirty days and the studies that are there do not support many of the claims that people make online.
What is alkaline water?
The pH scale goes from 0 to 14. 7 Is considered neutral. Alkaline water has a pH that’s higher than 7, usually around 8 or 9. Natural alkaline water gets its pH from flowing through rocks that are rich in minerals. Machine-ionized water is made by using electrolysis, which separates the water into two streams one that’s more alkaline and one that is more acidic.
These two types of water are not the same. They can have amounts of minerals and dissolved hydrogen so two bottles of water with the same pH can have different ingredients. Any effects that you notice might come from the minerals, the amount of water you drink or the source of the water, not just the pH. For a closer look at how these differences compare, read this guide about alkaline water vs. mineral water.
The first week of drinking alkaline water might be more about developing an alkaline water daily habit than experiencing any special effect from alkalinity. Carrying a bottle of alkaline water around and drinking alkaline water every day can help you develop a more consistent hydration routine. If you replace soda, sweet coffee or juice with alkaline water you might also reduce the amount of sugar and calories you take in.
These are benefits of staying hydrated and do not necessarily show that alkaline water is better than plain water. You can get the benefits from drinking plain water. Some people like the taste of alkaline water and drink more of it while others do not notice a difference.
If you drink water you might have to go to the bathroom more often. This does not mean that your body is getting rid of toxins, it just means that your kidneys are getting rid of water. Drinking a lot of water can be bad for you no matter what the pH is so you should only drink when you are thirsty and consider your activity level, the weather and any medical conditions you have.
After a few weeks of drinking alkaline water every day, you might notice some changes in your hydration routine or how you feel. One study found that drinking alkaline water can change the chemistry of your urine. In this study people who drank mineral- water had higher pH levels in their urine and got rid of less acid. However this does not mean that alkaline water “alkalizes” your body or prevents disease.
Your blood pH is usually kept at a level by your body’s natural buffers, your lungs and your kidneys. The Merck Manual says that breathing regulates carbon dioxide levels while your kidneys get rid of acids or bases. If your blood pH gets out of balance it is a problem, not something you can fix with wellness habits.
Some small studies have looked at how alkaline water affects exercise recovery. One study found that drinking pH water after exercise affected one measure of blood viscosity but not other measures of hydration or health. This does not mean that drinking alkaline water will make you healthier or more hydrated every day.
What can you not learn from drinking alkaline water for thirty days?
If you try an alkaline water experiment for a month, it can be difficult to tell whether any changes are caused by the water because diet, sleep, exercise and overall fluid intake can also change. If you have energy it might be because you are drinking more water or because you stopped drinking sugary drinks. If you have heartburn it might be because you are eating smaller meals. Any changes you notice during the month might not be caused by the alkaline water.
Different types of alkaline water like mineral-electrolyzed or hydrogen-rich water have different properties. The studies that have been done are often small or only look at groups of people so the results might not apply to everyone. A study that only lasts for two to four weeks cannot tell us enough about the alkaline water long term effects that may occur over a longer period.
According to the Mayo Clinic alkaline water is not better than water for most people. There is not evidence to show that it can prevent cancer, stroke or other major diseases. For more context on the medical concerns and evidence, read doctors skeptical about alkaline water benefits. You should not use it as a replacement for medicine, medical care or a balanced diet.
Can drinking alkaline water every day cause problems?
Healthy adults will not be harmed by drinking moderate amounts of commercially produced alkaline water. You might notice some side effects, like nausea, bloating or an unpleasant taste. These can have many causes.
You should be more careful if you drink high-pH water or large amounts of alkaline water or if you have a lot of minerals in your water. The Mayo Clinic says that water with a pH above 9.8 can be a problem and can even cause blood potassium levels. People with kidney disease are especially at risk because their bodies might not be able to regulate electrolytes and acid-base balance
If you have heart disease, high blood pressure or if you need to limit your sodium or fluid intake you should check the label on your alkaline water. Talk to a doctor. This is also true if you take medicines that affect your potassium levels, kidney function or stomach acidity. Just because water has a high pH does not mean it is free from microorganisms or metals.
How to try drinking alkaline water
If you are a healthy adult and you still want to try drinking alkaline water every day for a month you should treat it like an experiment, not a medical treatment. Choose water from a source and avoid water with very high pH levels. Check the label to see what the pH level is and what minerals and sodium are in the water because different products can be very different.
Keep track of how much water you drink, how your digestion is and how much you exercise. Try to keep your habits the same and compare them to see if the alkaline water is really making a difference. If you start to feel sick or if you have symptoms like nausea, vomiting, weakness, confusion, muscle cramps or an irregular heartbeat you should stop drinking the alkaline water and talk to a doctor.
After thirty days, the important question is not whether the alkaline water 30 day results show a dramatic difference. Ask yourself if it helped you drink safe water if you liked the taste and if it was worth the cost. The current evidence does not show that drinking alkaline water for a month has any advantages over drinking plain safe water for most people. The healthiest result might simply be that your alkaline water daily habit helps you drink enough safe water while keeping realistic expectations about what alkaline water can and cannot do.
