Kangen Water: Quackery, The junk science of structure-altered waters

[Zeno Swijtink]

Since ddtraveler deleted my message after I posted it ten minutes ago, I created a separate thread.

******

Kangen Water Coming To Sebastopol On May 21st.

Water Cluster Quackery

The junk science of structure-altered waters



"There are more than twenty commercial products on the market that purport to alter the structure of water in order to help maintain or restore health, youth, and vigor. At my age I would not mind re-aquiring some of these myself, but as a retired Chemistry professor and habitual imbiber of tap-water, it disturbs me to see crackpot chemistry, pseudoscientific mind-mush and outright lies used to promote these products to consumers whose lack of scientific training leaves them unprotected from this exploitation. This Web site is directed primarily to those who are concerned about their health, but who lack the technical background to distinguish science from pseudoscience when the two are closely intertwined. It is also recommended for teachers to use as resource material in courses about consumer protection, pseudoscience, or critical thinking."

More at https://www.chem1.com/CQ/clusqk.html

[nurturetruth]

PERSPECTIVES OF WATER ~ from the "wi-fi" gal !

OPTIMIST: "The water in the glass is half full !"

(I support the power of belief!)

PESSIMIST: "The water in the glass is half empty" :negative:
(there is NOTHING to power of belief!)

FATALIST: "The water will just evaporate" :eek:

EXISTENTIALIST: "The water IS."

FEMINIST: "ALL water is equal !"

NARCISSIST: "Look at ME in the water!" :adrift:

POLYAMOROUS: "The more water, the merrier!" (preferably CLEAN!)

EVANGELIST: " The water must repent!"

SOCIALIST: " SHARE the water !"
( regardless of how healthy it is- regular, ionic separation,
micro-clusters, plastic or glass bottled, blessed or NOT!)

CAPITALIST: " SELL the WATER ! " :creditcardsaccepted:

ANARCHIST: " Break the glass that holds the water!" :sigh:

PSYCHOLOGIST: " How does the water feel about the glass or the
container it is in?"

[alanora]

So, everyone is familiar with the photos of molecular structure of water, and the differences observable after praying or playing various types of music at a container full, right? I have never checked out emoto, bought the whole thing hook, line and sinker, and allowed it to expand my view of our world to include vibratory fluctuations and their effects on mood and every little thing. In this sense, color and sound and other names for our vibrationally sensed reality, do affect the vibratory rate and quality of our own cellular structure, which vibrates along with the rest. From this basis, a plethora of healing modalities emerge that involve sound and color and our receptors. I wonder if anyone accounts for the effects of environmental exposure in their "treatment protocol", as certainly exposure to daily sounds of life would influence us more than the relatively brief episode of intentional exposure of one kind or another. The music into which we tune, the friends we choose, the colors we place around in our homes, that blessed and loud fridgidaire, the thoughts we entertain, all affect our essence as well as our experience by altering our molecular structure accordingly. And then there are resonance and overtones to consider. Our vibrating senses also inform us as to whether a newly encountered "other" is suitable company, including their human fragrance....No relationship will work with someone who's basic smell is not conducive to a closer knowing, and doggies have it right with their unabashed sniffing. No wonder this body sometimes longs for a place where no traffic noises are heard, where darkness really happens and flora prevail. lol. mindy

[nurturetruth]

LOL alanore! I appreciate your vibes!!!

influenced me to smile this early morning !! (about to go get my monthly blessed prayed over vibrational ozonated water in the form of a colonic!)

lmao!

I am right there with you in what you wrote... especially the part about "allowing your view of our world to include vibratory fluctuations and their effects on mood and every little thing! "

For the past 3 years, I have even made up some positive vibed, blessed labels to put on my 5 gallon GLASS water jugs!

And, I play mozart , classical or meditative music for my kitties when I am gone!

So, everyone is familiar with the photos of molecular structure of water, and the differences observable after praying or playing various types of music at a container full, right? I have never checked out emoto, bought the whole thing hook, line and sinker, and allowed it to expand my view of our world to include vibratory fluctuations and their effects on mood and every little thing. In this sense, color and sound and other names for our vibrationally sensed reality, do affect the vibratory rate and quality of our own cellular structure, which vibrates along with the rest. From this basis, a plethora of healing modalities emerge that involve sound and color and our receptors. I wonder if anyone accounts for the effects of environmental exposure in their "treatment protocol", as certainly exposure to daily sounds of life would influence us more than the relatively brief episode of intentional exposure of one kind or another. The music into which we tune, the friends we choose, the colors we place around in our homes, that blessed and loud fridgidaire, the thoughts we entertain, all affect our essence as well as our experience by altering our molecular structure accordingly. And then there are resonance and overtones to consider. Our vibrating senses also inform us as to whether a newly encountered "other" is suitable company, including their human fragrance....No relationship will work with someone who's basic smell is not conducive to a closer knowing, and doggies have it right with their unabashed sniffing. No wonder this body sometimes longs for a place where no traffic noises are heard, where darkness really happens and flora prevail. lol. mindy

[Vet-To-Pet]

Will someone please translate the post by alanora? It makes my head hurt to try to figure out her point (IS there one...?). Sorry if I'm obtuse, but why can't folks use regular language to make their point? Does alanora actually speak this way when having a conversation in person with someone? "Vibratory fluctuations"? "Vibrationally sensed reality"? "Plethora of healing modalities"? Maybe I should vibrate while I'm reading it....
Thank you in advance~ :whackasmilie:
Smiles,
Vet to Pet/Paula

So, everyone is familiar with the photos of molecular structure of water, and the differences observable after praying or playing various types of music at a container full, right? I have never checked out emoto, bought the whole thing hook, line and sinker, and allowed it to expand my view of our world to include vibratory fluctuations and their effects on mood and every little thing. In this sense, color and sound and other names for our vibrationally sensed reality, do affect the vibratory rate and quality of our own cellular structure, which vibrates along with the rest. From this basis, a plethora of healing modalities emerge that involve sound and color and our receptors. I wonder if anyone accounts for the effects of environmental exposure in their "treatment protocol", as certainly exposure to daily sounds of life would influence us more than the relatively brief episode of intentional exposure of one kind or another. The music into which we tune, the friends we choose, the colors we place around in our homes, that blessed and loud fridgidaire, the thoughts we entertain, all affect our essence as well as our experience by altering our molecular structure accordingly. And then there are resonance and overtones to consider. Our vibrating senses also inform us as to whether a newly encountered "other" is suitable company, including their human fragrance....No relationship will work with someone who's basic smell is not conducive to a closer knowing, and doggies have it right with their unabashed sniffing. No wonder this body sometimes longs for a place where no traffic noises are heard, where darkness really happens and flora prevail. lol. mindy

[Braggi]

... No wonder this body sometimes longs for a place where no traffic noises are heard, where darkness really happens and flora prevail. lol. mindy

I'm lucky. All I hear right now is my kitty purring, a songbird outside, and my wall clock ticking. I live in the middle of a big forest. My water comes from a spring that flows from under a giant redwood. Those are good vibes.

Feeling blessed,

-Jeff

[Valley Oak]

Gee, I want to move in!

You do have a little 'Camelot,' Jeff. Congratulations.

By the way, did you ever manage to install a solar energy system for your house?

Edward

I'm lucky. All I hear right now is my kitty purring, a songbird outside, and my wall clock ticking. I live in the middle of a big forest. My water comes from a spring that flows from under a giant redwood. Those are good vibes.

Feeling blessed,

-Jeff

[Moon]

Quote from one of the jive "special water" ads: "the angle between the hydrogen atoms
is 10 degrees greater." If that were possible, it would be very bad news. I'm not a
professional chemist, but i definitely do know enough to understand that it's the high
POLARITY of the water molecule that makes life (at least anything we would recognize
as life) possible. If you could put the hydrogens more nearly in alignment with the
oxygen, water's polarity would be reduced, and--voila!--no more water interaction
with phospholipids, which have polar heads and non-polar tails--> with
phospholipid bilayers--> with plasma membranes--> with living entities.
Here's a page that shows simply, about halfway down, how plasma membranes
are put together: https://www.revision-notes.co.uk/revision/856.html


Since ddtraveler deleted my message after I posted it ten minutes ago, I created a separate thread.
******
Kangen Water Coming To Sebastopol On May 21st.
Water Cluster Quackery
The junk science of structure-altered waters
"There are more than twenty commercial products on the market that purport to alter the structure of water in order to help maintain or restore health, youth, and vigor. At my age I would not mind re-acquiring some of these myself, but as a retired Chemistry professor and habitual imbiber of tap-water, it disturbs me to see crackpot chemistry, pseudoscientific mind-mush and outright lies used to promote these products to consumers whose lack of scientific training leaves them unprotected from this exploitation. This Web site is directed primarily to those who are concerned about their health, but who lack the technical background to distinguish science from pseudoscience when the two are closely intertwined. It is also recommended for teachers to use as resource material in courses about consumer protection, pseudoscience, or critical thinking."

[hales]

Thanks, Mindy.. For me, the idea that the benefits of structured water are due to the placebo effect does create questions in regards to expensive "special" structured water, multi-level marketing schemes, etc... still, personally, I think it's cool to send good energy to water, my food, or a situation.. and it feels good, too, which has to be good for me, eh?

Your open acceptance of Dr Emoto, his "science" and photos, gives you access to the world of vibration and frequency, whereas a hard-science critical analysis might well discourage many from the possibilities of influencing one's surrounding and experience, using only awareness, visualization, prayer, etc. I fall somewhere in between. I'm pretty sensitive and I feel uncomfortable around ugliness, pollution and coarse and violent people, imagery, music, etc. I don't like it when I myself indulge in negativity, anger, or get really depressed.. so what is one to do?

BTW, I really like Dr. Emoto's book and pictures.. I sometimes visualize the more beautiful ones as a meditation seed or when sending good energy to stuff.. ; ) Meanwhile another part of me really tries to be more scientifically objective and not accept every new age scheme that comes down the pike.. I've signed up for a couple of multi-level schemes, pyramids, etc.. and I've even lost a best friend over a ML scheme. (I recommend trying not to confuse friendship with business, if you can..)

My experience is that redirecting my attitude, thoughts, words and deeds is the best approach to changing my life, my circumstance and relationships. I realize I have little or no control over other people, world affairs, etc., but I can own my own consciousness, words and actions. I can choose in this moment to live closer to my own values, knowledge and awareness. My most important choice is how I use my own awareness in this moment.. perhaps I can change the structure of my atoms, if not instantaneously, probably it will be beneficial over the rest of my life to do my best to dwell in gratitude, acceptance and joy. ; )

Scott.

So, everyone is familiar with the photos of molecular structure of water, and the differences observable after praying or playing various types of music at a container full, right? I have never checked out emoto, bought the whole thing hook, line and sinker, and allowed it to expand my view of our world to include vibratory fluctuations and their effects on mood and every little thing. In this sense, color and sound and other names for our vibrationally sensed reality, do affect the vibratory rate and quality of our own cellular structure, which vibrates along with the rest. From this basis, a plethora of healing modalities emerge that involve sound and color and our receptors. I wonder if anyone accounts for the effects of environmental exposure in their "treatment protocol", as certainly exposure to daily sounds of life would influence us more than the relatively brief episode of intentional exposure of one kind or another. The music into which we tune, the friends we choose, the colors we place around in our homes, that blessed and loud fridgidaire, the thoughts we entertain, all affect our essence as well as our experience by altering our molecular structure accordingly. And then there are resonance and overtones to consider. Our vibrating senses also inform us as to whether a newly encountered "other" is suitable company, including their human fragrance....No relationship will work with someone who's basic smell is not conducive to a closer knowing, and doggies have it right with their unabashed sniffing. No wonder this body sometimes longs for a place where no traffic noises are heard, where darkness really happens and flora prevail. lol. mindy

[Valley Oak]

With sending energy to food, isn't that what people do when a blessing or prayer is done at each meal?

Edward

Thanks, Mindy.. For me, the idea that the benefits of structured water are due to the placebo effect does create questions in regards to expensive "special" structured water, multi-level marketing schemes, etc... still, personally, I think it's cool to send good energy to water, my food, or a situation.. and it feels good, too, which has to be good for me, eh?

...

[Dynamique]

Yup, it just has a different name and no deity. Expressing gratitude can do wonders for your attitude, regardless of what you call the procedure!

With sending energy to food, isn't that what people do when a blessing or prayer is done at each meal?

Edward

[Dark Shadows]

Totally agree with you on the Kangen water issue. I wrote content and built a website for one of these people that tries to get others to sell these worthless machines. I was ashamed of myself for doing it, but it was a gig and writing gigs are sometimes hard to find. There are a lot of so called experts promoting alkaline water as the fountain of youth. Their credentials look pretty good on paper, but if you do a little bit a research, you'll find the orgainzations that these people have founded and the studies that come out of them, are a bunch of BS. Sure its good to drink a lot of water, but there's no hard evidence that alkaline water is any better than the Ph balanced stuff that occurs in nature. This type of gimickry is very hot in Japan right now, and the company that markets these machines is based there.
Btw-the person who contracted me to build the website skipped town without paying her last invoice, which was a whopper because I was doing all the most intricate work towards the end of the project. le vita y dura

Yup, it just has a different name and no deity. Expressing gratitude can do wonders for your attitude, regardless of what you call the procedure!

[ddtraveler]

Just to let Zeno to know I deleted the first posting because I had updated my posting and didn't need the original there any longer.
Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion.
The people that are meant to have the water will and those that aren't will not.
I will not get into bashing, justifing, anger etc.
I am running a business. One that has improved my own life greatly. I am not am evil, greedy, uninformed person. I am honest ethical and not vendictive.
Not sure why someone would need to build a website for Kangen Water and I am one of the only people that is a distributor in this area so I am confused on that.
You guys can respond all you want I did want to make one response but will not be back to read anything negative on what I do.
Thank you for your time and have a wonderful day!!
Donna

[ddtraveler]

Sent:Wednesday, May 28, 200810:20 AM
Subject: Scientist /Alkaline Water

Ray Kurzweil Scientist
Talks About Alkaline Water
Ray Kurzweil was inducted in 2002 into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, established by the U.S. Patent Office. He received the $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize, the nation's largest award in invention and innovation. He also received the 1999 National Medal of Technology, the nation's highest honor in technology, from President Clinton in a White House ceremony.

He has also received scores of other national and international awards, including the 1994 Dickson Prize (Carnegie Mellon University's top science prize), Engineer of the Year from Design News, Inventor of the Year from MIT, and the Grace Murray Hopper Award from the Association for Computing Machinery. He has received twelve honorary Doctorates and honors from three U.S. presidents.
He has received seven national and international film awards. Ray's books include The Age of Intelligent Machines, The Age of Spiritual Machines, and Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever. Four of Ray's books have been national best sellers and The Age of Spiritual Machines has been translated into 9 languages and was the #1 best selling book on Amazon in science.

Question: I have read on the Internet that it is not possible to create alkaline or acid water from pure water and that water that is pure enough to drink can't be split into alkaline and acid components. Is this true?

Answer: As responsible scientists, we had the same skepticism when we first heard about alkaline water. Therefore, the first thing we did was to purchase a water alkalinizer as well as an accurate electronic pH meter. We ran tap water with pH 7.1 from our home faucet into the device and found that the water coming out of the alkaline outlet had a pH of 9.5 (indicating very alkaline), while the water from the acid outlet measured pH 4.5 (indicating very acidic).

We repeated this experiment with a variety of tap waters obtaining alkaline outputs with a pH ranging from 9.5 to 9.9. It is true that 'pure' or distilled water can not be ionized. If you were to try to 'split' distilled water, it would not work. Tap or spring water, however, has dissolved minerals in it. It's the minerals in the water; primarily calcium, potassium and magnesium that allow water to be 'split' by an electric current into alkaline, 'electron-rich' (i.e., containing negatively charged ions that can engage in chemical reactions to provide electrons to positively charged free radicals) and acid, 'electron-deficient' components. Individuals who say it is not possible to split tap or spring water are misinformed.

One site on the Internet states 'Ionized water is nothing more than sales fiction; the term is meaningless to chemists. Most water that is fit for drinking is too unconductive to undergo significant electrolysis.'

The above statement is easily shown to be incorrect with a simple pH meter and an electrolysis machine. Most tap waters run through the machine produce highly alkaline water as measured by a pH meter.

Question: Since you advocate drinking alkaline water, why not simply mix something like sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) with water and drink that? There are, in fact, alkaline waters sold that are made by mixing water with bicarbonate. Wouldn't that work as well and be much less expensive than a water alkalinizer?

Answer: There are more benefits to 'alkaline water' than simply the alkalinity or pH. The most important feature of alkaline water produced by a water alkalinizer is its oxidation reduction potential (ORP). Water with a high negative ORP is of particular value in its ability to neutralize oxygen free radicals.

ORP can also be directly tested using an ORP sensor and meter. We have conducted these experiments as well. We found that water coming directly from the tap had an ORP of +290mV, while the water coming out of the water alkalinizer had a negative ORP. The more negative the ORP of a substance (that is, the higher its negative ORP), the more likely it is to engage in chemical reactions that donate electrons. These electrons are immediately available to engage in reactions that neutralize positively charged free radicals. This is the key benefit of water produced by a water alkalinizer that is not available by simply drinking water than has had some bicarb or other compounds dissolved in it to make it alkaline.

Although water mixed with bicarbonate is indeed alkaline, it does not have a negative ORP; rather it has a positive ORP, meaning that it is unable to neutralize dangerous oxygen free radicals. Alkaline water produced by running tap water through an electrolysis machine does have a high negative ORP, meaning that it does have the ability to neutralize oxygen free radicals. We have confirmed these ORP measurements through our direct tests.

Question: OK, why is it important to drink alkaline water with a high negative ORP?

Answer: All chemical reactions occur with the transfer of electrons. Negatively charged entities are said to be reducing agents, meaning they are relatively electron rich and are able to donate electrons, reducing the charge of the entity with which they react. Relatively electron-poor entities are referred to as oxidizing agents, meaning they tend to pull electrons away. Thus, each substance in our body may act as either an oxidizing or reducing agent.

However, not just any negatively charged ion will be able to engage in the specific chemical reactions needed to neutralize oxygen free radicals. The HCO3- (bicarbonate) ions in alkaline bicarb water do not have this potential, whereas the OH- and mineral-rich water coming from an electrolysis machine (from tap water) does have this potential. That is implied in the negative value of the 'oxidation reduction potential.'

Free radicals are among the most damaging molecules in the body and are highly unstable molecules that are oxidizing agents and are electron deficient. They are a principal cause of damage and disease in the body. Oxygen free radicals contribute significantly to a broad variety of harmful conditions in the body ranging from life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, stroke and cancer, to less severe conditions such as sunburns, arthritis, cataracts, and many others. Free radicals MUST get electrons from somewhere and will steal them from whatever molecules are around, including normal, healthy tissues.

Damage to tissues results when free radicals strip these electrons from healthy cells. If the damage goes on unchecked, this will lead to disease. For example, the oxidation of LDL cholesterol particles in arterial walls by free radicals triggers an immune system response that results in atherosclerosis, the principal cause of heart disease. The negative ions in alkaline water from an electrolysis machine are a rich source of electrons that can be donated to these free radicals in the body, neutralizing them and stopping them from damaging healthy tissues. Specifically, these ions have the potential to engage in the chemical reactions necessary to neutralize oxygen free radicals.

Vitamin C and E, grape seed extract and alpha lipoic acid, for example, are all powerful electron donors. The vegetable-rich diet we recommend is alkaline and helps donate electrons to the body. Alkaline, electron-rich water falls in the same category. It can help with your body's need for electrons to counteract free radicals.

Interestingly, we also tested vegetable juice with the ORP meter and found that it also has a high negative ORP, meaning that it is able to neutralize oxygen free radicals. So at least one of the important benefits of eating vegetables can be obtained from drinking the high negative ORP alkaline water from an electrolysis machine.

Another benefit of drinking alkaline water is that it assists in the absorption of minerals. We know that if the body is not absorbing enough minerals, it will rob minerals from the body's mineral reserves, chiefly calcium from the bones.

It is well known that many chronic diseases result in excess acidity of the body (metabolic acidosis). We also know that the body tends to become more acidic due to modern dietary habits and lifestyles and the aging process itself. By drinking high negative ORP alkaline water, you combat metabolic acidosis and improve absorption of nutrients.

The blood is carefully buffered to keep it in a narrow range between pH 7.35 to 7.45. The body keeps blood pH stable by utilizing alkaline buffers, chiefly bicarbonate, to neutralize acidic liquids (such as colas, which have a pH as low as 2.5) and other acidic products and byproducts. But as the blood stream receives these acidic substances, the alkaline buffers get used up. Drinking alkaline water helps reduce the burden on the limited alkaline buffers which are needed for the body's natural detoxification processes.

Question: Is there research that actually shows the benefits of drinking alkaline water?
Answer: A number of studies are summarized below. One study described below suggests that alkaline water encourages 'friendly' anaerobic microflora in the human intestinal tract, and discourages 'unfriendly' aerobic organisms. The researcher (see Vorobjeva NVbelow) writes: 'Many diseases of the intestine are due to a disturbance in the balance of the microorganisms inhabiting the gut. The treatment of such diseases involves the restoration of the quantity and/or balance of residential microflora in the intestinal tract. It is known that aerobes and anaerobes grow at different oxidation-reduction potentials (ORP). The former require positive E(h) values up to +400 mV. Anaerobes do not grow unless the E(h) value is negative between -300 and -400 mV. In this work, it is suggested that prerequisite for the recovery and maintenance of obligatory anaerobic microflora in the intestinal tract is a negative ORP value of the intestinal milieu. Electrolyzed reducing water with E(h) values between 0 and -300 mV produced in electrolysis devices possesses this property. Drinking such water favours the growth of residential microflora in the gut. A sufficient array of data confirms this idea.'

Dr. Grossman has also had many of his patients report of health benefits they have experienced from drinking alkaline electron-rich water.

Question: How can alkaline water with a pH of 9 or 10 be expected to affect the body when the pH of the stomach is 2 or less?
Answer: It is important to remember that large amounts of hydrochloric acid are present in the stomach primarily when food is there. There is only a small amount of acid in stomach when it is empty, and this can be easily overcome when alkaline electron-rich water is consumed. Therefore, in order to gain maximum benefit, we recommend drinking alkaline water in between meals. Water consumed between meals will very quickly pass through the stomach and the GI tract.

*********************************************

A sample of studies on the health benefits of alkaline electron-rich water.
Huang KC, Yang CC, Lee KT, Chien CT. Reduced hemodialysis-induced oxidative stress in end-stage renal disease patients by electrolyzed reduced water. Kidney Int. 2003 Aug;64(2):704-14.

*********************************************

BACKGROUND : Increased oxidative stress in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients may oxidize macromolecules and consequently lead to cardiovascular events during chronic hemodialysis. Electrolyzed reduced water (ERW) with reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging ability may have a potential effect on reduction of hemodialysis-induced oxidative stress in ESRD patients. METHODS: We developed a chemiluminescence emission spectrum and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis to assess the effect of ERW replacement on plasma ROS (H2O2 and HOCl) scavenging activity and oxidized lipid or protein production in ESRD patients undergoing hemodialysis. Oxidized markers, dityrosine, methylguanidine, and phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide, and inflammatory markers, interleukin 6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined. RESULTS: Although hemodialysis efficiently removes dityrosine and creatinine, hemodialysis increased oxidative stress, including phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide, and methylguanidine. Hemodialysis reduced the plasma ROS scavenging activity, as shown by the augmented reference H2O2 and HOCl counts (Rh2o2 and Rhocl, respectively) and decreased antioxidative activity (expressed as total antioxidant status in this study). ERW administration diminished hemodialysis-enhanced Rh2o2 and Rhocl, minimized oxidized and inflammatory markers (CRP and IL-6), and partly restored total antioxidant status during 1-month treatment. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that hemodialysis with ERW administration may efficiently increase the H2O2- and HOCl-dependent antioxidant defense and reduce H2O2- and HOCl-induced oxidative stress.

Shirahata S, Kabayama S, Nakano M, Miura T, Kusumoto K, Gotoh M, Hayashi H, Otsubo K, Morisawa S, Katakura Y. Electrolyzed-reduced water scavenges active oxygen species and protects DNA from oxidative damage. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1997 May 8;234(1):269-74.

Active oxygen species or free radicals are considered to cause extensive oxidative damage to biological macromolecules, which brings about a variety of diseases as well as aging. The ideal scavenger for active oxygen should be 'active hydrogen'. 'Active hydrogen' can be produced in reduced water near the cathode during electrolysis of water. Reduced water exhibits high pH, low dissolved oxygen (DO), extremely high dissolved molecular hydrogen (DH), and extremely negative redox potential (RP) values. Strongly electrolyzed-reduced water, as well as ascorbic acid, (+)-catechin and tannic acid, completely scavenged O.-2 produced by the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase (HX-XOD) system in sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). The superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity of reduced water is stable at 4 degrees C for over a month and was not lost even after neutralization, repeated freezing and melting, deflation with sonication, vigorous mixing, boiling, repeated filtration, or closed autoclaving, but was lost by opened autoclaving or by closed autoclaving in the presence of tungsten trioxide which efficiently adsorbs active atomic hydrogen. Water bubbled with hydrogen gas exhibited low DO, extremely high DH and extremely low RP values, as does reduced water, but it has no SOD-like activity. These results suggest that the SOD-like activity of reduced water is not due to the dissolved molecular hydrogen but due to the dissolved atomic hydrogen (active hydrogen). Although SOD accumulated H2O2 when added to the HX-XOD system, reduced water decreased the amount of H2O2 produced by XOD. Reduced water, as well as catalase and ascorbic acid, could directly scavenge H2O2. Reduced water suppresses single-strand breakage of DNA b active oxygen species produced by the Cu(II)-catalyzed oxidation of ascorbic acid in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that reduced water can scavenge not only O2.- and H2O2, but also 1O2 and .OH.

VorobjevaNV. Selective stimulation of the growth of anaerobic microflora in the human intestinal tract by electrolyzed reducing water. Med Hypotheses. 2005;64(3):543-6.

96-99% of the 'friendly' or residential microflora of intestinal tract of humans consists of strict anaerobes and only 1-4% of aerobes. Many diseases of the intestine are due to a disturbance in the balance of the microorganisms inhabiting the gut. The treatment of such diseases involves the restoration of the quantity and/or balance of residential microflora in the intestinal tract. It is known that aerobes and anaerobes grow at different oxidation-reduction potentials (ORP). The former require positive E(h) values up to +400 mV. Anaerobes do not grow unless the E(h) value is negative between -300 and -400 mV. In this work, it is suggested that prerequisite for the recovery and maintenance of obligatory anaerobic microflora in the intestinal tract is a negative ORP value of the intestinal milieu. Electrolyzed reducing water with E(h) values between 0 and -300 mV produced in electrolysis devices possesses this property. Drinking such water favours the growth of residential microflora in the gut. A sufficient array of data confirms this idea. However, most researchers explain the mechanism of its action by an antioxidant properties destined to detox the oxidants in the gut and other host tissues. Evidence is presented in favour of the hypothesis that the primary target for electrolyzed reducing water is the residential microflora in the gut.

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.

*********************************************
Summary: To clarify effect of ionized calcium water for drinking water in rats, 36 Male Wister rats weighing about 50g were randomly divided into 6 groups, and given following diet and drinking water : (1) Ca-sufficient diet, tap-water; (2) Ca-sufficient diet, tap-water;(3) Ca-sufficient diet, calcium lactate added-ionized calcium-water : (4) Ca-deficient diet, calcium lactate added-water ; (5) Ca deficient diet, calcium lactate added-water :(6) Ca-deficient diet, calcium lactate added ionized calcium-water. The diets were given by paired-feeding method 4 weeks and drinking water was ad libitum. The significant change of calcium concentration in the rats were was follows; Ca concentration of plasma, spleen, of plasma, spleen, kidney, testis and tibia in Ca deficient groups (4), (5), (6) were significantly low compared with these in Ca sufficient groups (1),(2),(3) Ca concentration in brain of groups (4),(5),(6) was low compared to these in groups (2), Ca concentration in heart and muscle of group (4) was low compared to Ca deficient groups (1),(2),(3), but these in group (5) drank Ca added-water was recovered and these in group (6) drank ionized-Ca-water was higher than these in any other groups. Ca concentration of liver in groups (4) were significantly lower than that in group (1),(3) and Ca concentration of liver in Ca deficient rats (groups (5),(6)) drank Ca-added-water were high compared to these in group (4). In 24 hours urine discharge of group (2) was high compared with groups (4), (5), (6). These results suggest that ionized Ca in drinking water may be active for intestinal absorption.

Vormann J, Worlitschek M, Goedecke T, Silver B, Supplementation with alkaline minerals reduces symptoms of patients with chronic low back pain, J Trace Elem. Med. Biol. Vol. 15, pp. 179-183, 2001
Abstract: The cause of low back pain is heterogeneous, it has been hypothesized that a latent chronic acidosis might contribute to these symptoms. It was tested whether a supplementation with alkaline minerals would influence symptoms in patients with low back pain symptoms. In an open prospective study 82 patients with chronic low back pain received daily 30 g of a lactose based alkaline multimineral supplement (Basica) over a period of 4 weeks in addition to their usual medication. Pain symptoms were quantified with the 'Arhuslow back pain rating scale' (ARS). Mean ARS dropped highly significant by 49% from 41 to 21 points after 4 weeks supplementation. In 76 out of 82 patients a reduction in ARS was achieved by the supplementation. Total blood buffering capacity was significantly increased from 77.69 ± 6.79 to 80.16 ± 5.24 mmol/L (mean ± SEM, n=82, p < 0.001) and also blood pH rose from 7.456 ± 0.007 to 7.470 ± 0.007 (mean ± SEM, n=75, p < 0.05). Only intracellular magnesium increased by 11% while other intracellular minerals were not significantly changed in sublingual tissue as measured with the EXA-test. Plasma concentrations of potassium, calcium, iron, copper, and zinc were within the normal range and not significantly influenced by the supplementation. Plasma magnesium was slightly reduced after the supplementation (-3%, p < 0.05). The results show that a disturbed acid-base balance may contribute to the symptoms of low back pain. The simple and safe addition of an alkaline multimineral preparate was able to reduce the pain symptoms in these patients with chronic low back pain.