Alkaline claims based on incorrect science

Editor:

Re: “Here is to alkaline water,” Food for Thought, Oct 14.

To chemists a pH of 7 is neutral - neither acidic nor alkaline. Human blood, within our bodies, has a pH of about 7.4- very, very slightly alkaline. Richmond tap water has a pH of about 5. The slightly acidic pH is caused by dissolved carbon dioxide and you can see this if you notice the bubbles of CO2 escaping from the water flow as the water meets a lower air pressure than it had when it was in the pipes which carried it to your house and which allowedCO2 to dissolve in it.

When you drink tap water any carbon dioxide that you absorb is promptly excreted by your lungs as the carbon dioxide and water that you breathe out every minute. Anything else in the water you drink has to be excreted by the kidneys.

The blood pH of 7.4 is created entirely by the ongoing metabolism with our bodies and unless you drink substantial amounts of of things in your drinking water the blood pH is essentially consistent and usually changed only by conditions such as poor lung function. Our blood pH stays at a pH of 7.4 for well all of us, despite our drinking water which is acidified by carbon, and the old adage of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” applies.

I apologize for writing this particular sentence, but most of the article by Arlene Kroeker is based on incorrect science and I see no evidence that altering the pH of water we drink will ever affect the pH of water we drink will ever affect the pH of our blood or the cells of our bodies. What matters is her promotion of “alkalinized water” in plastic bottles. Calculate how much water you drink in a day and then calculate how much you would pay for modifies water before you buy it in quantity.

I will conclude by agreeing wholeheartedly with Ms. Kroeker’s closing sentence- “for optional health and regeneration choose your water wisely”

This letter was original written by

Derek Applegarth

Professor Emeritus, UBC

Richmond