What is Alkaline water and does it have any health benefits? On Instagram @AndreaHardyRD, I talk all about how your body’s pH is regulated and whether or not you need alkaline water to help.
A question I get asked ALL the time.⠀
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Your body’s pH is tightly regulated between 7.35-7.45. Much out of that range, and you become:⠀
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Alkalotic (too high of a pH)⠀
Acidotic (to low of a pH) ⠀
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Luckily, our bodies know how to manage our pH just fine by way of:⠀
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– a buffer system – hydrogen and bicarbonate at the ready to ‘mop up’ any changes in pH⠀
– our lungs – respiration changes our pH – did you know if you hyperventilate (ie have a panic attack), you can put yourself into a state of ‘respiratory alkalosis’? Luckily, there’s one more system that can help to manage pH!⠀
– our kidneys! Our kidneys manage hydrogen excretion and bicarbonate reabsorption – the response is a bit slower, but it has us covered.⠀
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Alkaline water has a pH of 8-9 – a weak base. When you drink it, your stomach acid (a strong acid) quickly reduces the pH and guess what, by way of passive absorption, you get plain ol’ H2O. If for some reason you were able to effect a change to your actual blood pH (it would be minor), the body would enact its normal physiological response – buffer, change in respiratory rate, and adjustments managed by our kidneys.⠀
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Stay hydrated, friends – and trust your body to figure it out!⠀
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