Alkaline Water Improves Blood Flow Better Than Regular Water After Exercise
- Authors
- Joseph Weidman, Ralph E. Holsworth, Bradley Brossman, Daniel J. Cho, John St.Cyr, Gregory Fridman
- Journal
- Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
- Year
- 2016
- DOI
- 10.1186/s12970-016-0153-8
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- United States
- Health Condition
- Exercise-Induced Dehydration
- Body System
- Cardiovascular
TL;DR
Drinking high-pH water after exercise reduced blood thickness more effectively than standard water.
Key Finding
Electrolyzed high-pH alkaline water reduced high-shear blood viscosity by 6.3% after exercise-induced dehydration, compared to a 3.4% reduction with standard purified water.
Summary
This study had 100 healthy adults exercise in a warm environment until they lost about 2% of their body weight through sweating. They then drank either electrolyzed high-pH (alkaline) water or regular purified water to rehydrate. Researchers measured several markers of hydration, including blood viscosity (how thick or thin the blood is). The alkaline water reduced high-shear blood viscosity (a measure of blood thickness under stress) by 6.3%, compared to 3.4% for regular water, though other hydration markers showed no meaningful differences between the two types of water.
Practical Takeaway
This small study suggests that alkaline water may affect how blood flows slightly differently than regular water during post-exercise rehydration in healthy adults. However, the clinical importance of a 3% difference in blood viscosity is unclear, and other standard hydration measures showed no difference between the waters. More research in larger groups and different exercise conditions would be needed before drawing conclusions about practical health benefits.
Abstract
Background: Previous research has shown fluid replacement beverages ingested after exercise can affect hydration biomarkers. No specific hydration marker is universally accepted as an ideal rehydration parameter following strenuous exercise. Currently, changes in body mass are used as a parameter during post-exercise hydration. Additional parameters are needed to fully appreciate and better understand rehydration following strenuous exercise. This randomized, double-blind, parallel-arm trial assessed the effect of high-pH water on four biomarkers after exercise-induced dehydration. Methods: One hundred healthy adults (50 M/50 F, 31 ± 6 years of age) were enrolled at a single clinical research center in Camden, NJ and completed this study with no adverse events. All individuals exercised in a warm environment (30 °C, 70% relative humidity) until their weight was reduced by a normally accepted level of 2.0 ± 0.2% due to perspiration, reflecting the effects of exercise in producing mild dehydration. Participants were randomized to rehydrate with an electrolyzed, high-pH (alkaline) water or standard water of equal volume (2% body weight) and assessed for an additional 2-h recovery period following exercise in order to assess any potential variations in measured parameters. The following biomarkers were assessed at baseline and during their recovery period: blood viscosity at high and low shear rates, plasma osmolality, bioimpedance, and body mass, as well as monitoring vital signs. Furthermore, a mixed model analysis was performed for additional validation. Results: After exercise-induced dehydration, consumption of the electrolyzed, high-pH water reduced high-shear viscosity by an average of 6.30% compared to 3.36% with standard purified water (p = 0.03). Other measured biomarkers (plasma osmolality, bioimpedance, and body mass change) revealed no significant difference between the two types of water for rehydration. However, a mixed model analysis validated the effect of high-pH water on high-shear viscosity when compared to standard purified water (p = 0.0213) after controlling for covariates such as age and baseline values. Conclusions: A significant difference in whole blood viscosity was detected in this study when assessing a high-pH, electrolyte water versus an acceptable standard purified water during the recovery phase following strenuous exercise-induced dehydration.