Alkaline Water Improves Cholesterol in Diabetic Patients

TL;DR

Drinking alkaline ionized water (AIW) may help lower cholesterol and improve other fat levels in the blood of people with type-2 diabetes and high cholesterol.

Key Finding

Over 12 days, alkaline ionized water produced greater improvements in cholesterol changes compared to mineral water in diabetic patients with high cholesterol, though the absolute cholesterol levels between groups were not significantly different at the end of the study.

Summary

This study tested whether alkaline ionized water (water made alkaline through electrolysis and containing hydrogen molecules) could improve cholesterol levels in 30 people with type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. Half the participants drank alkaline ionized water for 12 days, while the other half drank regular mineral water. While both groups showed some improvement in cholesterol levels, the alkaline ionized water group showed larger changes in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (the "bad" kind), and HDL cholesterol (the "good" kind) compared to the mineral water group.

Practical Takeaway

This small, short-term study suggests alkaline ionized water may support cholesterol improvements in people with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia, but the findings are preliminary. The study lasted only 12 days with just 30 participants, so longer and larger studies are needed to determine whether these benefits persist and are clinically meaningful. Anyone considering this should discuss it with their doctor, as it should not replace standard diabetes and cholesterol medications.

Abstract (excerpt)

Background: Total cholesterol is a measure of the total amount of cholesterol components including LDL (low-density lipoprotein), HDL (high-density lipoprotein), and VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein). Alkaline ionized water (AIW) is an electrolyzed water with a hydrogen-rich molecule…

Read the full abstract via DOI