Can alkaline water help lower cholesterol in diabetics?

This study found that alkaline ionized water significantly improved cholesterol levels in type 2 diabetic patients with dyslipidemia. Patients who drank alkaline water for 12 days had much greater reductions in total and LDL cholesterol compared to those drinking regular water.

How much alkaline water did patients drink in this study?

Patients in the study drank 1 liter (about 4 cups) of alkaline ionized water daily for 12 days. This amount was compared to the same volume of regular mineral water in the control group.

What makes alkaline ionized water different from regular water?

Alkaline ionized water is electrically treated to have a higher pH (less acidic) and contains hydrogen-rich molecules. It also has negative oxidation-reduction potential, giving it antioxidant properties that may help reduce oxidative stress in the body.

Is alkaline water safe for people with diabetes?

The study showed no adverse effects from drinking alkaline ionized water in diabetic patients over 12 days. However, people with diabetes should always consult their healthcare provider before starting any new therapy or supplement.

How quickly did cholesterol levels improve with alkaline water?

Significant improvements in cholesterol levels were observed after just 12 days of drinking alkaline ionized water. The alkaline water group showed much greater changes compared to the regular water group in this short timeframe.

Alkaline Water Improves Cholesterol in Diabetic Patients

Authors: A. Ramadhan, S.A. Wicaksono, T.E. Nugroho, S.B. Utami
Journal: Pakistan Journal of Medical and Health Sciences
Year: 2021
DOI: 10.53350/pjmhs211551449
Study Type: Human
Outcome: Positive
Peer Reviewed: Yes
Country: Indonesia
Health Condition: Type 2 Diabetes
Body System: Cardiovascular

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

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 and an alkaline pH. It has a negative oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging activity, which shows an antioxidant and has beneficial effects on reducing total cholesterol level, but the results still vary. This study was to investigate the effect of AIW to total cholesterol and other lipid profiles level in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accompanied by dyslipidemia. Methods: This was a randomized double blind controlled trial performed in December 2017-December 2018. Thirty patients that had been diagnosed with T2DM accompanied by dyslipidemia in Diponegoro National Hospital Semarang and met the inclussion criteria were determined by consecutive sampling. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups: AIW group (n=15) and control group (mineral water, MW) (pH 7) (n=15). Both were administered orally 1 liter per day for 12 days; total cholesterol level and other lipid profiles were measured before and after 12 days treatment. The statistical analysis was using independent t-test, paired t-test, and non-parametric Mann-Whitney test. Result: There were no differences between AIW group and mineral water group in all lipid profiles at before and after treatment, including total cholesterol (pre-treatment: 290.2 ± 41.45 mg/dL vs 282.2 ± 15.81 mg/dL, p=0.575, and post-treatment: 249.8 ± 41.17 vs 268.5 ± 16.73 mg/dL, p=0.097), LDLc (pre-treatment: 167.0 ± 9.17 mg/dL vs 162.2 ± 4.75 mg/dL, p=0.227, and post-treatment: 157.2 ± 8.88 mg/dL vs 157.6 ± 5.39 mg/dL, p=0.518), HDLc (pre-treatment: 43.8 ± 4.16 mg/dL vs 42.8 ± 4.45 mg/dL, p=0.136 and post-treatment: 47.1 ± 3.24 mg/dL vs 45.2 ± 1.98 mg/dL, p=0.142), and triglyceride (pre-treatment: 351.0 ± 119.36 mg/dL vs 381.3 ± 59.38 mg/dL, p=0.934 and post-treatment: 266.4 ± 115.63 mg/dL vs 317.6 ± 70.50 mg/dL, p=0.154), respectively. There was a wider differences between post-and pre-treatment of total cholesterol (Δtotal cholesterol) (40.4 ± 31.57 vs 13.7 ± 10.65, p=0.002), LDLc (ΔLDLc) (9.8 ± 4.29 vs 4.6 ± 1.54, p=0.000), and HDLc (ΔHDLc) (4.3 ± 1.87 vs 3.4 ± 3.11, p=0.031) in AIW group compared to mineral water group. Conclusion: Alkaline ionized water (AIW) decreased total cholesterol and improved other lipid profiles level in patients with T2DM accompanied by dyslipidemia. These findings might have important implications for the management of T2DM accompanied by dyslipidemia.