Potential benefits of pH 8.8 alkaline drinking water as an adjunct in the treatment of reflux disease.
Source
Voice Institute of New York, NY 10019, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
At
the cellular level, tissue-bound pepsin is fundamental to the
pathophysiologic mechanism of reflux disease, and although the
thresholds for laryngeal damage in laryngopharyngeal reflux and for
esophageal damage in gastroesophageal reflux disease differ, both forms
of damage are due to pepsin, which requires acid for its activation. In
addition, human pepsin remains stable at pH 7.4 and may be reactivated
by hydrogen ions from any source. Thus, most tap and bottled waters
(typically pH 6.7 to 7.4) would not be expected to affect pepsin
stability. The purposes of these in vitro studies were to investigate
whether artesian well water containing natural bicarbonate (pH 8.8)
might irreversibly denature (inactivate) human pepsin, and to establish
its potential acid-buffering capacity.
METHODS:
Laboratory
studies were performed to determine whether human pepsin was
inactivated by pH 8.8 alkaline water. In addition, the buffering
capacity of the alkaline water was measured and compared to that of the
two most popular commercially available bottled waters.
RESULTS:
The
pH 8.8 alkaline water irreversibly inactivated human pepsin (in vitro),
and its hydrochloric acid-buffering capacity far exceeded that of the
conventional-pH waters.
CONCLUSIONS:
Unlike conventional
drinking water, pH 8.8 alkaline water instantly denatures pepsin,
rendering it permanently inactive. In addition, it has good
acid-buffering capacity. Thus, the consumption of alkaline water may
have therapeutic benefits for patients with reflux disease.
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