Antioxidants in alkaline water neutralize free radicals
When discussing the properties of ionized alkaline water, Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) is often confused with pH because the two values are frequently discussed together, but they are not the same thing. Alkalinity and acidity is measured by pH, which stands for Potential Hydrogen, is a measure of the amount of ionic hydrogen atoms that are dissolved in the water. ORP (also known as redox potential) measures the amount of free electrons in the water. In a nutshell, ORP measures alkaline waters’ ability to prevent damage caused to cells and DNA caused by oxidation.
Free electrons in water will cause it to have an electrical charge. Because of this, ORP is measured as voltage. The amount of electrical charge that can be put in water is very small, so ORP values are expressed in thousandths of a volt, or millivolts (mV). If water has a positive ORP, it will attract electrons, if it has a negative ORP it has excess electrons to give away. For example, the LIFE Ionizer 9000 series can produce alkaline water with an ORP value of up to -850 mV, a very high value that means the water has the ability to prevent a tremendous amount of oxidative damage in the body.
Free Radicals
Substances in the body that cause oxidative damage are called free radicals. A free radical is an atom (e.g. oxygen, nitrogen) with at least one unpaired electron in its outermost shell; this means the atom is now electron deficient, making it unstable. Free radicals in the body steal electrons from wherever they can get them; the cells and DNA that lose electrons to free radicals become damaged in the process. What’s worse is that once a free radical has stolen an electron, the atom that it stole it from becomes a free radical! The new free radical then to steals an electron, which creates another free radical, the result is a chain reaction that does a tremendous amount of damage! When the body can’t keep up with the damage being done by free radicals the damage piles up and the body ages prematurely.
Ionized Alkaline Water to the Rescue!
The ionization process that is used by water ionizers “charges” water with free electrons. In the body, those free electrons are attracted to free radicals, when the two combine, they produce a stable atom. The result is that the ionized alkaline water “takes the hit” from free radicals, turning them into stable atoms that do not damage cells and DNA. What is important to remember is that pH can increase without increasing ORP. Adding bicarbonates or using a “hydrogen stick” will raise water’s pH, but will not add free electrons to it. The only way to get alkaline water with high antioxidant ORP power is from a water ionizer.
The Antioxidant Power of LIFE
High quality LIFE Ionizers come with a free custom-configured pre-filter, which works with LIFE’s exclusive Vitamin C Ceramic Block® internal filters to take harmful toxins out of tap water while leaving in beneficial minerals, this makes the water healthy. The water is then ionized which produces exceptionally strong ORP values. The highest ORP values are attained by using the optional MESH plates, because they are more capable of transferring electrons into water than flat plates.
Life’s ionizers also micro-cluster the water molecules for better hydration, which means it can counteract damaging free radicals quickly!
Click here to learn which ionizers produce the highest ORP levels and get our free ionizer buyers guide.