Today, we’re going to talk about the potential dangers and benefits of alkaline water. Natural water from a well or spring is alkaline. It’s alkaline because it contains minerals like calcium and magnesium. Many people believe that things that are acidic are unhealthy and things that are alkaline are healthy. But that’s not altogether true. We have a lot of different acids in our bodies that have many important functions. We don’t need to worry about alkalizing the body. The body regulates the pH in different areas. For example, your blood should be slightly alkaline, but your stomach should be very acidic. It’s possible to get alkaline water created by a machine that uses electricity to alter it instead of using minerals to alkalize it. If you drink alkaline water that's created artificially, you’re going to alter the pH in the stomach. Potential side effects of alkaline water made artificially can include: • Heartburn • Acid reflux • Gas • GERD • Infection • Hair loss • Heart arrhythmias However, natural water, like alkaline spring water, has no side effects. Alkalizing the stomach could lead to a deficiency in stomach acids. The stomach should be very acidic to help you break down protein, absorb minerals and vitamin B12, and kill pathogens. As we age, we lose stomach acid. Antacids also weaken stomach acid. But, low stomach acid is the root cause of symptoms like heartburn, GERD, and acid reflux. Alkalizing the stomach instead of acidifying it could worsen these symptoms and lead to many other serious side effects. I’ve found that I can digest better when I drink acidic water, like carbonated water—especially if I add a teaspoon of either apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Overall, alkaline water has certain health benefits because it contains minerals. But alkaline water is only beneficial if it’s natural and not created by a machine.