CUSTOMER QUESTION:

Dr. Wysong and Dr. Andrew Weil are the two persons I look to for the vast majority of my health questions. While they usually agree, this is one area where there seems to be a big disagreement. I see that Wysong sells Alkinate, Wellspring and Ionizers. I have pasted below a response that Dr. Weil posted on his website in response to a question about body pH.

Since his response is in conflict with your philosophy and products, would you please comment?

Would you also please let me know the data or rationale for your belief that alkaline condition promotes good health?
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Does Alkaline Water Promote Health?
Manufacturers of water ionizers state that their products produce more alkaline water, which allows your body to better absorb minerals and antioxidants from water. Are these health claims real? Do you recommend ionizers?

-- Michael Makoul

Home water ionizers, which I’ve seen offered for sale on the Internet, are just the latest twist in the ongoing effort to promote the notion that alkaline water is somehow protective of your health. The underlying idea is that you can prevent disease by balancing your body’s pH. Promoters claim that alkaline water is energizing, hydrates the body more effectively than regular water, improves the taste of food when used in cooking, promotes “regularity,” helps the body absorb nutrients more effectively and on and on. I’ve even seen claims that it can cure everything from obesity and high blood pressure to breast cancer.

None of these claims are true. Furthermore, your body needs absolutely no help in adjusting its pH. Normally, the pH of blood and most body fluids is near 7, which is close to neutral. This is under very tight biological control because all of the chemical reactions that maintain life depend on it. Unless you have serious respiratory or kidney problems, body pH will remain in balance no matter what you eat or drink. As for water, you should consider the fact that alkaline water is common throughout the Western United States but to my knowledge it has not protected anyone from the diseases and disorders that occur elsewhere in the U.S.

The health claims for water ionizers and for alkaline water are bogus. Save your money.
Dr. Andrew Weil

WYSONG RESPONSE:
Dear Friend,

Thank you for your letter and giving us an opportunity to respond. If you have not already, please read the following article by Dr. Wysong (Link: Healthy Water Products). These further comments based upon his research may help as well.

The primary objective of Wysong is information that can empower you with control over your own health. Although we sell some products related to acidemia, they are simply aids for people to achieve that goal, not our end purpose.

The references at the end of this will support the following arguments:

  • Acidemia is a definite clinical condition that can negatively impact health.
  • Modern living and processed food products tip the balance toward acidemia.
  • It is no wiser to ignore the importance of acid-base balance than it is to ignore exercise or food supplementation.

As to whether one can influence a complex metabolic process such as acid-base balance, one can monitor salivary and urine pH before and after taking the steps Dr. Wysong suggests, such as drinking lots of water that is alkaline and adjusting the diet to its archetypal state. That will be, in part, your best proof.
The reasons Dr. Weil cites as the reasons ionizers and alkaline water are advocated in the industry are not the reasons we believe paying attention to acid-base balance is important. As always, any good idea can be perverted once commerce gets involved and some of the hype surrounding these products is just intended to sell and is not consistent with good science. But that is not reason to throw the baby out with the bath water.
Please let us know if we can be of further help.
Sincerely,
Wysong Corporation

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