A water ionizer (also known as an alkaline ionizer) is a
home appliance which claims to raise the
pH of drinking water by using
electrolysis to separate the incoming water stream into
acidic and
alkaline components.[1][2][3] The treated water is called alkaline water. Proponents claim that consumption of alkaline water results in a variety of health benefits, making it similar to the
alternative health practice of
alkaline diets. Such claims violate basic principles of
chemistry and
physiology. There is no
medical evidence for any health benefits of alkaline water. Extensive scientific evidence has completely debunked these claims.[4][5]
The machines originally became popular in
Japan and other East Asian countries before becoming available in the U.S. and Europe.
Health claims
Water ionizers are often marketed on the basis of
health claims which are normally focused on their putative ability to make water more alkaline. A wide variety of benefits have been claimed, including the ability to slow
aging,[6] prevent
disease, give the body more energy, and offset alleged effects of acidic foods.[3][7]
There is no empirical evidence to support these claims, nor the claims that drinking ionized water will have a noticeable effect on the body.[8] Drinking ionized water or alkaline water does not alter the body's
pH due to
acid-base homeostasis.[6] Additionally, marketers have inaccurately claimed that the process of electrolysis changes the structure of water from large non-bioavailable water clusters to small bioavailable water clusters, called "micro clusters".[9]
Some proponents of alkaline water and the alkaline diet as a whole claim a link between alkaline intake and
cancer prevention;[5] no scientific evidence exists for such a connection,[5][10][11] and as such, several cancer societies have denounced this claim.[12][13][14][15]
The effectiveness of the process is debatable because electrolysis requires significant amounts of time and power; hence, the amount of hydroxide that could be generated in a fast-moving stream of water such as a running tap would be minimal at best.[18][unreliable source] Additionally, the process of reversing the reaction requires much less energy, so if the area between the alkaline and acidic water is at least semi-
permeable, the water will undergo another reaction that just leaves neutral water.[1]
^Zick, Suzanna Maria; Snyder, Detrick; Abrams, Donald I. (November 2018). "Pros and Cons of Dietary Strategies Popular Among Cancer Patients". Oncology. 32 (11): 542–547.
PMID30474102.