Hydrogen Water vs Alkaline Water

Picture this scenario. You're grocery shopping, and want to get some bottled water. You're concerned that the stuff coming out of your tap at home isn't the best for your children, and you're looking for something that might have added health benefits.

"Oh here's something," you say as you look at a bottle with healthy-looking branding. The label says alkaline water.

You're not entirely sure what that means, but you've heard the word before. It sounds like something that would give you health benefits, so why not? You put it in the cart.

Later that day, you're scrolling through TikTok, and you see a clip from The Joe Rogan Experience. There's a muscular guy named Gary Brecka, who is talking about all kinds of benefits you can get from adding molecular hydrogen into your water.

On the right side of the screen is a bottle with a bunch of bubbles going up.

"Well crap," you say to your phone with no one on the other line. "Did I make a mistake in buying alkaline water?"

The answer to that question is no. If we were to watch a fight of hydrogen water vs. alkaline water, the winner --- in our humble opinion --- would be hydrogen water. After all, we sell equipment that creates it. However, both hydrogen water and alkaline water have health benefits that you can enjoy.

 

What Is Hydrogen Water?

We went very in-depth with this question in a previous article, but for people who don't like opening a ton of new tabs, we'll explain it right here.

Simply put, hydrogen water is regular water with molecular hydrogen floating around. Molecular hydrogen is a very small molecule. It's made from two atoms of hydrogen, the tiniest element on the periodic table. The sheer size --- well...lack thereof --- makes molecular hydrogen a force to be reckoned with.

Why Size Matters With Molecular Hydrogen

Being small sometimes has its advantages, and that's the case with molecular hydrogen. It's able to penetrate cell membranes, get into structures like mitochondria, and provide the plethora of the benefits it has.

You see, molecular hydrogen acts as an antioxidant, which is a type of molecule that stops harmful free radicals from wrecking havoc on your body. That havoc is what creates oxidative stress, a state your body enters when there is not enough antioxidant activity in your body. It has been linked to the aging process along with diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and even Parkinson's.

The problem with regular antioxidants is they often tear apart the free radicals in your body that are actually good for you. That's right. There are some good ones. They are important for regular signaling processes and for a type of necessary cell death called apoptosis.

Molecular hydrogen addresses this issue. It specifically targets the free radicals that are causing the issues in your body and leaves the good ones alone.

Benefits of Hydrogen Water

Scientists have found quite a few health benefits and potential benefits from hydrogen water. It may be able to reduce BMI, prevent muscular damage from intense workouts, and reduce cognitive decline related to people.

Those are just a few promising health benefits that have been discovered from hydrogen water. Scientists are still studying whether there is more it can do and how effective it is.

 

What is Alkaline Water?

Alkaline water is water that is basic, and no, that doesn't mean it likes pumpkin spice. What it does mean is that on the pH scale, the water is greater than 7. In other words, it's the opposite of acidic.

What Is The pH Scale?

A chemical's pH level has to do with how acidic or basic it is. If it has a pH level of less than 7, it is known as an acid. If it is greater than 7, it is known as a base.

So what's the difference? It has to do with how many hydrogen ions vs. hydroxide ions are in the water. If it has more hydrogen ions, it's an acid. If it has more hydroxide ions, it's a base.

What in the World Does That All Mean?

Yeah, we get it. That is some high-level chemistry talk. If you're anything like us, you haven't taken a science class in years. So let's break it down for you.

This is an example of a hydrogen atom. It has a neutral charge because it has the same amount of positively charged protons as it does negatively charged electrons (that little tiny circle floating above the atom itself).

Usually, you don't find single hydrogen atoms in the wild. They are normally hydrogen molecules, which is what the next image shows. Molecular hydrogen is created by combining two hydrogen atoms, which share their electrons. You will find an abundance of this within hydrogen water.

Now, an ion is an atom or molecule that has either a positive or negative charge, and that charge is determined by whether it has more electrons than it should or less. When we talk about hydrogen ions, they are positively charged, and they look like this.

Remember how we said that you won't usually find single hydrogen atoms in the wild? Well, it's the same thing with hydrogen ions as well. Usually, they'll bond with a water molecule, which creates a hydronium ion or H3O+.

It has the plus sign because it's a positive charge. The molecule has one more proton than it does electrons.

When water has more of this positively charged hydronium in it, the pH level decreases. This means the water is more acidic.

However, if it has more of a negatively charged hydroxide ion --- which is just one hydrogen atom bonded with an oxygen --- the ph level increase. That means the water is more basic. In other words, it's alkaline water.

If water has the same amount of negative hydroxide ions as there are positive hydronium ions, the water is considered neutral. These ions are highly reactive, and if there are too much of one type in a chemical --- meaning a ph level close to zero or fourteen --- it can burn your skin.

The Problem With Acidic Water

If your water has a pH of 6.5 or lower, it can create enough of an acidic environment to cause problems. The main one is that it often contains heavy metals like lead, copper, arsenic, zinc, and chromium. This can lead to heavy metal poisoning, which carries flu-like symptoms.

Another issue with acidic water is its effect on your teeth. It damages the enamel, making them softer and more susceptible to decay.

Benefits of Alkaline Water

Alkaline water has a higher pH than acidic water. It is usually about 8 or 9, contains alkaline metals, and has antioxidant properties.

There are a lot of health claims about alkaline water, and scientists say there really isn't enough research to back a lot of them up. However, studies have shown that it may have positive effects on the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, the aging process, and even bone density. There are also promising results in its potential to help with acid reflux disease.

 

Criticisms of Alkaline Water

While alkaline water doesn't necessarily hurt the body, some scientists say that it doesn't have very many health benefits at all.

According to them, your body's pH levels are already regulated. Stomach acid for example is highly acidic (hence the name), so right there, your body's pH level is low. However, our blood and intestines have a more alkaline pH than the stomach --- though their levels are relatively neutral.

Some scientists also reason that when you're drinking alkaline water, your stomach has so much acidity that it neutralizes any alkaline water that you take in.

However, there is some scientific data that suggests otherwise. So even though these scientists know what they're talking about, there still may be some health benefits to it. Plus, at the very least, it's not harmful.

 

Hydrogen Rich Water Doesn't Need To Be In Competition With Alkaline Water

In the debate of hydrogen water vs. alkaline water, the answer could be both at the same time. As a matter of fact, with the Echo Ultimate™ Hydrogen Water Machine, you can choose a setting that gives you water that is alkaline.

A type of alkaline water that has a lot of molecular hydrogen is alkaline reduced water --- also known as alkaline ionized water. It's produced electronically, and scientists have found promising results about its potential health benefits.

• A 2013 study found that alkaline reduced water may be able to help control body weight.
• A 2021 study found that alkaline ionized water can protect the cells that cover your intestines.
• A 2022 study found that it can reduce oxidative stress among people who go through intense exercise.

So What Should You Do?

So now that you have all that information, you're still wondering whether you should get that hydrogen water bottle you saw on Joe Rogan or drink the rest of the alkaline water.

Our advice is to drink the rest of the alkaline water that you bought. While you're doing that, order the Echo Go+ Hydrogen Water Bottle. It's capable of creating hydrogen water out of plain water. You just put distilled water in the bottle, set the timer according to how concentrated you want the hydrogen water to be, and wait for the specified amount of time.

The great thing about this bottle is you don't have to actually sit in your kitchen waiting for the hydrogen water to be produced. You can take it with you anywhere you want, whether that's the gym, the grocery store, or even a restaurant. Once the time is up, you have delicious hydrogen water.

Both hydrogen water and alkaline water have amazing health benefits. In the end, you'll get a great source of hydration from either one.