Is alkaline water good for you? A healthy body should always be slightly alkaline. The majority of people today, however, tend to be more acidic (if not highly acidic). This is caused by stress, environmental factors and the foods they eat. (Updated June 4, 2024)
Why does this matter? Simple, the more acidic your body the more likely you are to experience fatigue, digestive issues and weight gain.
In addition, if the environment in our bodies is too acidic for too long, our otherwise healthy cells can become toxic and in the worst case scenario become cancerous.
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Alkaline Water: How It All Works
The pH scale runs from 0 to 14 (0 being the most acidic, 14 being the most alkaline, and 7 being neutral.)
Our bodies are designed to thrive in a slightly alkaline environment of 7.4.
Various organs and systems, however, thrive with different pH levels. For example, your saliva has a pH range from 6.5-7.0 (more acidic in order to help digest foods), your skin typically has a pH of 5 (although, according to a 2006 study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science, it should actually be lower—4-4.5—as this allows the bacteria required to help heal and fight off infections, live on your skin).
And, as you can imagine, the pH of your digestive tract can vary anywhere from 1.5-7.0, which is dependent on many things, but especially, the food you eat.
