By The Craig Bushon Show Media Team
You’ve seen the bottles. You’ve heard the buzz. From yoga studios to Instagram influencers, ionized alkaline water is being praised as a wellness wonder said to “neutralize acid,” “boost performance,” “slow aging,” and even “fight disease.”
But here at The Craig Bushon Show, we don’t rush to judgment and we don’t blindly follow health fads, either. We ask the hard questions: Does ionized alkaline water actually work? Is the science solid, or are we looking at another cleverly marketed trend?
So, we dug into the facts to see what holds water and what doesn’t.
What Is Ionized Alkaline Water, Really?
Alkaline water has a higher pH than regular tap water usually around 8 or 9, compared to the neutral 7.0. Ionized water, meanwhile, refers to water that’s been run through an electrolysis machine that separates it into “alkaline” and “acidic” components. The alkaline portion is then bottled and sold often at premium prices.
Proponents claim this altered water helps neutralize acidity in the body, improve hydration, and even slow disease progression. That’s a lot to promise from what’s still, at the end of the day, just water.
At The Craig Bushon Show, we believe in following the facts wherever they lead even if that means challenging popular narratives.
What the Current Science Tells Us
1. Your Body Already Manages pH Levels on Its Own
Our bodies are marvels of regulation. Your blood pH, for example, is tightly controlled between 7.35 and 7.45. That balance isn’t maintained by what you drink it’s managed by your lungs, kidneys, and buffer systems working around the clock. Even if you drink alkaline water, your stomach acid will neutralize most of its pH before it ever reaches your bloodstream.
So the idea that we can significantly alter our internal environment just by drinking ionized water? That’s not how human physiology works — at least not according to current understanding.
2. The Studies We Do Have Are Small and Inconclusive
There are some studies floating around one from 2012 suggests that water with a pH of 8.8 may help deactivate pepsin, the enzyme associated with acid reflux. But that study was conducted in vitro, not in human subjects. Other small-scale studies have suggested mild improvements in hydration or performance but nothing definitive, and nothing large enough to base widespread health recommendations on.
We’re not dismissing these findings out of hand. But at this stage, they’re early signals, not scientific consensus.
3. Claims About Disease Prevention Are Unfounded
Perhaps the most problematic claims are those suggesting that alkaline water can prevent cancer or cure chronic illness. To be clear, there is no credible scientific evidence supporting that. Major institutions, including the American Institute for Cancer Research, state plainly that alkaline water is not a cancer therapy.
We’re open to new research, but right now, those kinds of statements are not only misleading they’re irresponsible.
So Why Is the Market Booming?
As we often say on The Craig Bushon Show when something doesn’t add up, follow the money.
Bottled alkaline water sells for 3 to 5 times the cost of regular water. Home ionizer machines can run upwards of $5,000, often sold via multi-level marketing. And many of the loudest voices promoting alkaline water? They have financial skin in the game.
This isn’t necessarily a reason to reject the product outright but it’s a red flag worth noting.
Why Do People Still Believe?
Part of the appeal is psychological. In a world full of toxic food, environmental stress, and endless health warnings, people want to believe in simple solutions that a single habit like drinking “better water” can restore balance, undo damage, and protect their future.
It’s an attractive idea. But as we often remind our audience: the truth is not hate speech.
Skepticism isn’t negativity it’s how we protect ourselves from being misled, emotionally or financially. If drinking alkaline water makes you feel better, that’s great. But feeling better isn’t always the same as being better.
Are There Risks? There Could Be.
Generally, alkaline water is safe for healthy people in moderate amounts. But for those with kidney issues or on medications that affect electrolyte balance, excess alkalinity may do more harm than good. There’s also the issue of some machines altering water in ways we don’t fully understand stripping minerals or adding electrochemical byproducts whose long-term health effects haven’t been properly studied.
That doesn’t mean alkaline water is dangerous but it does mean we shouldn’t treat it as risk-free either.
So What’s Our Verdict — For Now?
At The Craig Bushon Show, we’re not in the business of hype or hysteria. Based on current research, ionized alkaline water appears to be more marketing than medicine. The health benefits are largely theoretical, anecdotal, or unproven.
That said, science evolves. If future high-quality research shows clear, measurable benefits, we’ll be the first to say: We were wrong, and here’s what’s new. But until then, we recommend sticking with the basics:
Drink clean, filtered water
Eat a nutrient-rich, balanced diet
Exercise regularly
Sleep well
And keep your critical thinking sharp
You don’t need $5 bottles or a $5,000 machine to stay healthy. Just good habits and good information.
Because in the end, wellness should be based on truth, not trends.
