One of the frequently asked questions on ionized water is about the effects/benefits of ORP (Oxidation Reduction Potential), and the duration of its value after ionization.

The question of ORP duration depends on what kind of container the freshly made alkaline water is kept in.  If the container is a highly conductive substance, such as a metallic container, the ORP reading disappears very quickly.  If the container is non-conductive, such as a glass container, the ORP reading disappears slowly.

The human body is a good conductor, especially when dealing with stomach acid.  The ORP does not last long in the stomach. Because of this, I personally don’t give much credence to the health benefits of ORP, as it disappears when consumed.

The alkaline pH of the water also disappears when it meets stomach acid; however, our stomach creates hydrochloric acid to bring the stomach pH back to the original acidic value.  In doing so, our stomach also produces bicarbonate and injects it to the blood, thus increasing the alkaline buffer in the blood. (See Blog entry #1.)

There is no mechanism in the body to recover ORP; it is simply discarded.  I have not seen any scientific (natural science) explanation as to how ORP benefits human health.  There are statistical studies on ORP where some people make claims of its health benefits.

I am not in the statistical science of health, because the results are very much influenced by whoever finances the test and how the samples are taken and/or discarded.  For years, the tobacco industry claimed that “scientific” test results showed that smoking tobacco does not cause lung cancer. We now know the truth.

Without any natural science backing and reasoning, ORP value is nothing but a salesman’s marketing hype to sell more ionizers.

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