In her book, The Chemistry of Success: Secrets of Peak Performance, Susan Lark, MD, talks about the role of acid/alkaline balance in peak performance and health. The following is her assessment of alkaline water.
“The benefits of the alkaline water created through electrolysis far exceed just its ability to gently raise the pH of the cells and tissues of the body and to neutralize acids. Because the alkaline water has gained a significant number of free electrons through the electrolysis process, it is able to donate these electrons to active oxygen free radicals in the body, thereby becoming a super antioxidant. By donating its excess free electrons, alkaline water is able to block the oxidation of normal tissue by free oxygen radicals.”
She continues by noting that another significant benefit of the electrolysis process is that the cluster size of the alkaline water is reduced by about 50 percent from the cluster size of tap water. “This allows ionized alkaline water to be much more readily absorbed by the body, thereby increasing the water’s hydrating ability and its ability to carry its negative ions and alkalizing effect to all the cells and tissues of the body.
“If you are overly acidic, an alkaline water device can provide a safe, gentle, and effective way of restoring the pH balance of all the cells in your body as well as providing excess free electrons to act as super antioxidants,” Lark recommends.
Most people, including most athletes, do not consume enough alkaline mineral-rich foods, such as nuts, fruits, and vegetable. Instead their diets contain high amounts of acid-forming foods, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy. Because of this dietary imbalance, they may be at risk for increased acidosis that affects overall health and sports performance.
Since proper hydration is also a key factor in preventing exercise fatigue, consuming ionized Kangen Water before, during and after exercise can help.
In addition to a compromised performance, not consuming enough water can lead to muscle cramps, general tiredness, and a lack of coordination.
In short, an athlete who is adequately hydrated will almost always perform better than one who is not.