Does your body feel like a toxic waste dump?

It may be more literally true than you realized! Some evidence shows that a knot may be a patch of polluted tissue: a nasty little cesspool of waste metabolites. If so, it’s no wonder they hurt, and no wonder they cause so many strange sensations: it’s more like being poisoned than being injured. Back pain is the best known symptom of the common muscle knot, but they can cause an astonishing array of other aches and pains. Misdiagnosis is much more common than diagnosis.

Trigger Points & Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Toxic Muscle Knots

Research suggests myofascial trigger points may be quagmires of irritating molecules

What is the chemistry of a muscle knot? Specifically, what’s the condition of the tissue fluids in and around them?

The science of myofascial trigger points has been dominated for years by the theory of a poisonous feedback loop, a vicious cycle. The idea is that knots generate a lot of tissue fluid pollution, waste products of muscle cells that are metabolically “revving” with intense contraction … and those “exhaust” molecules then accumulate, mostly causing pain, which irritates the trigger point even more.

Gerwin RD, Dommerholt J, Shah JP. An expansion of Simons' integrated hypothesis of trigger point formation. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2004 Dec;8(6):468–75. PubMed #15509461.

The most well-known explanation for the trigger point phenomenon is the “expanded integrated hypothesis,” which was first presented in this 2004 paper. It’s harrowingly detailed and technical, and mostly just filled in some details missing from the original integrated hypothesis (“a possible explanation”), which was put forward by Travell and Simons in 1999, which was in turn an elaboration on the energy crisis hypothesis that debuted in the first edition of their famous red textbooks in 1981. This has been a work-in-progress for quite a while. Here’s a simplified translation of the expanded integrated hypothesis:

Under some circumstances, muscular stresses can cause patches of poor circulation, which results in the pooling of noxious metabolic wastes and high acidity in small areas of the muscle. This is both directly uncomfortable, but also causes a section of the muscle to tighten up and perpetuate a vicious cycle. This predicament is often called an “energy crisis.” It constitutes a subtle lesion. TrPs research has largely been concerned with looking for evidence of a lesion like this.

Ingeniously measuring

muscle knot molecules
 

Starting with a simpler study in 2005, and then a more thorough one early this year, a group of scientists using “an unprecedented, most ingenious, and technically demanding technique” have reported that there really are irritating metabolic wastes floating around the neighbourhood of trigger points: “… not just 1 noxious stimulant but 11 of them,” Dr. Simons explains. “Instead of just a few noxious chemicals that stimulate nociceptors [nerves endings that detect tissue damage] nearly everything that has that effect was present in abundance.”

The researchers analyzed tissue samples from in and around trigger points and compared it with samples from healthy muscle tissue. The differences were significant.

If they are right, the muscle tissue at the location of trigger points appears to be just rotten with irritating molecules: molecules associated with inflammation, with pain, and with immune function.

Extremely over-simplified diagram of the energy crisis hypothesis, which occurs in a tiny patch of muscle. Right or wrong, it’s been kicking around for a decades now.

Feel the burn! Are muscle knots acidic?

Personally, I was pleased to see evidence that trigger points are also strongly acidic. I guessed that this might be the case in about 2002. (The pioneer of trigger point research, Dr. Janet Travell, had already suggested the same thing, but I didn’t know it then.) I often told my patients that trigger points were “acidic,” because it seemed likely to be true and because … well, it just sounded good, I guess. Lucky for me, this new research now gives some strong support to that old opinion. It doesn’t prove it, but it’s certainly noteworthy.
Trigger points really are strongly acidic which means that, for instance, it is actually plausible that deep breathing — which lowers blood acidity slightly — might be relevant to treatment. One of the possible goals of massaging trigger points is to “flush” trigger points by physically pushing stagnant tissue fluids out of the area of a trigger point, sometimes called “blanching.” Perhaps if fresh, less acidic blood re-perfuses the area, the trigger point will recover more easily? It’s a reasonable guess.

On the other hand, all that could be wrong wrong wrong

We shouldn’t accept the results of this experiment at face value simply because it seems to confirm an idea much beloved by massage therapists. Rubbing trigger points is probably not “detoxifying” — that’s not what this research suggests, even if it’s correct. Which it isn’t necessarily.
 

In a complicated and very technical experiment, it is all too easy for researchers to find the result that they want to find.

I think that’s exactly what happened in a popular study supposedly showing that massage reduces inflammation, a related idea. This is why independent confirmation from other experiments is always essential. As of fall 2016, this research has still not been replicated as far as I know. And it has been criticized and dismissed by some. So take it all with a grain of salt for now.

Rubbing trigger points is probably not “detoxifying” — that’s not what this research means, even if it’s correct.

More muscle knot reading (lots more)

Professionals are strongly encouraged to read David Simons’ analysis of both the new evidence about the chemistry of energy crisis in trigger points, as well as another new scientific article on the use of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) imaging — a promising new way of taking pictures of muscle knots.

Simons writes that this technology “may open a whole new chapter in the centuries-old search for a convincing demonstration of the cause of trigger point symptoms.”

Trigger point therapy is not a miracle cure for chronic pain — but it helps

Trigger point therapy isn’t “too good to be true” — it’s just ordinary good. It’s definitely not miraculous. It’s experimental and it often fails. Good trigger point therapy is hard to find (or even define).

But it’s also under-rated, and self-treatment has the potential to quickly, cheaply, and safely help with many common pain problems that don’t respond well — or at all — to anything else.

For beginners with average muscle pain — a typical case of nagging hip pain or low back pain or neck pain — the advice given here may well seem almost miraculously useful. I get avalanches of email from readers thanking me for pointing out simple treatment options for such irritating problems. Many are stunned by the discovery that their chronic pain could have been treated easily all along.


For veterans who have already tried — and failed — to treat trigger points, this document is especially made for you. You should learn more and try more before giving up. This will get you as close to a cure as you can get; I can give you a fighting chance of at least taking the edge off your pain. And maybe that is a bit of a miracle.

Attention physicians & therapists: This massive tutorial is written for both patients and professionals. It includes analysis of recent research that you won’t find in any text, crafted to suit any skill level. Footnotes add a optional layer of advanced detail that you can take or leave.

Trigger points are more clinically important than most health professionals realize, and body pain seems to be a growing problem. It’s a rewarding topic for doctors and therapists, that makes clear path to helping quite a few people you probably couldn’t help before. Even if you already know about myofascial pain syndrome, you will get new ideas here.

What exactly are muscle knots?

When you say that you have “muscle knots,” you are talking about myofascial trigger points.


There are no actual knots involved, of course — it just feels like it. Although their true nature is uncertain, the main theory is that a trigger point (TrP) is a small patch of tightly contracted muscle, an isolated spasm affecting just a tiny patch of muscle tissue (not a whole-muscle spasm like a “charlie horse”). In theory, that small patch of muscle chokes off its own blood supply, which irritates it even more — a vicious cycle called a “metabolic crisis.” The swampy metabolic situation is why I like to think of it as sick muscle syndrome.

A few trigger points here and there is usually just an annoyance. Many bad ones is a syndrome: myofascial pain syndrome (MPS).


TrPs can be vicious. They can cause far more discomfort than most people believe is possible. Its bark is much louder than its bite, but the bark can be extremely loud. It can also be a surprisingly weird bark (trigger points can generate some odd sensations).

A “muscle knot” is a trigger point: a small patch of muscle tissue in spasm.




Why muscle pain matters so much

Muscle pain matters: it’s an important problem. Aches and pains are an extremely common medical complaint, and trigger points seem to be a factor in many of them. They are a key factor in headaches (possibly including migraine and cluster headaches as well), neck pain and low back pain, and (much) more. What makes trigger points clinically important — and fascinating — is their triple threat. They can:

1. cause pain problems,

2. complicate pain problems, and

3. mimic other pain problems.

Muscle just hurts sometimes. Trigger points can cause pain directly. Trigger points are a “natural” part of muscle tissue. Just as almost everyone gets some pimples, sooner or later almost everyone gets muscle knots — and you get pain with no other explanation or issue.

It’s complicated. Trigger points complicate injuries and other painful problems. They show up like party crashers. Whatever’s wrong, you can count on them to make it worse, and in many cases they actually begin to overshadow the original problem.

“It felt like a toothache.” Trigger points mimic other problems. Many trigger points feel like something else. It is easy for an unsuspecting health professional to mistake trigger point pain for practically anything but a trigger point. For instance, muscle pain is probably more common than repetitive strain injuries (RSIs), because many so-called RSIs may actually be muscle pain. A perfect example: shin splints.

The daily clinical experience of thousands of massage therapists, physical therapists, and physicians strongly indicates that most of our common aches and pains — and many other puzzling physical complaints — are actually caused by trigger points, or small contraction knots, in the muscles of the body.

Why are trigger points so neglected by medicine?

“Muscle is an orphan organ. No medical speciality claims it.” Muscle tissue is the largest organ in the body, complex and vulnerable to dysfunction, and the “primary target of the wear and tear of daily activities,” nevertheless “it is the bones, joints, bursae and nerves on which physicians usually concentrate their attention.” Family doctors are particularly uninformed about the causes of musculoskeletal aches and pains — it simply isn’t on their radar. They are busy with a lot of other things, many of them quite dire. As serious as muscle pain can be, it’s minor compared to, say, diabetes or heart disease. And it’s also a harder topic than it seems to be on the surface. So it’s not really surprising that doctors aren’t exactly muscle pain treatment Jedi.

What about medical specialists? They may be the best option for serious cases. Doctors in pain clinics tend to know about trigger points. But they also often limit their treatment methods exclusively to injection therapies — a bazooka to kill a mouse? — and anything less than really epic chronic pain won’t qualify you for admittance to a pain clinic in the first place. This option is only available to patients for whom trigger points are a truly horrid primary problem, or a major complication. Medical specialists may know quite a bit about muscle pain, but aren’t all that helpful to the average patient.


An appallingly high percentage of doctors and other practitioners are still pretty much out of the loop regarding trigger points.

ON VIBRATION AND THE HUMAN BODY

LITERATURE ON VIBRATION AND THE HUMAN BODY
A study which demonstrates of why shiatsu massage systems are better than vibration systems.

Introduction to Vibration
Vibration is the oscillatory motion of various bodies. All bodies with mass elements and elasticity are
capable of vibration; hence, most machines and structures including the human body experience vibration to
some degree. Two different categories of vibration are distinguished in literature. Free vibration takes place
when the system oscillates due to the action of internal forces only. Forced vibration is caused by the action of
external forces. If the frequency of excitation coincides with the natural frequency of the system, resonance
occurs. The result is large oscillations within the structure of creating potentially harmful stress. For example,
the potential effect of resonance is the shattering of a crystal glass, when opera singer sings at the natural
frequency of the crystal. Because of energy dissipation due to friction and other resistances, damping occurs
in all structures.

The Effects of Vibration on the Human Body
Vibrations influence the human body in many different ways. The response to a vibration exposure is
primarily dependent on the frequency, amplitude, and duration of exposure. Other factors may include the
direction of vibration input, location and mass of different body segments, level of fatigue and the presence of
external support. The human response to vibration can be both mechanical and psychological. Mechanical
damage to human tissue can occur, which are caused by resonance within various organ systems.
Psychological stress reactions also occur from vibrations, however, they are not necessarily frequently related.

From an exposure point of view, the low frequency range of vibration is the most interesting. Exposure to
vertical vibrations in the 5-10 Hz range generally causes resonance in the thoracic-abdominal system, at 20-30
Hz in the head-neck-shoulder system, and at 60-90 Hz in the eyeball. When vibrations are attenuated in the
body, its energy is absorbed by the tissue and organs. The muscles are important in this respect. Vibration
leads to both voluntary and involuntary contractions of muscles, and can cause local muscle fatigue,
particularly when the vibration is at the resonant-frequency level. Furthermore, it may cause reflex
contractions, which will reduce motor performance capabilities.

The amount of mechanical energy transmission due to vibrations is dependent on the body position and
muscle contractions. In standing subject, the first resonance occurs at the hip, shoulder, and head at about
5Hz. With subjects sitting, resonance occurs at the shoulders and to some degree at the head at 5 Hz.
Furthermore, a significant resonance from shoulder to head occurs at about 30 Hz as shown in Figure 1.

Based on psychological studies, observations indicated that the general state of consciousness is
influenced by vibrations. Low frequency vibrations 1-2 Hz with moderate intensities induce sleep. Unspecific
psychological stress reactins have also been noted (Guignard, 1965: von Gierke, 1964), as well as degraded
visual and motor effects on functional performance. Some symptoms of vibration exposure at low frequencies
are given in Table 1, along with the frequency ranges at which the symptoms are most predominant.

TABLE 1

Symptoms Due to Whole-Body Vibration and the Frequency Range at which They Usually Occur (Adapted from Rasmussen, 1982).

Symptoms {Frequency (Hz)}
General feeling of discomfort {4-9}

Head symptoms {13-20}

Lower Jaw symptoms {6-8}

Influence on speech {13-20}

“Lump in throat” {12-16}

Chest Pains {5-7}

Abdominal pains {4-10}

Urge to urinate {10-18}

Increased muscle tone {13-20}

Influence on breathing movements {4-8}

Muscle contractions {4-9}

Effects of Vibration on the Spine

In recent years, considerable thought has been given to the effects of vibration on the spine. Many studies
are suggesting an increased risk of low-back pain in drivers of tractors (Rosegger and Rosegger, 1960; Dupuis
and Christ, 1972); of trucks (Kelsey and Hardy, 1975; Gruber, 1976; Frymoyer et al., 1980) of buses (Gruber
and Ziperman, 1974; Kelsey and Hardy, 1975); and of airplanes (Fitzgerald and Crotty, 1972; Schulte-Wintrop
and Knosche, 1970). These studies indicated that low-back pain occurs at an earlier age in subjects exposed
to vibration. It was reported that truck driving increased the risk of disk herniation by a factor of four, while
tractor driving and car commuting (greater than 20 miles/day) increased the risk by a factor of two. Also,
studies of vibration exposed populations (Rosengger and Rosegger, 1960; Dupuis and Christ, 1972; Gruber,
1976) indicated that radiographic changes occur in the spines of these subjects.

It is well known that the spine fractures (in compression) when subjected to strong vertical acceleration.
Vibration at lower acceleration levels have been suggested to cause fatigue failures of different component
structures of the spine; these vibrations also interfere with the nutrition of the disc, predisposing it to
degenerative changes (Sandover, 1981 and 1985). Wilder et al. (1982); Punjabi et al. (1986); Pope et al.
(1987) Hagnea et al. (1986) and Broman et al. (1989) measured the response of the trunk to whole-body
vibrations. Their results indicated that the resonance frequency is between 4-5 Hz. Trunk muscle activities
during vibration have also been measured (Seroussi et al. 1987) a cyctic muscle activity occurs for
experimental seated subjects. Significantly higher EMG activities were observed for vibration as compared to
static moment loads only.

Vibration Syndrome

The upper extremities of the human being can be considered a unique body segment. As with whole body
vibration, the response to segmental vibration depends on frequency, amplitude, etc. Segmental vibration
causes a symptom complex usually referred to as vibration syndrome. The symptom originates from injuries to
the blood vessels, nerves, bones, joints and muscles. Injuries can occur after exposure times from months to
decades, and are usually, at first, reversible. The most well known of these symptoms is Reynaud’s Syndrome
or Traumatic Vasopastic Disease (TVD) (Taylor, 1974). In industry is called the white finger disease/syndrome.
The syndrome can be described as a sudden block in the blood circulation to the fingers, which become white,
pale, cold and sometimes painful. Tactile sensitivity is reduced, preventing precision work. TVD is caused by
smooth muscle constriction in the blood vessels of the fingers. Other vibration-induced symptoms come from
the peripheral nerves and consist of paresthesias and tingling sensations. A decreased nerve action-potential
conduction velocity has been found, and a decrease in the ability to perform precise motor movement of the
fingers.

Transmission of Vibration in the Upper Extremity

Most hand held tools generates random vibration over a wide frequency range (typically 2 2000 Hz) Lowfrequency
vibrations can be transmitted to the trunk and head. It may cause unspecific symptoms such as
headache, vertigo, nausea, and psychological stress reactions. Attenuation occurs with 3dB/octave in the
frequency range of 20 – 100Hz. The attenuation of the elbow and upper part of the arm increases by about
10dB/octave between 100 & 630 Hz, and the wrist by about 6 dB/octave. Iwata (1972) found that the vibration
at the wrist was two to three times higher at 20 Hz that the input vibration; that is, resonance had occurred.

The transmission of vibrations in the upper extremity is linear. When the vibration of hand-held tool
increases by 10 dB. The hand grip force is important to the transfer function. When increased from 20 N to 40
N 912dB), the hand vibration increases only by 3 to 5 dB. It appears that the transmitted vibration is
proportional to the cube root of the hand grip force (Pyykko et al., 1976). Several factors influencing the
transmissions of vibrations to the hand are listed in Table 2.

Concluding Remarks

• The automotive industries strive to reduce vehicle vibration, in particular its transmission to the seats. It
has been shown that vibration increases discomfort and reduces operator performance.

• Excellent massage systems should be able to enhance the comfort of truck muscles, but not increasing
discomfort (Seroussi et al., 1987 indicated that vibration significantly increases truck muscular activities
when compared to static loading using EMG techniques.

• Resonance frequency must be avoided; in particular, frequencies in the range of 5Hz. It may not be easy
to avoid these frequencies when a massage system based on the concept of vibration is integrated to
automobile seats. Combined vibrations from various systems may generate undesirable resonance
frequencies, which are unacceptable to the human body.

TABLE 2

Factors Known or Believed to Influence the severity of Occupational Exposure of the Hand to Vibration (Bramer and Taylor, 1982)

Physical:
Dominant vibration frequencies entering the hand

Years of employment involving vibration exposure

Total duration of exposure each work day

Temporal pattern of exposure each work day

Dominant vibration direction relative to the hand

Nonoccupational exposure to vibration

Biodynamic:
Hand grip forces

Surface area, location and mass of parts of the hand in contact with the source of vibration

Posture (position of the hand and arm relative to the body)

Other factors influencing the coupling of vibration into the hand (e.g.., texture of handle)

Individual:
Factors influencing source intensity and exposure duration (e.g., tool maintenance,

Work rate, skill, and productivity)

Biological susceptibility to vibration.

Vasoconstrictive agents affect the peripheral circulation (e.g., smoking, drugs)

Predisposing disease or prior injury to the fingers or hands (trauma, lacerations, etc.)

Hand size and weight

Epidemiological factors (age, etc.)

FIGURE 1

Transmissibility of Vertical Vibration From Table to Various Parts of the Body of a Sitting human subject as a function of Frequency
(Adapted from Rasmussen, 1982).

3.5
3.0
2.5
ACCELERATION RATIO 
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
1 2 3 4 6 8 10 20 30 40
FREQUENCY, HZ

Alkaline water dangers: why you should not drink it

Alkaline water has been quite the buzz for many people. They are always wondering if the water can truly offer the stated health benefits or not. The manufacturers will at all times claim that their product is safe, but is it that safe? Any smart consumer would want to know not only about benefits of alkaline water, but also about its side effects. The best part is that nowadays people will post reviews about a new product stating the benefits and side effects to share their experience.

What is alkaline water?

Before getting into the whole idea that alkaline water is dangerous, we must understand what alkaline water really is. Alkaline water is commonly defined as a beverage that has a value greater than 7 on the pH scale. This means that the water is neither neutral nor acidic. Another name for alkaline water is ionized water.

The alkaline water is commonly characterized by having lots of electrons and a negative charge. The alkaline water is said to help in slowing down the aging process because of high electrone content. Whenever electrons are neutralized, the cell damage is reduced, which means that aging process is slowed down.

Where can a person buy alkaline water?

If you read about the benefits of alkaline water, the first instinct will be getting yourself a bottle or two of alkaline water. It is quite easy to lay your hands on alkaline water, as it is available in many stores around you. The other way would be converting your tap water to alkaline water. To do this, you need an alkaline water machine that does the conversion.

The possible negatives, risks and dangers of drinking alkaline water.

Having a balanced pH is crucial to your health

The pH of the body is measured in terms of the hydrogen ion concentration. If your body has a high number of hydrogen ions, then the body pH is said to be lower or acidic. Well, having a balanced pH is the core biochemical process and it’s extremely crucial that your body maintains an ideal or near ideal pH at all times.

What makes body pH so important after all? 

Well, if you’ve had the chance to study Chemistry in high school, you’d definitely know the answer to this question. But still, here is the answer for you. Our bodies are made of countless cells and cells have endless biochemical processes going on. These chemical processes are completed successfully by means of body enzymes. But, here is a catch! Body enzymes need a very precise pH to work properly. If the pH is more or less than the required pH, the enzymes will not work and the resultant biochemical processes will shut down as well! To be honest, a deranged body pH is a catastrophic condition and should be immediately treated because it can cause almost irreversible damage to body organs, such as kidneys, heart and brain.

Alkaline water, as the name suggests, tends to make your body alkaline. It’s true the body pH at several places, like blood, is slightly alkaline. So, drinking alkaline water once in a while may actually help strengthen these body systems. But, consuming it regularly is what you need to be very careful about. When you drink alkaline water too often, you’re actually overloading your body with a lot of alkali that your body doesn’t even need. This way, you’re increasing your body pH without any good reason and forcing the shutdown of different biochemical processes (1).

Alkaline water has nothing to do with cancer

The common selling point of alkaline water is that it can help in curing cancer and even prevent cancer. Keeping the body in the alkaline state for a long time has its side effects. Most people will end up having problems with their digestive systems and nutritional deficiencies. The nutritional deficiency will then result in having a weakened immune system.

The excessive alkaline water in the body will also result in overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria, yeast, and fungus. This may keep the immune system down for a long time. If the immune system is not rejuvenated it is very difficult to heal and/or prevent cancer.

Till date, there is no solid scientific which proof that using alkaline water can help, in any way, with any kind of cancer. In fact, the result of different clinical studies have proved just opposite - alkaline water has no benefit in treating or reversing cancer symptoms. In fact, till date, there is no human clinical trial that could support this idea.

Since there is no human evidence, we’ll have to stick to animal data. Even the results of data collected from animals have shown that use of alkaline water gives no benefit in treating cancer. Results of a clinical study conducted on rats showed that use of alkaline water didn’t affect the abnormal proliferation of cancer cells and had no effect on cancer burden.

Till we get more data, it can be safely stated that use of alkaline water has no benefit in treating cancer. In fact, using it may actually worsen the immune system.

Worsened nutrition deficiencies

Like your body enzymes, the function of gut depends on body pH as well. Gut performs a wide array of functions ranging from digestion to nutrient absorption. Take vitamin B12 for example. It binds to a protein from a saliva and passes to the stomach. In the stomach, due to stomach’s acidic pH, B12 leaves that protein and binds with another agent called the intrinsic factor. This process is extremely critical from the absorption of B12 because the intestine only recognizes intrinsic factor and absorbs only that B12 that is bound to intrinsic factor. That’s why, people using stomach acid decreasing medicines and having undergone gastric bypass, which decreases the level of stomach pH, can’t properly absorb vitamin B12.

Now, imagine you drinking alkaline water daily. It will definitely make the stomach pH more alkaline and will not let it perform its necessary steps in B12 absorption. And that’s only one nutrient. Relying heavily on alkaline water can significantly alter the absorption of a bunch of other nutrients like iron, calcium, folate and so on.

In fact, results of animal studies have proved that use of alkaline water can cause significant growth retardation due to poor nutrient absorption from the gut (2).

Alkaline water cannot be used with medication

According to research, close to 90% of Americans do depend on using over-the-counter medications for a condition of two. The worst part would be using the alkaline water to take medications. The alkaline water is highly reactive with most medications. The reaction between alkaline water and the medication can lead to the formation of dangerous by-products that are harmful to your health. It can be said that alkaline water is just ideal for those people who are completely healthy, which means that it is ideal for nobody as nobody is 100% healthy.

Again, the activation and absorption of drugs from the gut is dependent on ideal gut pH. If you’re messing up your gut pH, you’re more likely to make drugs ineffective too.

Alkaline promoting drugs are not effective in the longer run

The alkaline tablets are just the solid forms of alkaline water. The drugs are commonly used in the treatment of reflux problems. The idea is to have the drugs reduce the level of acidity in the stomach. The drugs are known to only work for a short time, but will not cure the stomach reflux problems. You need proper medication to eliminate such problems.

The alkaline water is sold by the multi-level marketers

Whenever a new health product or any other product, the multi-level marketers are likely to take it up and advertise it to anyone. The problem is that these marketers do not understand the effects of the product; their only objective is to sell it and gain the commissions. Those people that are gullible enough to believe them, they are likely to buy the product. Since many multi-level marketers are in the business of selling the alkaline water, people have started to doubt the information the marketers offer. You might even find the alkaline water being sold at very much discounted prices, which makes it even a bit more suspicious.

Common side effects associated with drinking alkaline water

Of course, you are likely to read about the many benefits of alkalinized water, but the disadvantages do outweigh the benefits. Not many people would be comfortable taking something that is likely to have a negative impact on their health rather than offering benefits. Here are some of the common side effects that a person drinking alkaline water is likely to face.

Digestion malfunctions

The common phrase the sellers would tell you is that the alkaline water helps in digestion to keep you healthy at all times. However, it is not true, as it actually hinders the normal digestion process. This is due to steep changes in pH levels. People who are over 60 years should not drink alkaline water as the digestion side effects are severe.

The digestion malfunctions are likely to lead to conditions such as hypochlorhydria. This is a sickness caused by calcium malabsorption, which gets worse with the continuous use of the alkaline water.

In fact, there is a well characterized syndrome due to the excessive alkalization of stomach. It is called milk alkali syndrome. In this syndrome, when the stomach acid is decreased a bit too much, the absorption of calcium gets compromised to dangerous levels. Decreased calcium levels can be dangerous because a normal calcium level is needed for proper brain, gut and muscle function (3).

Cardiovascular problems

The alkaline water was used on rats and the tests recorded. It was observed that the alkaline water had some severe and permanent side effects on the cardiovascular system of the rats. The same can be applied to humans who almost have the same composition. Your cardiovascular cells might be rejuvenated at first, but they will die when there is a continuous exposure to alkaline water.

The alkaline water can still lead to increased number of enzymes in the cardiovascular system. Many enzymes are likely to damage the muscles around the heart and other important parts of the cardiovascular system.

Metabolic abnormalities

Metabolism is an important process that must not be interfered with at any time. You need metabolism to get the necessary energy to stay healthy and do many other activities. The metabolism has to be regulated so as you get just enough energy whenever needed. The alkaline water is seen to cause metabolism abnormalities in a person. Such abnormalities can lead to diseases, such as metabolic alkalosis, which commonly causes discomfort in a person.

The other common side effects of alkaline water include conditions such as edema, mental confusion, and hypertension. No one would want to suffer from these conditions as they are frequently associated with severe complications.

The side effects of the alkaline water are likely to be more prevalent and severe if the water is not from the natural sources. The artificially alkalinized water has many chemicals added to make it more alkaline. It is best to use natural water as it will not have any additional harmful chemicals. Some of the side effects are not mentioned here, as sometimes the alkaline water will affect people differently based on their body composition.

Puts extra burden on kidneys

Kidneys are body’s major excretory structures. Another important function of kidneys is to keep your body pH within normal range. For instance, when the body pH increases- becomes more alkaline- the kidneys come into action and start to excrete more bicarbonate ions into the urine. That’s how kidneys function to keep the body pH close to ideal.

When you drink alkaline water, you’re actually making your body systems more alkaline and increasing the concentration of bicarbonate ions. At first, kidneys take on this problem and can keep the body pH normal by eliminating bicarbonate ions from body. But, once you start to rely heavily on such water, even kidneys fail to excrete all of the bicarbonate ions and this leads to metabolic alkalosis. When the body gets into alkalosis, kidneys start to function more than normal.

That’s a bad new for all, especially for those who are already suffering from some sort of kidney disease because this will further worsen the kidney damage. If you’re suffering from kidney disease, use of alkaline water is a BIG NO for you!

It can actually make you dehydrated

Using too much alkaline water can actually dehydrate your body quickly instead of hydrating it. When a lot of unnecessary ions make way to your gut, they actually squeeze out more water from it (Basic Chemistry Knowledge!). In fact, drinking too much alkaline water can dehydrate you at the cellular levels.

Types of alkaline water processing

If you are still yet to be convinced that the alkaline water is dangerous, wait until you go through the different types of alkaline water processing methods.

Free-standing electrical home method

These are the common units used by many people to make the alkaline water at home. The common brands include the Kaagen, i-Water, and many others. The water will pass through a carbon filter that removes the toxins and improve the taste. The problem arises when the filter becomes clogged and not removed. It will become the breeding ground for bacteria, parasites, and viruses. The water is finally passed over an electrified platinum-covered titanium plates. The process is meant to alkalinize the water. The platinum added to the water is toxic and harmful to the human health.

It is argued that this method will likely increase the chances of getting the Yin disease. Keep yourself away from the alkaline water to avoid such disease occurrence.

Water store alkaline water

You might be surprised what your water store is doing to get the best-selling alkaline water. The fresh water undergoes the process of reverse osmosis to form the alkaline water. In most cases, the also involves the addition of calcium powder or solution. Too much calcium in the body will of course have its own problems. The dominating problem is that you are likely to face the Yin disease again (4).

The process of reverse osmosis will not help the body hydrate at all. You are not to use such water for daily drinking.

The calcium used in this process is made from the coral calcium, which may contain some toxic metals. The water is likely to take up the toxic metals easily when the process of reverse osmosis is used. These toxic metals have been seen to affect the body cells and kidneys. Soon or later, you start to develop complications related to kidney failure.

Alkastream alkaline water unit

It is a different machine that is non-electric. The unit can be used under the sink being linked to the mains water supply. The unit will add magnesium compound into the water to alkalinize it. The process is meant to help in avoiding the expensive and dangerous platinum plates. However, the end product is still the same harmful alkaline water. The magnesium compound will ruin the poor quality water tap making it to cause complications in humans. You have to avoid this method as well.

Should I drink alkaline water?

If you want an unbiased opinion, the answer is NO. Reason being the side effects are way more than the good things about alkaline water. Drinking such water once in a while may help you with indigestion, but there is nothing more to it than this. It can’t miraculously cure any sort of cancer. Or it is not a magic elixir that is going to make all your health problems go away overnight. What makes the use of alkaline water even more question is lack of any scientific proof for its health benefits. 

If alkaline water is as healthy as the manufacturers claim it to be then why is there an absolute lack of clinical studies that can support this claim?

The alkaline water is likely to come with many health promises than many other health products. You should not be cheated to try alkaline water to deal with your issues. Some people are seen to take alkaline water to treat headaches or fatigue. Some of these conditions are caused by your lifestyle, and they can be eliminated with the choice of a good lifestyle.

You might be tempted to take the alkaline water in order to treat cancer or may be cardiovascular problems as stated by the marketers. The doctors can offer you the best medication that will deal with your condition. The use of alkaline water just makes things worse for the patient. For the heart issues, it is all about the diet changes you have to make. All is needed is to eat healthy each day and exercise more to have a healthy cardiovascular system.

Conclusion

As much as the alkaline water might seem the solution to problems such as Acidosis, the outcome is not always what you expect. The logical explanation to why doctors are yet to approve the use of the alkaline water is because of the likely side effects that people get. Most of the documented researches show that the tests were only carried on dogs and plants. 

How do you even translate the results of plants to be used on humans? So far, there has been no extensive research on the benefits that the alkaline water can do for the humans.

By now you know that the use of alkaline water is not the solution to your health problems. It is time to follow the recommended methods in order to live a healthy life. Consult a nutritionist who can help in coming up with an impressive diet plan for you to use. 

Notes:
(1) Scientific Research Studies on Ionized Alkaline Water
Physiological effects of alkaline ionized water: Effects on metabolites produced by intestinal fermentation... http://www.ionza.co.nz/content/Intestinal-fermentation-Alkaline_Water.pdf

Notes (2): Vitamin B12 ...Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin). The last vitamin that belongs the family of B vitamins is vitamin B12. It is also known by some other names like cobalamin, cynocobalamin, hydroxycobalmine- depending on the type of substance attached to the central structure. The properties of this vitamin are discussed as follows.

Food sources

The food sources of this vitamin include:

Vitamin B12 is unique in a respect that the colonic bacteria can synthesize this vitamin.
Animal meat and meat products are an important source. These sources include eggs, meat, milk, milk products and liver.
Sea foods are also important food source.
Vitamin B12 is not present in plants. That’s why the deficiency of this vitamin usually occurs in individuals that solely depend on plants as a source of their food.
Functions

Following are the functions performed by vitamin B12:

Vitamin B12 plays a very important role in the cellular metabolism of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates.
It is also critical in the production of red bone marrow.
It also helps in the production of nerve sheaths and nerve proteins.
It also functions as a co-enzyme in the metabolism of methionine. Elevation of methionine is a marker for heart disease.
Side effects

It has very low chances of toxicity in healthy individuals. It can, however, trigger hematological abnormalities. It can cause weakening of vision. It can cause gastric distress, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It can also trigger skin allergies and skin reactions.

Recommended intake

The recommended intake of vitamin B12 (RDA - mcg/day) is as follows:

Infants 0-6 months: 0.4 mcg
Infants 7-12 months: 0.5 mcg
Children 1-3: 0.9 mcg
Children 4-8 years: 1.2 mcg
Children 9-13 years: 1.8 mcg
Older children and adults: 2.4 mcg
Pregnant women: 2.6 mcg
Breast-feeding women: 2.8 mcg

Notes (3) ...characterized syndrome due to the excessive alkalization of stomach...Systemic and local effects of long-term exposure to alkaline drinking water in rats . ...https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2517712/ 

Milk-Alkali Syndrome...Background:Milk-alkali syndrome is caused by the ingestion of large amounts of calcium and absorbable alkali, with resulting hypercalcemia. If unrecognized and untreated, milk-alkali syndrome can lead to metastatic calcification and renal failure. ...http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/123324-overview

Notes (4) Yin disease is a term to describe a constellation of symptoms that often appear together and are related to an excessively yin condition of the body.  This condition is very common today and is therefore worth discussing.  It is not recognized as a medical diagnosis at this time, unfortunately. 

 

HOW THE BODY STAYS YANG IN THE FACE OF STRESS AND TRAUMA ... http://drlwilson.com/articles/YIN%20DISEASE.htm

The GAS (General Adaptation Syndrome)

 To simplify complications is the FIRST essential of success. (Click here) 

The General Adaption Syndrome (GAS) is a theory(by Hans Selye) that described the human body's short term and long term reaction to stressors. He developed the GAS after observing patients with different diseases reacting similarly to the stress of illness.

Stressors can be physical like wounds or surgery, and emotional, like feelings of grief or pressure to perform.

Phase 1. "Fight-or-Flight Syndrome" or Alarm Reaction.
Adrenal glands produce adrenaline and noradrenaline, which stimulate the heart, liver, kidneys and lungs.
RESULT: Rapid breathing increased heart rate and blood pressure, increased blood sugar, and muscle tension.

Phase 2. Resistance.
Brain triggers the release of corticosteroids by the pituitary gland.
RESULT: Emergency energy is created by the body to handle stress.

Phase 3. Exhaustion.
Continual use of energy causes physical exhaustion.
RESULT: "Diseases of adaption" or illness caused or worsened by stress. Colds, flu, arthritis, high blood pressure, and coronary artery disease are just some possibilities.

Stress is neutral agent. Stress that built the body up is called en-stress, like walking and breathing and eating. Stress that destroy the body is called distress.

Imagine yourself at PEACE


It is never too late or too early to revise and be wise again for the rest of our journey.......

 To simplify complications is the FIRST essential of success. (Click here) 

 Use Water-cure. Rather be thankful for the timely warning, and do something about it.

Drink at least 10% of your own daily water-quota (31.42 ml multiply by your present body weight(kg), every 90 minutes. Use 1/4 teaspoon of sea-salt in your daily diet, for every 1250 ml water drank.

Pain is a sign/signal produced by dehydration in the human body. Pain may be common but it is not normal.

To simplify complications is the FIRST essential of success.



  To simplify complications is the FIRST essential of success. (Click here)