[Risks associated with unrestricted consumption of alkaline-reduced water]

Bull Acad Natl Med. 2014 Apr-May;198(4-5):867-79.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Consumption of alkaline reduced water produced by domestic electrolysis devices was approved in Japan in 1965 by the Minister of Health, Work and Wellbeing, for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Today, these devices are also freely available in France. The commercial information provided with the devices recommends the consumption of 1 to 1.5 liters per day, not only for gastrointestinal disorders but also for numerous other illnesses such as diabetes, cancer and inflammation. Academic research on this subject has been undergoing in Japan since 1990, and has established that the active ingredient is dissolved dihydrogen, which eliminates the free radical HO· in vivo. It has also been shown that electrode degradation during use of the devices releases highly reactive platinum nanoparticles, the toxicity of which is unknown. The authors of this report recommend alerting the French health authorities to the uncontrolled availability of these devices that generate drug substances and should therefore be subject to regulatory requirements.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Antioxidants / therapeutic use*
  • Diabetes Mellitus / therapy
  • Drinking*
  • Electrolysis / instrumentation*
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases / therapy
  • Household Articles / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Medical Device Legislation
  • Nanoparticles / analysis
  • Platinum / analysis
  • Risk
  • Water / adverse effects*
  • Water / chemistry
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis
  • Water Purification*

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Water
  • Platinum