The study was done by Jamie A. Koufman and Nikki Johnston. In this study authors describe the effects of alkaline water with pH 8.8 on people with reflux disease.

First of all let’s clarify what reflux disease is and why should we care about it. According to recent analysis, 40% of American have reflux disease. According to US National Cancer Institute, since 1970s, the prevalence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (esophageal cancer) increased by 850% in American population being the fastest growing cancer in the United States. The reflux disease is often linked to other disease with high prevalence among American population – obesity. Researchers suggested that there is a relationship between reflux disease/cancer epidemic and excessive acid in standard American diet. What is interesting, since 1973 all canned food and beverages (except from water) have been required by law to have pH lower than 4.5 but still most of them are well below even 4.0. No wonder that American society struggles so much with acid reflux with so much food and beverages with really low pH.

Reflux disease is linked to human pepsin – an enzyme that is responsible for digesting mostly proteins in the stomach and small intestine. Once pepsin is bound to the tissues in esophagus it causes cellular protective proteins depletion leaving cells more prone to developing cancer. Pepsin has the highest activity at pH 2.0 but it can still break down proteins, such as collagen, at pH 6.5. At in vivo pH levels of 7.4 pepsin was still not inactivated.

The goal of anti-reflux therapy is to wash out tissue bond pepsin from esophagus and larynx. Scientists believe that if alkaline water can denature pepsin in vitro it can have similar effects in human aero digestive tract. To see if that hypothesis is correct, researchers tested Evamor alkaline water with pH 8.8 and two of the bestselling regular bottled waters: Dasani (pH 6.9) and Aquafina (pH 7.1). The control study was performed in substrate/glycine solution. If you are more interested in detailed methods you will find information about this study below the article.

Results showed that pepsin was completely and irreversibly deactivated in alkaline water but not in regular water with pH 7.0. In addition, Evamor natural artesian water demonstrated moderate HCl buffering capacity. This study shows that pepsin is not deactivated in pH 7.4. Most of US tap and bottled water is between pH 6.7 and 7.4 and do not contain bicarbonate so it does not have any therapeutic value when it comes to curing reflux. On the other side, there is alkaline water which is believed to have therapeutic benefits.

To sum up, alkaline water with ph 8.8 instantaneously and permanently denatures human pepsin and effectively buffers acid what makes it safe and useful tool while curing reflux disease. It can be a perfect addition to low acid diet which is highly recommended for reflux. People find it often difficult to ingest foods which have higher alkalinity. Vegetables are not very popular in American diet but this study shows that they are not the only option to reduce the acidity of your body. Although alkaline water has similar benefits, it is optimal to combine both ways if one wants to improve health and comfort of life.

Source:

Koufman, Jamie A., and Nikki Johnston. "Potential benefits of pH 8.8 alkaline drinking water as an adjunct in the treatment of reflux disease." Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology 121.7 (2012): 431-434.