Can specially treated drinking water really work wonders for the health of your body?
As consumers become more conscious of the quality of drinking water, there has emerged a growing number of water treatment devices promoting a myriad of amazing health claims - "water of smaller molecule clusters", "activated water", "healthy water", "vitality water", "alkaline ionic water", etc.
The Consumer Council has released a report on the health claims in the case of five water treatment devices with prices ranging from $3,000 to $6,000.
The report, based on the information and supporting document (if any) from the sales agents, and the comments from authorities and experts in the field, has drawn the conclusion: there is clearly no scientific validity to these health claims.
Such claims that these water treatment devices could turn plain drinking water into something magical that will bring special health benefits or even improvement to chronic serious diseases, are unfounded and misleading.
The fact is that, first, it is not possible to fix the size and orientation of water molecule clusters. The size of water clusters is neither uniform nor stable and is ever changing by dynamic equilibrium.
Second, according to experts, there is no evidence that smaller water clusters will enable easier absorption of water in human body.
Third, a higher level of dissolved oxygen may be vital to aquatic life, but it is not a matter of health concern as the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality do not include a guideline value for the level of dissolved oxygen in drinking water.
The simple fact is that the human body mainly absorbs oxygen through breathing and not from food or water with high dissolved oxygen level as suggested in the promotional materials of some water treatment devices.
Fourth, treated water with higher mineral content is not to be taken to possessing higher anti-oxidizing quality.
In product demonstration, some agents claimed that because of its anti-oxidizing ability, treated water could prevent rusting of cut apple; but such effect is similar to soaking the cut apple in salt water, which can only delay the time for oxidation and is different from anti-oxidizing ability in human physiology.
Fifth, there is no basis for the claim that slightly alkaline water is good for health while slightly acidic water is not suitable for drinking.
No health-based guideline for pH value is recommended by the WHO. The fact is that the human body has a buffer mechanism for changes in the pH of drinking water so as not to affect the health or metabolism - unless the change is extreme.
Last, but not the least, water treated by these water treatment devices could not alleviate nor has any curative effect on chronic serious diseases.
The Consumer Council has found some sales agents, in offering free trial to consumers, also slipped out a "document" of some sort, listing out detailed naturopathy (natural therapy or remedy) and suggesting patients with chronic diseases to drink the treated water everyday.
It further noted the possibility of what it called "improvement effects" on different patients such as patients with high blood pressure may feel dizzy for two weeks; cirrhosis patients may have blood in stool; patients of nephrosis and diabetes may have edema (swelling of organ or tissue).
But it claimed that these are not side effects, and that once the effects disappeared, most diseases would be cured.
The Consumer Council regards the provision of such information irresponsible putting the health of consumers potentially at risk. The Department of Health also urged consumers never to believe in such claims and delay proper medical treatment, and recommended patients to seek advice from medical professionals.
Some sales agents also claimed that the treated water helps alleviate symptoms of gastric diseases and constipation. But consumers are reminded that as there are many causes of gastric diseases, they should better identify the main reason behind.
In addition, the study found some water treatment devices to have made claims of accreditation by the US National Sanitation Foundation Standard (NSF/ANSI).
According to the NSF/ANSI standard, some accreditation refers only to their aesthetic effect to potable water, i.e. improving the taste, smell, colour and appearance of potable water, and not to filtering contaminants that may be harmful to health.
In the past year between July 2005 and June 2006, the Consumer Council received a total of 37 complaints and 455 enquiries about water filters and water treatment devices. 22 of the complaints were related to water treatment devices over sales practices, false trade description, quality of goods and services, etc.
Related news:
Response to an advertisement by a certain water treatment device company (July 17, 2006)
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