The Non-Scientific Statements of Dr. Andrew Weil, MD

The following is a statement in a newsletter from Dr. Andrew Weil and a rebuttal from Dr. Robert O. Young concerning a very important health question, "Does Alkaline Water or Food Promote Health?

Q: Does Alkaline Water Promote Health?

Manufacturers of water ionizers state that their products produce more alkaline water, which allows your body to better absorb minerals and antioxidants from water. Are these health claims real? Do you recommend ionizers?

A: Answer (Published 9/4/2002) Updated 5/13/2005

Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D. states “Home water ionizers, which I've seen offered for sale on the internet, are just the latest twist in the ongoing effort to promote the notion that alkaline water is somehow protective of your health. The underlying idea is that you can prevent disease by balancing your body's pH. Promoters claim that alkaline water is energizing, hydrates the body more effectively than regular water, improves the taste of food when used in cooking, promotes "regularity," helps the body absorb nutrients more effectively, and on and on. I've even seen claims that it can cure everything from obesity and high blood pressure to breast cancer.
None of these claims are true. Furthermore, your body needs absolutely no help in adjusting its pH.”

Dr. Robert O, Young, Ph.D. states, “There are NO dis-ease or diseases without being too acidic. You cannot have loss of energy, irritation, catarrh, inflammation, ulceration or degeneration without acid. You cannot be sick and alkaline. So if the body needs no help in adjusting its pH then why does it get sick. When we understand that the body is alkaline by design and acidic by function then we understand that the body does need help in maintaining its alkaline design with proper alkaline food, drink, exercise, thoughts and deeds. The basic knowledge that the body is alkaline by design and acidic by function is NOT taught at medical school. In fact, current medical savants no nothing about tissue acidosis or what I call latent tissue acidosis and the cause of dis-ease or disease. What is latent tissue acidosis? It is the buildup of acidic dietary and/or metabolic acids that are not properly eliminated through the four channels of elimination – bowels, kidney, lungs and/or skin which are then eliminated or deposited into the connective and fatty tissues. The body must eliminate its dietary and/or metabolic waste products from the blood via these four channels of elimination or the blood will lose its alkaline iso-struture and an the result would be death. Dr. Weil is absolutely wrong when he states that the body needs absolutely no help in adjusting its pH. The body needs a continued supply of alkalinity to buffer or neutralize the acids of environment, stress, diet and metabolism. Everyday the body produces more acids then the body can keep up with. Metabolism of a normal adult diet results in the generation of 50 to 100 meq of H+ or proton or acid per day, which must be excreted if the alkaline acid-base balance is to be maintained. A meq is a milliequivalent which is an expression of concentration of substance per liter of solution, calculated by dividing the concentration in milligrams per 100 milliliters by the molecular weight. This process involves two basis steps; 1) the reabsorption of the filtered sodium bicarbonate or NaHCO3 and, 2) excretion of the 50 to 100 meq of H+ or proton or acid produced each day by the formation of titratable acidity and NH4+ or ammonium. Both steps involve H+ or proton or acid secretion from the cells of the kidney into the urine. That is why we age. Aging is actually a fermenting and acidic process. The body has an alkaline buffering system which helps to maintain alkalinity, but when this becomes compromised from an over acidic lifestyle and diet, you start having the symptoms of dis-ease and disease caused by metabolic acidic waste products. So, absolutely you should make daily attempts to increase alkalinity with alkaline ionized water and food to prevent and/or reverse dis-ease and disease.

How does a person measure the acid/base of the blood when the blood is always maintaining its delciate pH balance at 7.365? Any excess acidity from diet or metabolism is eliminated from the blood and out into the connective tissues to preserve its delicate pH balance. The biochemistry in maintaining blood alkalinity is quite extreme. The body will sacrifice all other organs and organ systems to maintain the delicate pH balance of the blood at 7.365. Sodium bicarbonate is produced by the body as the #1 buffer of dietary and/or metabolic acid to maintain the alkalinity of the blood and then the tissues. In the body, tt takes 20 molecules of sodium bicarbonate to buffer or neutralize 1 part of carbonic acid (metabolite of metabolism) in order to maintain a blood and/or tissue pH of 7.35 to 7.4. That is staggering 20 to 1 ratio. You would have to do some serious alkalizing just to keep up with the body's need for more alkalinity. But that is why we age--or should I say "ferment" from over-acidity. Which by the way, I might add, is why ALL disease or most dis-ease is a result of excess acid and NOT excess base(alkalinity). This was proven by Alexis Carrel in his chicken experiment in 1908. Carrel received a Nobel prize for this research. He was able to keep a chicken heart alive for 20 years until he decided to stop changing the alkaline mineral salts every 48 hours. What we learn from Alexis Carrel's work is that you can keep the body cells alive indefinitely if you maintain the alkaline mineral salts daily. The health of human cells that make up tissues and organs are only as healthy as the alkaline fluids in which they are bathed. The human cell cannot tolerate low alkalinity and can never tolerate ANY acid condition. The cell begins its biological transformation becoming bacteria in the first stage; then yeast in the second stage; then mold in the 3rd stage of transformation until the anatomical elements of the organized cell (microzymas) are released to become part of some other organized cell.In the ph Miracle book I share what I call the "fish bowl metaphor." The fish bowl metaphor begins with a question. The question is this; "If the fish is sick what would you do, treat the fish or change the water?" The logical answer is, you would change the water. Why? Because the fish is only as healthy as the water it swims in. The fish is the human cell and the water is the fluids around the cell(s). The ocean has a delicate pH balance of 8.3 and is maintain by alkaline mineral salts. Our internal fluids are like the ocean and are maintained by the same alkaline mineral salts - sodium, chloride, magnesium, potassium and calcium. At the present the ocean pH because of global warming has gone from 8.3 to 8.2. This huge decrease in the ocean pH has caused potential health risks to all sea life including the loss of the coral reefs. The same thing is happening to many of us with body warming, as dietary and/or metabolic acids are causing the loss of bone and muscle in order to maintain the delicate alkaline pH of the blood and tissues. The result is an array of health challanges from arthritis, osteoporosis to cancer all caused by the buildup from dietary and/or metabolic acid that the body could NOT manage!”

Dr. Andrew Weil states: “Normally, the pH of blood and most body fluids is near seven, which is close to neutral. This is under very tight biological control because all of the chemical reactions that maintain life depend on it. Unless you have serious respiratory or kidney problems, body pH will remain in balance no matter what you eat or drink.

Dr. Robert O. Young states: “Normally, the pH of the blood and most all body fluids has an alkaline pH at 7.365. Any change in this pH is the result of dietary and metabolic acids that have not been properly eliminated through the four channels of elimination – the bowels, kidneys, lungs and skin. When we over-burden our body with an acidic lifestyle and diet this causes stress and breakdown of these elimination organs not only kidney and lung dysfunction and degeneration but also breakdown in the bowels and on the surface of the skin. This is when dis-ease and so-called disease will be manifested as an effect of the acidic cause. All your organs that filter or eliminate dietary and/or metabolic acids, including the bowels, skin, kidneys and lungs will begin to breakdown from excess tissue acidity and you will begin to experience symptoms that medical doctors call disease. Your life depends on daily doses of alkalinity from ingesting alkaline foods and drinks. Exercise is also critical in helping the body remove tissue acids out through the pores of the skin in the form of sweat. When the body cannot remove its own acidic waste products they are then stored in the fatty tissues, i.e. the hips, thighs, buttocks, waistline, breast and brain. The body will pack on more and more fat to store more and more bodily acids if the lifestyle and diet does not change to an alkaline lifestyle and diet. For those who are not putting on weight due to tissue acidosis this is the result of acid damage to the root system or the small intestine where stems cells are made. In a state of tissue acidosis, being underweight is more serious than being overweight. At least when you are overweight the body is protecting itself from an over-acidic lifestyle and diet which can be reversed with alkaline food and drink.

Once again, medical doctors and other savants do not recognize "latent tissue acidosis." They recognize compensated acidosis and decompensated acidosis. In compensated acidosis breathing increases in order to blow off more carbonic acid which decreases PCO2 because of the lowered carbonate or HCO3. When the breathing rate can no longer get any faster and when the kidneys can no longer increase their function to keep up with the acid load from an acidic meal or over-exercise or even too much emotional stress, then the blood pH starts to change from a pH of 7.365 to 7.3 then to 7.2. At a blood pH of 7.1 (still in an alkaline state) the heart relaxes and the client goes into a coma and then dies.There is a daily rhythm or oscilation to this acid base, ebb and flow of the fluids of the body. The stored acids are mobilized from the connective tissues and Pishinger's spaces while we sleep.These acids reach their maximum (base tide) concentration in this fluid, and thereby the urine at 2am is the most acidic. The acid content of the urine directly reflects the acid content of the fluid in the Pishinger's spaces, the extracellular fluid compartments of the body. On the other hand the Pishinger's spaces become most alkaline around 2pm (the base flood) as then the most sodium bicarbonate or NaHCO3 is being generated by the cover cells of the stomach to alkalize the food and drink we have ingested.If your urine is not alkaline by 2pm you are definitely in an ACIDIC condition and lacking in alkaline reserves necessary to maintain the alkaline design of the body. This is when sickness and dis-ease is eminent. The ideal pH of the urine should run between 7.2 and 8.4 and can by maintain at optinum by supplementing mineral salts such as pHlavor and phour salts.”

http://www.phmiracleliving.com/p-221-phour-salts-tm-454-grams.aspx

Dr. Andrew Weil states, “As for water, you should consider the fact that alkaline water is common throughout the western states but to my knowledge it has not protected anyone from the diseases and disorders that occur elsewhere in the U.S.”

Dr. Robert O. Young states: “Here is where Dr. Weil shows is lack of understanding in the biochemistry of the body and the scientific research from myself and others who have documented the benefits of living, eating and drinking alkaline. The following are just a few references documenting the need for an alkaline lifestyle and diet:

As recently as October 2009, a Cambridge University study published in the highly respected British Journal of Nutrition stated:The concept of diet-induced ‘acidosis’ as a cause of disease has been a subject of interest for more than a century. The present article reviews the history of our evolving understanding of physiological pH, the physiological support for the concept of ‘acidosis’, the causes of acidosis, how it is recognised, its short-term effects as well as the long-term clinical relevance of preventative measures, and the research support for normalisation of pH.The available research makes a compelling case that diet-induced acidosis…is a real phenomenon, and has a significant, clinical, long-term pathophysiological effect that should be recognised and potentially counterbalanced by dietary means.1

The researchers, Pizzornoa, Frassettoa and Katzinger have clearly identified that acidosis (increased acidity in the blood – pH below 7.365) is a very real threat to our health.

Furthermore, my research has shown that the effects of acidosis can directly contribute to various cancers2, 3, 12, arthritis4, osteoporosis5, cardiovascular disease6, diabetes7, depression/psychological disfunctions8, Crohn’s disease9, kidney disease10. Yes, all of the top five killers in Western society and a whole heap more. Furthermore, my experience and the experience of those who have used my twelve week pH Miracle Lifestyle and Diet have given me significant proof that living alkaline lifestyle and diet also leads to weight/fat loss, muscle gain (also scientifically proven11), energy increases, libido increases, skin improvements and more.

Alkaline Diet & Cancer

Alkaline Minerals Prevent Cancer GrowthIn March 2009, Robey, Baggett, Kirkpatrick et al published a paper in the American Association for Cancer Research Journal proving that alkaline minerals (in this case NaHCO3 – sodium bicarbonate) that raise the extracellular pH of cancer tumor cells and prevent metastasis. Their research shows that the pH of the tumors are always acidic and by using highly alkaline minerals to raise the pH – the growth of the cancer (and involvement of lymph nodes) is prevented.Source: Cancer Research 69, 2260, March 15, 2009Cancer Thrives in an Acidic EnvironmentAlso in Cancer Research Journal, in 2006, Gatenby, Gawlinski et al researched and discovered that “chronic exposure of normal tissue to an acidic microenvironment produces toxicity by: (a) normal cell death… and (b) extracellular matrix degradation”. They proffer that glucose imbalance (an acid lifestlye) leads to a chronically acidic microenvironment (the normal cells and molecules that surround a tumor cell) which provides the perfect base for cancer.Source: Cancer Research 66, 5216-5223, May 15, 2006Acidosis & OsteoporosisAlkaline Minerals Prevent OsteoporosisA recently published study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (Vol 94, No 1 96-102, 2009) has provided further evidence that the consumption of and supplementation with alkaline minerals is essential for good health. The objective of the study was to understand the effect of alkaline minerals (potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate and potassium chloride) on bone health – specifically, the ability of these alkaline minerals to slow the bone resorption rate and calcium excretion.The participants who were taking the bicarbonate supplements had significant reductions in urinary N-telopeptide and calcium excretion when compared to the control group. This means that when taking the alkaline minerals, bones remained stronger and healthier.

Source: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (Vol 94, No 1 96-102, 2009)

Cardiovascular Disease & the Alkaline Diet

Alkaline Minerals Critical to Prevention of CVD

In the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, Joseph Campbell provides a thorough review of the scientific literature surrounding minerals and disease and highlights that the alkaline minerals, magnesium and calcium, are critical to the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). He also highlights that “Excessive consumption of acid producing foods, results in metabolic acidosis. When this occurs, the parathyroid hormone stimulates the removal of calcium from the bones and teeth (osteolysis), to buffer or neutralize the excess acidity. After many years, such calcium loss results in depleted bone, bone weakness and structure.”

Source: Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine Vol. 10, No. 3 & 4, 1995

Autoimmune Disease Inhibited by Alkaline Ionized Water

Effect of electrolytic water intake on lifespan of autoimmune disease prone mice.

Research from Texas UniversityRecent studies on ionized electrolyzed water indicate that anode or acidic water is most effective as disinfectants; whereas, reduced or alkaline water processed through cathode is used as safe drinking water.

The present drinking water study was undertaken in two strains of autoimmune disease prone mice to establish the spontaneous disease process and longevity.

Weanling MRL/lpr and NZBxNZW [B/W] F1 female mice were provided daily with (1) tap water [pH ~7.5, oxygen reduction potential (ORP)~600+] (2) electrolyzed water with pH of ~9.0 and ORP ~400- and (3) hyper-reduced water with pH~10.0 and ORP~600-. Mice were provided H2O and chow diet ad libitum and weekly body weights and spontaneous deaths were recorded. The mean survival data recorded as days for MRL/lpr mice [25 mice/group] is as follows: (1) tap water 235±25, (2) reduced water 287±40 and (3) hyper-reduced water 346±45 days [<0.05]. In the case of B/W mice [25 mice/group], (1) tap water 269±16, (2) reduced water 298±19 and (3) hyper-reduced 302±18 days. A significantly decreased (<0.05) serum lipid peroxides were observed in mice fed hyper-reduced H2O. Also, the source of water did not alter lymphocyte subsets or their response to mitogens. In summary, hyper-reduced water with pH~10.0 appears to inhibit autoimmune disease of MRL/lpr mice whereas only a modest increased lifespan was noted for B/W mice. The increased lifespan by electrolyzed H2O appears to be related to the changes in free radicals and antioxidant enzyme levels. [Supported in part by Zanix Co. and Mr. Waterman Co., Tokyo, Japan].

Analysis of Blood Serum from Tap and Reduced Water Fed Animals

Serum Lipid Peroxides: Serum lipid peroxides were determined as described by Yagi using 20 ul serum. Fluorometric measurement was carried out using a Perkin-Elmer fluorescence spectrophotometer. 1,1,3,3, tetraethoxypropane was used as the standard.Antioxidant Enzymes: Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was measured by the inhibition of cytochrome-c reduction mediated via superoxide anions generated by xanthin-xanthin oxidase and monitored at 550 nm. One unit of SOD is defined as the amount of enzyme required to inhibit the rate of cytochrome-c reduction by 50%.

Summary:

1. Life long intake of both reduced (pH 9.0) and hyper-reduced (pH 10.0) water caused no harm to mice compared to tap water.
2. Survival is increased significantly by hyper-reduced water in one strain (MRL/lpr).
3. Slight increased life span in the other strain (NZBxNZW F1)
4. Reduced and hyper-reduced water appears to increase T cell numbers, and decrease B cells. 5. Both reduced and hyper-reduced water appears to increase antioxidant mRNA levels.

Arthritis and Alkalinity

Alkaline Mineral Supplementation Decreases Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

This incredible study from Institute for Prevention and Nutrition (Germany) provided clear and unquestionable evidence that using an alkaline mineral supplement (30g daily) reduced pain and increased movement in patients with moderately active Rheumatoid Arthritis over a 12-week period.

Source: The Open Nutrition Journal, 2008, 2, 100-105

Do you want to safeguard yourself from degenerative diseases while living with more energy, a lean, fit body, great skin, youthfulness and vitality?

How You Can Guarantee Your Health With Alkaline Minerals

The above studies prove, without question, that having sufficient alkaline mineral buffers to neutralise dietary, lifestyle and metabolic acids is critical to maintaining excellent health, energy and vitality and to the prevention of degenerative disease.

It is also highlighted in several of these studies that using an alkaline mineral supplement is an effective way of guaranteeing your daily intake of alkaline minerals is sufficient.The efficacy of using a mineral supplement (and these supplements providing a usable form of these minerals) is further supported by this June 2009 study published in the Nutrition Journal, “Effect of a supplement rich in alkaline minerals on acid-base balance in humans”. The study concluded “that the ingestion of a multimineral supplement is associated with both a significant increase in blood and urinary pH”.

If you want to guarantee you have sufficient alkaline minerals than supplementation is a smart choice.I’ve been working and researching in the alkaline diet field for over thirty years now and have seen a lot of supplements come and go, and the one thing that determines whether a supplement will be successful or not is: does it work.Poor quality supplements get found out very quickly.

With that in mind, these are the two alkaline mineral supplements that I personally recommend to you. I have been using these personally and recommending them to my clients for over twenty years now and I know that they are incredibly effective.

Young pHorever pHour Salts: Alkaline Minerals of Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium and Calcium

Almost instantly neutralizes harmful acids.

Young pHorever Alkaline Minerals contains all four primary alkaline minerals: calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Once these mineral buffers hit the system, they quickly neutralize excess acids.Another bonus of this supplement is that it makes green drinks taste better when mixed together!

Young pHorever: pHlavor Mineral Salts

A comprehensive multi-mineral formula that will aid your pH balance and gives your body all of the most essential alkaline minerals.Diet Comes FirstYou should always aim to get an abundance of nutrients from whole foods – there are no shortcuts here. This is just essential.To make sure you’re getting plenty of alkaline minerals in your life I believe you should both consume good quality (pref organic) fresh, vibrant, healthy, high-water content, often raw foods PLUS I have found that you should supplement this to ensure that you always have a safety net. It is SO important to get enough of the right minerals every day that I fully believe in supplementation in this case.

This is particularly important if you have been out of balance, because there will be a lot of repair, detoxification and tidying up to do in your blood and other cells, so providing your body with an abundance of alkaline minerals is one of the very best things you can do.

Here’s the whole food sources:

POTASSIUM:
Avocado
Spinach
Soy sprouts
Lentils
Swiss Chard
Tomato
Broccoli
Cucumber
Beetroot Greens
Carrots
Alkaline water

MAGNESIUM:
Pumpkin Seeds
Spinach
Soy sprouts
Swiss Chard
Broccoli
Cucumber
Sunflower Seed sprouts
Pumpkin seeds
Tomato
Celery
Quinoa
Almonds
Alkaline water

CALCIUM:
Basil
Turnip
Thyme
Spinach Greens
Broccoli
Swiss Chard/Silverbeet
Romaine Lettuce
Kale
Celery
Cabbage
Green Beans
Asparagus
Brussels Sprouts
Garlic
Alkaline water

SODIUM:
Avocado
Carrots
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Kale
LettuceGreens
Parsley
Peppers
Radish
Sunflower Seed sprouts
Turnip

Note on Sodium: I am talking about proper, pure sodium, not table salt or the salt added to refined foods.Today’s common table salt is a poison that has nothing in common with natural liquid colloidal salt. Most common table salt is made up of chemicals that pollute your body and wreak havoc on your health. Your table salt is actually 97.5% sodium chloride and 2.5% chemicals such as moisture absorbents, and iodine. Dried at over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, the excessive heat alters the natural chemical structure of the salt causing the potential for a myriad of health challenges in your body. [see the full article here]

Sodium is essential in the body, and the above listed alkaline vegetables, fruit and water provide you with a good, clean source of this important salt.

Sufficient alkaline minerals in our food and drink is essential to good health. Your body really needs you to minimize the acids you consume and keep putting alkali in. When we consume acidic foods and drinks, your body uses the alkaline substances in your body (calcium from bones, for example) to neutralize these acids which causes havoc. The body only has a very tiny supply of alkaline buffers and so by giving the body an abundance of alkalinity we not only ease this burden but also give the body the tools it needs to work optimally.The four main alkaline minerals are calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium (clean, not refined table salt). These are abundant in fresh vegetables (particularly greens), and we advise you to eat plenty each day!

I also recommend two supplements. In the short-medium term these will help undo any previous damage and assist in detoxifying dietary and/or metabolic acids, molds and fungus and in the long-term will help to maintain the alkaline design of your body, giving you a daily safety net to ensure you get enough of these life-changing/life saving alkaline minerals day-in-day-out."

Dr. Andrew Weil states, “The health claims for water ionizers and for alkaline water are bogus. Save your money.” Andrew Weil, M.D.

Dr. Robert O. Young states, “I guess ignorance is bliss. Dr. Weil makes statements but has NO scientific evidence to back up his false and misleading statements.”

References:

1 Diet-induced acidosis: is it real and clinically relevant? British Journal of Nutrition Cambridge University Press; Joseph Pizzornoa, Lynda A. Frassettoa and Joseph Katzingera

2 Acid-Mediated Tumor Invasion: a Multidisciplinary Study; Cancer Research 66, 5216-5223, May 15, 2006; Robert A. Gatenby, Edward T. Gawlinski, Arthur F. Gmitro, Brant Kaylor and Robert J. Gillies

3 The Potential Role of Systemic Buffers in Reducing Intratumoral Extracellular pH and Acid-Mediated Invasion; Cancer Research 69, 2677, March 15, 2009; Ariosto S. Silva, Jose A. Yunes, Robert J. Gillies and Robert A. Gatenby

4 Alkaline Mineral Supplementation Decreases Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients; The Open Nutrition Journal, 2008, 2, 100-105; Regina Maria Cseuz, Istvan Barna, Tamas Bender and Jurgen Vormann

5 Treatment with Potassium Bicarbonate Lowers Calcium Excretion and Bone Resorption in Older Men and Women; The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 94, No. 1 96-102; Bess Dawson-Hughes, Susan S. Harris, Nancy J. Palermo, Carmen Castaneda-Sceppa, Helen M. Rasmussen and Gerard E. Dallal

6 Minerals and Disease; Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine Vol. 10, No. 3 & 4, 1995; Joseph D. Campbell

7 Preservative Effect of Electrolyzed Reduced Water on Pancreatic b -Cell Mass in Diabetic db/db Mice; Biol. Pharm. Bull. 30(2) 234—236 (2007); Mi-Ja KIM, Kyung Hee JUNG, Yoon Kyung UHM, Kang-Hyun LEEM, and Hye Kyung KIM

8 The Effect of Acid/Alkaline Nutrition on Psychophysiological Function; Int J Biosocial Res. Vol.

9 (2); 182-202, 1987; Rudolf A. Wiley9Severe Osteomalacia Associated with Renal Tubular Acidosis in Crohn’s Disease; Digestive Diseases & Sciences, Vol 31, No 3, March 1986; Rui MM Victorino, Margarida B Lucas, Miguel Carneiro de Moura

10 Metabolic acidosis of CKD: diagnosis, clinical characteristics, and treatment; American Journal of Kidney Diseases, Volume 45, Issue 6, Pages 978-993 J. Kraut, I. Kurtz11Lean Tissue: Alkaline diets favor lean tissue mass in older adults; American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 87, No. 3, 662-665, March 2008; Bess Dawson-Hughes, Susan S Harris and Lisa Ceglia