The Story Behind the Alkaline Water Quackwatcher

I spent a long time in the past working on debunking the alkaline water ionizer quackwatcher Dr. Steven Lower (PhD in chemistry).


At the time, I was drinking the alkaline water koolaid because of the help I had received from the water and from the hundreds if not thousands of readers who contacted me with the personal stories of how the water helped them as well.  As such, I was determined to prove the ex-science professor wrong.

I reached out to the professor and offered to test out the water in the lab of his choice using whatever methodology of his choosing.  He refused, which furthered my conviction.

I had another scientist reach out to the professor.  Dr. Lower told her that there was probably something worthwhile about the water based upon the mountain of anecdotal.  However, Dr. Lower refused to back down on his assertion that the benefits that were being attained were not from the alkaline water itself.

I wasn’t satisfied with DrLower’s explanation that the body balanced the pH of any contents leaving the stomach heading to the small intestine.

It took a few years before a young American chemist showed me the error of my thinking by explaining to me that the benefits that I and thousands of others had received from the water were due to the presence of hydrogen gas (H2) as opposed to the alkaline story.

It turns out that Dr. Lower was right about the alkaline water fallacy.  Dr. Lower never said the water didn’t have benefits, he just said the benefits were not due to the alkaline water story.

Oh crap!

Where do the benefits come from?

People did experience benefits from drinking water from alkaline water ionizers.  However, it turns out that the benefits come from the consumption of hydrogen gas (H2).  More than 700 studies and review papers indicate that consuming H2 is beneficial for more than 170 diseases and is beneficial to every organ in your body.  The studies provide me with the comfort that I never really felt about the alkaline story which never had any scientific backing.

Do you need to consume hydrogen rich water?

Technically no, but most of us can benefit from consuming H2 through H2 enriched water or by breathing it from a machine that dispenses H2.

The human body produces enough H2 on its own if you eat well….really well.  The problem for most of us is that we don’t eat what is optimal for our bodies and the result is a shortage in the production of H2.

Do alkaline water ionizers produce H2?

Yes.  They produce lots of H2.  The problem is that almost all of the H2 is lost during the dispensing process or within one minute after the water is dispensed because H2 is lighter than water and dissipates into the air.

Is there a better solution?

Yes.  Asian manufactures came up with a method of diffusing the H2 created during electrolysis by ionizers back into the water.  That means the H2 stays in the water for a significant period of time as opposed to the gas bubbles created by alkaline water ionizers which rise to the top of the container of water and dissipate into the air.

The ionizers that produce hydrogen enriched water that remains stable long enough to be able to drink the water at your convenience have been coined HIM’s (Hydrogen Infusion Machines).

What do HIM’s cost?

There are a number of HIM’s offered in the market place which sell in the range of $2,000 to $3000.  My personal choice is the HIM2 (above counter unit) or its under the counter counterpart the HIM3 from Brilliantz (see  which have been selling for $2,000 for the past couple of years.

Brilliantz recently decided to change is business strategy from selling through an affiliate network to selling directly to the public.  The end result is that Brilliantz cut the prices for their H2 products in half.  That means consumers can now buy the HIM2 and HIM3 directly from their website for $1,000.  That is by far the best value on the market.

Are there cheaper  ways to try H2?

Yes.  Brilliantz offers a portable H2 unit for $150 and a month supply of magnesium tablets (60 tablets) for $30 which produce therapeutic concentrations of H2.  You can buy similar products on the market, but you will pay double the price.


206 Responses to The Story Behind the Alkaline Water Quackwatcher

  1. Hi Rob. I posted on your blog about 18 months ago. I have a 4 filter RO and wanted the alkaline water.
    You recomended the Alkastream unit or just an Alkaline filter. I bought the Alkastream unit. It has really worked well and Gabe was awesome help. I will need a new filter in a few months and I see things have changed a lot since then. Again I would like your opinion on what to buy, looks like the filters went up a lot and they have newer units. I really want to get the best water I can, so would you tell me your recomendation now?

    Thanks Mike

    • Hi Mike:

      Nice to hear your positive feedback on the Alkastream. I have heard many similar comments.

      You can buy the replacement filters from Gabe ( I don’t think the price of the filters has ever changed from $129. The good news for Alkastream owners is that Vitev offers 3 replacement filters for the price of 2 while they have replacement filters in stock. That means the filters cost $86 each with the discount.

      Since you are happy with your Alkastream, I would stick with it. I don’t see any need to spend more money. I assume Vitev will offer existing Alkastream customers a “special” upgrade offer that nobody will refuse when they eventually run out of Alkastream filters….I would expect them to want to hold onto their customer base.

      • So, is there a shelf life on these filters? Gabe told me I could probably get over 6 months with the alkalizer since I have a RO unit, I tested the water after 6 months and it was still alkaline and I use a lot of water, maybe 3 gal. per day. After 9 months it was still alkaline but not as good, so I changed the filter and I noticed a slimey film on the side of the canister. Is this normal or anything to be concerned about, my filters on my RO were still good, but my tank is getting to be around 8 yrs. old, maybe I need to clean it, any suggestions would be appreciated?

        Also I have a friend of mine who in interested in buying Purifier & Alkalizer. I see the counter model and the 4 filter system. I’m guessing the 4 filter system purifies the water better. They are health nuts and are presently drinking bottled water, which I tested and is acid ph. So I don’t know what to recommend to them.

        Thanks Mike

      • Hey Rob. Do you have a link to the 3 for 2 filters for the alkastream?



    Can u pls give ur opinion on this type of filter? I’m new alkaline water and recently wan to change the water system as we used this water system for long times and jus now, when I test the PH of the water it produce, its around ph 7-ph 8….. I’m thinking to chg to Alkastream but the problem is I’m living in Malaysia and there is limited choice of natural alkaline water here and even kangen water just get its way into our country by this year ( when I first heard of this machine, as many ppl ask me have u heard of one water machine tat cost more than rm10k?) what is your best recommendations ? My kids owes sicks and I hope by changing the daily intake of water can really improve their health, pls help!

    • Hi Ping:

      I believe the first thing to consider when choosing a water ionizer is the condition of the source water. The reason for this is that best drinking water is clean and healthy (they are not the same thing). If you have really good source water in Malaysia (clean and safe) supplied by a municipality, you can ignore the “cleaning” factor from consideration. If you can’t depend on safe and clean source water, you will need a Reverse Osmosis system to clean the water. The problem with RO systems is that while they clean the water, they make the water unhealthy. If you do need a RO system for cleaning purposes, you will need to remineralize the water.

      The company that I help out is Vitev ( and one of the main reasons I agreed to help them is that I believe their Ultra ($995) produces the best man made drinking water in the world. If that is too expensive for you, then you can buy a RO system locally and then get Vitev’s Remin filter as an alternative.

      If your source water is clean, then you can start looking at water ionizers. They all work so you really can’t go wrong. My preference is the natural water ionizers for several reasons including the fact that they are very affordable. If someone in your family has cancer and is undergoing chemo treatments, I recommend an electric water ionizer.

  3. May I know what the reason u recommend electric ionizers for cancer patients? I do own a electrical but I’m unsure what system that got inside tat machine(what plates are made off, how many are there), some more I’m quite concern about the fluoride tat can’t be filter by electrical ionizers. I wan the best of water for my kids. By the way, it is safe for kids to drink the alkaline natural water? For the vitev, may I know does it have functionality to adjust to normal ph water?

    • Hi Ping:

      I recommend electric water ionizers for cancer patients because they can generate really strong negative ORP when the water first comes out of the machine (you must drink it right away as the energy is only temporary). I don’t recommend that anyone other than cancer patients drink the strong water.

      Water ionizers don’t remove fluoride (despite what they claim). A Reverse Osmosis “RO” system is required. The problem is that electric water ionizers don’t work with RO systems because the RO systems take the minerals out of the water and water can’t be ionized without minerals. The solution is to combine a RO system with a natural water ionizer. Check out Vitev’s Ultra as that is what the machine does.

  4. hi, thank so much for the useful information. How about kids? is the alkaline natural water is safe for them to consume as they say kids only suitable to drink purified water? can the vitev ultra adjusted to provide this function?
    just now im trying to test the ta water with the ph drop and it come out result is ph 8 which is the same as the filter that I owned now. it is indicating that this filteration dint filter anything or how? I just cant get the puzzle solved out what is happening here.

    • Hi Ping:

      Kids can drink natural alkaline water. The stomach doesn’t differentiate between alkaline foods and water and small children are fed fruits and vegetables in the form of pablum.

      The Ultra provides fairly consistent pH values as the alkaline water is held in the tank and drawn off when the tap is engaged.

      I don’t understand the last part of your comment.

  5. just now, im test the pH of my tap water which turns out to b pH 8 , this is exactly the pH reading for my current filter system…so what is confusing me here, is that my filter system did not filter out anything since the pH reading before and after filteration is the same one?

    • Hi Ping:

      The fact that the pH remains the same doesn’t necessarily mean that you filter didn’t remove any contaminants from the water. Filtration and pH are not the same thing

  6. Tom you are aware that stomach is a very acidic 1.8 acidic and pretty much stays there at all times right? And that the small intestines are around 8.5 alkaline? I mean I presume since you are talking like you know scientific facts you have some sort of science degree???? Or are you just selling water purifiers? Alkalized water passes through the stomach straight to the small intestines . You can chug a 32 oz of ionized Kangen water at 9.5 PH and feel no bloating or ‘slushing’ which is impossible with acidic water or water from most ‘purifiers’. 136-140 or so? Your IQ right? As a member of Mensa we are taught to recognize IQ’s by writing styles and ego behind the facts presented. You do a great disservice to people who could be helped, not just from the drinking water but the 2.5 acidic waters for infections, bacteria, food poisoning etc, or the 11.5 waters or the 6.0 waters. You have never actually used one of the machines that you spend such a large amount of time stepping in the paths of others have you? tsk tsk~ Life has a way of giving us back exactly what we give others~

    • Hi Cami:

      You addressed your comment to Tom, but I couldn’t help myself from replying. I will answer your comments one point at a time as it is easier to follow for other readers.

      Your statement about the acidity level of the stomach is


      As per Anne Marie Helmenstine PhD:

      ***Your stomach secretes hydrochloric acid, but the pH of your stomach isn’t necessarily the same as the pH of the acid! The pH of your stomach varies, from 1-2 up to 4-5. When you eat, the stomach releases proteases and hydrochloric acid to aid in digestion. By itself, the acid doesn’t really do much for digestion, but the proteases that cleave proteins work best in an acidic environment or low pH, so after a high-protein meal, your stomach pH may drop to as low as 1 or 2. However, buffers quickly raise the pH back to 3 or 4. After the meal has been digested, your stomach pH returns to a resting level of about 4 or 5. Your stomach secretes acid in response to food, so first thing in the morning you can expect a slightly acidic stomach pH, but not an acidic level representative of pure hydrochloric acid.***

      I agree that Enagic’s Kangen water gets absorbed with minimal bloating, but so does every other brand of water ionizer, including the natural alkaline pitcher that I have been testing and experimenting with. By the way, the $50 – $60 pitcher is producing great tasting water with a 9.5 pH and -300 ORP and is still going strong after 3 months of heavy use. I’m told that the annual filter costs will be about $50 – $70.

      IQ…do you really want to go there? Perhaps if you did your homework, you would stop embarrassing yourself.

      I agree that Acidic water is good for cleaning. In fact, electric water ionizers were originally created for cleaning purposes. All the “Japanese medical” claims are for the cleaning function….not for the drinking water. While acidic water is a benefit, industry statistics (which I can’t verify as I gleaned the information from talking to the various owners in the industry) indicate that only 1 in 30 people that own water ionizers use the acidic function with any regularity. If someone does want acidic water, you can buy acid water producing machines for about $200. You can also get a Hybrid for $549 that will produce a wide range of pH levels including strong acid and alkaline water.

      I have owned an Enagic SD501 and tested it hundreds of times against the Tyent, EOS, KYK, Chanson and even against a natural water ionizers. The Enagic SD501 never produced superior results to any of the other machines. I made a video of the test that I included in an article on my blog for you and everyone else to see.

      I apologize if my comments seem a bit snippy. I’m a bit sensitive to Enagic dealers because of the hundreds of “factually challenged” comments that I have received over the years in the name of the Enagic “cause”. If you want to carry this further, you better start doing your homework and bring your A game because your first effort was pretty bad.

    • Cami,

      Maybe Rob thought you meant him when you addressed me. And by chance that Rob was mistaken, please forgive him and read my comment.

      First, I am not a scientist, doctor, nor a seller of any water purification or ionization products. I am simply a person who believes good water is a key component to maintaining good health. From what I can remember I have never taken a standardized IQ test and if I did, I cannot remember which one I took and my test results. I do know from my SAT and GRE test scores that verbal skills are my weakness (I did rather well in the math and analytical sections though). Therefore you will have to excuse any grammatical errors and my poor writing style of previous and current comments. But on the topic of grammatical errors and writing styles, please re-read and analyze your beautifully written comment. Your first sentence is a grammatical mess. When you mention the waters, I’m confused about the 2.5 waters, the 11.5 waters and the 6.0 waters. Are you telling me that your machine makes more than one type of acidic water with a pH of 2.5 or is this just your writing style? As a member of Mensa and knowing that other Mensa members may read and analyze your writing style, I would expect you to type out your best before hitting “submit comment.” Also, you refer to the stomach as singular but in the next sentence you refer to the small intestine as plural. Maybe a member of Mensa has multiple small intestines where us mere mortals have only one small intestine and one large intestine, also known as a colon. Uh oh, am I again stating facts? Well, not only did I find your comment rude and condescending, I found it hypocritical. In your third sentence I felt you got on me because I wrote as if I knew scientific facts without disclosing that I have a degree in science. Yet three of your first five sentences state scientific facts, be it biological/medical/chemical, yet you did not disclose that you have the proper credentials in any of those fields. Tsk tsk. Wait…what’s that saying? “Life has a way of giving us back exactly what we give others.”

      To clear up any possible misunderstandings for future readers, I stumbled on to Rob’s blog in search of some clarity from the confusing world of alkaline water and water ionizers. There is so much conflicting and biased information and views out there that it was refreshing to find a person who writes an unbiased website that does not have ads and links all over it. Since before and after finding this blog I did my due diligence by reading books/articles/operation manuals and watching documentaries on the topic of water. Through my own personal research and education I have come to the conclusion that there still isn’t the perfect water system that provides everything I am looking for, even the one I am currently using. Purification is first on my list since there are a lot of contaminants that comes along with tap water. Don’t believe me; get a water report from your city source. R-O provides the best purification but I am against the water waste that results from those systems. Since I wanted to go natural, as opposed to electric, I had to choose between Alkasteam (now Vitev) and Aqualiv.

      My stance on electric water ionizers still is the same when I wrote my previous comments in Mar and Dec 2012. Even though the high negative ORP and the ability to sanitize my house chemical-free with low pH water and soak my veggies clean of pesticides with high pH water was very appealing to me, I chose against an electrical water ionizer for several reasons. First, while reading the manual for the Life Ionizer product I was interested in purchasing, I was concerned that children under a certain age should never drink above “Level 2” water. There were many other safety precautions, warnings and specific instructions regards to proper operation of the machine, and with two kids at the time aged 9 and 5 under my care, I didn’t feel comfortable with that machine in my house. Since you mentioned Kangen water and 2.5pH water, I feel it is safe to assume you are referring to water coming from an Enagic electric water ionizer so I looked up that manual. On page 6 of Enagic Kangen SD-501’s manual it states, “Make sure sufficient ventilation is provided to let out harmful gases that result from Strong Acidic Water. In the worst possible case, your life would be at risk if the gases filling your room has no way out at all.” And on page 11, “Do not install in a unventilated room for chlorine gases produced through electrolysis are highly toxic.” And later on the same page, “Poisoning can result due to the gases given off during operation.” For my family, the water system and water it produces has to be kid-friendly. Life Ionizer, Enagic, or any other electric water ionizer does not fit that bill. The other reasons I chose against going electric are water waste, maintenance, and wanting alkalinity from mineral ionization, not electrocution.

      For future readers, don’t read my comments as the truth. Please do your own research, check and double-check any “facts” you read. I wish everybody good health and happiness.

      Rob, once again thanks for your time and effort you spend on your blog.

  7. Great article! I am a massage therapist in a naturopathic clinic. In our colon hydrotherapy clinic we allow our pateints to fill water bottles (1-3 gallons) free of charge. This is only one of the many topics I have found fault with coming from the quack watch site. I will be adding a like to this article on our website.

    • Hi Rich:

      I checked out your site. I have never tried a colon cleansing, bu my wife is a big fan.

      The “alkaline story” is growing every day. The company that I’m helping out ( continues to get inquiries from big organizations that are discovering the benefits of alkalinity and want tp get out in front of the curve. The information provided by Stephen Lower’s website has always been irrelevent. The fact that pure water can’t be ionized is obvious but when you add alkaline minerals (intentionally, or through the source water itself), ionization is easily achievable. The benefits are real and substantial.

      If you send me a personal email, I will share with you what I have been working on for the past six months. I think it would be perfect for health care professionals like yourself. Geez….I’m really sounding like a salesman now :(

  8. I just ordered aqualiv. Please tell me that it is not a hoax!

    • Hi Linda:

      I’m sure you checked them out before ordering.

      They have been around for awhile and why some of Hoffman’s theories are a little “out there”, the basis of their system is natural ionization which is proven.

  9. Hi Rob,

    Yes, this is Alex from the RO thread. No, I’m not here to be an *** again. I have some questions for you.
    1. Is ionized water and water with an alkaline value the same thing in terms of healthy water? If I remineralize my water to about an 8 ph, is that the same as an ionizer doing so?
    2. I’m curious, because I actually did read Dr. L’s site, and for a while, I was disheartened and convinced that the “healthy water” debate was just a huge bubble. Can you point me in the direction of real, legitimate studies conducted by professional scientists that validate, among other things: (1) ionized water is healthy for you, (2) alkaline water is healthy for you? It would be greatly appreciated.
    I’ll admit, I was convinced with Dr. L’s site, because, well, who wouldn’t trust a chemistry professor when it cam to such subjects as the chemistry of water…
    Thank you for your illuminating article.

    • Hi Alex:

      Great questions…and a courteous demeanor which makes things much more pleasant.

      Your first question requires a complex answer. We all want explanations that fit into neat little packages but sometimes, questions lead to multi faceted answers.

      Ionized water is water that has components with an electrical charge which means that it could be acidic or alkaline. When you introduce water to alkalin metals (Na, K, Mg, Ca) the water will naturally ionize.

      Healthy water is both clean and charged (ionized). Consumption of clean water (as in pure water) is not healthy in the long term because your body will compensate for the lack of Ca and Mg by absorbing them from bones, teeth, thyroid etc.

      If you remineralize your water to a pH of 8, you are definitely doing what water ionizers do because that is exactly what natural water ionizers do. In fact, by mineralizing your water, you are likely making the water more healthy than electric water ionizers.

      I challenged Stephen Lower many years ago. I also had others contact him when he refused to talk to me after refusing to do any testing at my expense at his laboratory. Stephen Lower (I don’t acknowledge his Dr. title out of disrespect for the man because he has personally dissuaded thousands if not tens of thousands of people from benefitting from the water without having the courage to do any personal research) personally admitted that the water “probably works” but he would never admit it until is shows up in the New England Journal of Medicine.

      While criticizing Lower is easy, I respect chemistry. The problem with Lower’s chemistry is that while pure water can’t be ionized, no water in nature is pure. It is the presence of alkali metals that allows ionization. That is why it is so much more difficult to ionize soft water (Vancouver, Seattle) than hard water (most places in Canada and the USA).

      Lower could have done the world a lot of good by letting people know that water with alkali minerals present can be ionized. I would have respect for Lower if he had used his understanding of basic scientific formulas to challenge the numerous unsupportable pseudo science claims spread by the water ionizer companies. Unfortunately, Lower has never showed any scientific interest in learning how or why water ionization work. Instead, he sits back (he is an old guy who has been retired for about 20 years) and lets somebody who understands Search Engine Optimization update his Keywords etc to keep him on the front page of Google searches for water ionizers. I could get into the ugly details about Lower, but the only thing that is important is the science.

      I found 14 different studies listed on the PubMed website (the library for the NIH) a few years ago when I was challenging the false claims of the RO industry. The best site that I know of now is the website run by Tyler Lebaron. Tyler is an impressive young man studying at Brigham Young University who had previous training from leading water researchers in Japan. Tyler’s site lists hundreds of studies by various categories.

  10. Rob,

    Wow, is an AMAZING website. Thank you.

    I was a bit confused as to whether my RO system which remineralizing water (calcium/magnesium) to about 30-60 mg/l) was actually giving me the health benefits of ionized water that comes from the ionizer machines. What it sounds like your saying, is that, whether we add minerals or use an electric current, in theory, the result should be the same. You stated however, that actual minerals may be better. Why is that?

    To follow up, I’m reading an article on the webpage that talks about the saturation point of molecular hydrogen in the water. What I am confused about is, with C and Mg added to my water in the above listed amounts, how do I know what level of saturation with respect to H I am at?

    I guess what I am getting at, is, with the above listed specs, am I getting the benefits of alkaline, H water?

    Thank you Rob!

    • Hi Alex:

      The MHI website is amazing. I have spent many hours talking with and emailing with the owner of the website. He is an impressive young man.

      In theory, any system that creates alkaline water should produce H2 to some degree. Most electric water ionizers produce 0.1ppm to 0.2 ppm. The Enagic SD501 produces 0.4 ppm which may explain why it seems to have more passionate followers other than the financial aspect of selling a MLM system. I had the $59 pitcher that I created tested and it produced as high as 1.0 ppm (5 to 10 times higher than most electric water ionizers and 2.5x times higher than Enagic) but it averaged about 0.3ppm over the testing phase of the filter. The testing facility couldn’t tell me why the results varied over the course of testing. My guess is that the water that travels across the mixture of media that I use gets exposed to different media for different amounts of time. Either way, the $59 pitcher (which produces 9.8pH and -50 to – 700 pH depending upon source water) provides users with exceptional value (yes, that was a blatant plug for the pitcher which you can see at I don’t think there is any way you can predict how your RO + remin filter system performs until someone tests it and it isn’t cheap :( If I had to guess, my bet would be that the Ca doesn’t do much while the Mg does a lot simply due to the fact that Mg is much more reactive with water than Ca. I have learned (the hard way by getting it wrong so many times) that there are many factors affecting performance. For example, the amount and size and shape of the Mg counts. The other media that is mixed with the Mg also has an effect. I have spent a small fortune testing this stuff and it is a wonder than I have any hair left on my head as it is an annoying process. I guess that is why I got offended a while back when you inferred all of this stuff is the same because nothing could be further from the truth. If I had to give you any advice, I would encourage RO users to pour the water from their systems into the pitcher as it is a much cheaper way to go that to replace Calcite or Corosex filters every couple of weeks.

      I can’t answer your question about saturation points as I don’t understand it myself. I know that my pitcher tested out with a max of 62% saturation and averaged between 12.5% and 25% depending upon when the readings were taken. What I think I know based upon my research is that the molecular hydrogen dissipates as time passes. I wrote an article a few years ago called “Drink Your Bubbles” based upon my observations and now I have a scientific explanation of why the bubbles are important. The electric water ionizers lose their H2 really fast (I assume it is due to the violent electrocution process) whereas the natural water ionizers (like your system) maintain the saturation of H2 for a longer period of time.

      I wish I could be more specific about H2, but I’m learning as I go. What does impress me is that now we have an explanation of why the water works instead of having to deal with the BS psuedo science that the electric water ionizer companies have been writing about for years.

  11. I am a newbie to all of this, what I gather is that if you have clean water you are better off with a natural
    water ionizer system as it will replenish the lost minerals from purified water (I live in a major city and run my drinking water through my refrigerator charcoal filter.) My question is are there any other benefits to a natural water ionizer system as it seems to me I can replenish the lost minerals with a vitamin pill.
    Appreciate all the comments in this article, very interesting. Feel free to post your answers and kindly email me also as I am on a borrowed computer.

    • Hi RiverFred:

      The carbon filter in your fridge will remove chlorine, taste and odor which is similar to a Brita filter.

      Vitamin pills come in many different formulations. The natural water ionizers typically add magnesium, potassium and sodium. Some natural water ionizers also add calcium but calcium is readily available in most diets and tap water.

      What you won’t get from vitamins (or mineral drops in large enough quantities) is the production of molecular hydrogen. I will be writing about the importance of molecular hydrogen shortly. Scientific studies have shown that the molecular hydrogen produced ionizing water is responsible for provide therapeutic health benefits for over 80 human diseases. Molecular hydrogen provides the answer of WHY ionized water works.

      I have been working with natural water ionizers for about 3 or 4 years now. They work. I have been creating products for other companies for free during that time as I was tied up with a non-compete agreement with Tyent USA. When my non-compete agreement expired last September, I created a natural water ionizer in the form of a pitcher (see I think people with fridge filters would benefit from pouring the water coming out of your fridge filter into the pitcher to remineralize the water and produce molecular hydrogen.

  12. Rob,
    Thanks for the info. I met a Kangen sales rep. who advised me that Kangen uses a high end metal (titanium) for their filter while other filters are low end which can cause metal flaking, the metal flakes can end up in your kidneys. What is your opinion on this?
    Also, with the yvywater filter I assume you have to test the water to determine when to replace the filter.
    Where can I purchase the testing kit (is it just colored paper?) How do I test it and at what levels do you recommend the filter replaced?

    • Hi RiverFred:

      To the best of my knowledge, all of the electric water ionizers companies use titanium plates with a platinum coating. They all do this because when you shoot electricity through the plates, microscopic metal colloids break off and the human body doesn’t like titanium. I have never heard of a water ionizer hurting kidneys unless too the Ca or Mg content is higher than the kidneys can effectively process.

      It sounds to me like your Kangen rep is regurgitating the “same old, same old” company crap that has been going around forever, which amounts to stories that sound good but are not based upon facts.

      There are now about a thousand VYVwater pitchers “out there” that have been used for Beta testing. Beta testing is a term that can best be described as preliminary advance testing to get feedback from users. Based upon my testing and the feedback that I have received, the filters last about 3 months for almost everybody. I know one guy that has really bad source water and his pitcher lasted 2 1/2 months. He was really pleased with the 2 1/2 month life of the filter because his old system required the filters to be replaced every six months but he had to change them after two months. While the company recommends a life of 2 to 3 months, I would wait the full three months unless you notice a difference in the taste of the water.

      If you want to test the pH of the water, you need to use pH reagent drops because none of the strips work very well. The drops typically cost $10 to $12 plus shipping which is expensive. You could take a sample of the water to a pool and spa store for testing if you don’t have pH drops. I have found that the pH test results for the filters remain very good throughout the life of the filter.

      I would change the filters every three months unless you notice a change in the taste of the water.

  13. Rob thanks again for your response. One final question prior to purchasing the vyvwater system. In regards to the storage of water after it is in the pitcher/filter. I assume keeping it cold in the refrig. will add to the taste, if the water is poured into another container from the pitcher after filtering and left in warm weather for say one week will that have any affect? What is your advice as to storage, length of storage and temperature? As an example I play tennis and keep my water in a plastic water bottle in my tennis bag for an extended period of time.

    • Hi RF:

      It is best to drink the water as fresh as possible at all times. The reason for that is that when water becomes ionized, hydrogen atoms get shed off as a byproduct of the reaction of water to magnesium. When hydrogen atoms bond together, they form molecular hydrogen (H2) which forms a gas and will rise to the surface of the water and evaporate. Since molecular hydrogen has been found to be the source of so many therapeutic benefits, it makes sense to drink the water asap when it is first made before the hydrogen atoms bond together and evaporate on contact with air. The natural water ionizers are much more effective than electric water ionizers because ionization process continues due to the presence of alkali minerals in the water and because the natural process is gentle and the formation of the H2 is slower as opposed to the electrocution process used by electric water ionizers.

      I don’t think it makes any difference whether you store the water in the fridge or on the counter so it is really a matter of personal preference. The goal to preservation of the molecular hydrogen is to minimize the contact of the water with air.

      I’m not a fan of plastic bottles but I use one almost every day when I ride my bike. I always pour fresh water into my bottle before heading out.

  14. With the VYV water system, once you pour the water into the pitcher/filter what is the processing time prior to drinking the water or is it instantaneous? I understand that you recommend drinking the water as soon as it is processed.

  15. Appreciating the dedication you put into your site and in depth information you present.
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    your RSS feeds to my Google account.

  16. Hi Rob,

    Now that you’re not working for the Vitev company anymore, I think you can give an unbiased opinion.
    I’ve been in contact with a Kangen rep, they’ve given me demos but the price tag puts me off and also the idea of electronically charged water doesn’t sit well with my gut instinct.

    I’m considering either the vitev or the aqualiv. What are the pros and cons of each?

    I like the idea that both are non electrically charged, but I’m concerned about the RO removing everything from the water and then only adding one or two minerals back in, whereas the aqualiv doesn’t do this.

    Can you help me weigh up my options please!

  17. Just curious to ask the forum, I bought an Alkastream a few years ago and it was ok, never really got to the Ph that I saw in some of the other folks who talked about it and it seemed to run out long before the 6 months. maybe our water is just hard or something and it really gives it a run for its money. I researched the heck out of it back in the day but I have basically not changed the filters on it in over a year now and it is just sitting there so I am back to the drawing board. I understand it is discontinued so likely filters for it are either a fortune or not available at all. What is the latest news in this space? Has anyone come up with any cheaper alternatives to get solid alkaline water at an affordable price? I have been adding drops to most of my water as of late. I see Dr Robert Young is pimping a new model. Has anyone tried that? I guess my question is incorporating initial cost, reoccurring costs, what is the most affordable way to get solid alkaline water out of a tap now across the board? Is it a filter machine or is it a full on filtration alkaline system that costs you a couple of grand? Any thoughts? I used to be so up on this but it all fell by the wayside in the last year or two on what is the most cost effective way to get the highest quality water. Thanks all!

    • Hi Mike:

      You should still be able to get the Alkastream filters at in Canada or in the USA. I assume the filters are the same price as they always were which is $129 (they say the filters should be changed every six months). I’m told that when the last of the filters are sold out, Vitev will replace the Alkastream with it’s new model called the Flo for the same price of the filter itself, which is $129. The American made Flo originally sold for $399 vs the $329 price tag of the Chinese made Alkastream. Vitev recently dropped the price of the Flo to $249 which they say is the result of improved efficiency due to higher sales and the fact that they have recovered their original start up costs. I’m impressed that Vitev cares that much about their customers because I have never seen that anywhere else. I tested the Flo extensively when it was first introduced and it performed very well.

      In regards to your hard water, I think Vitev still sells a hard water solution that is used by coffee shops all over the world. Coffee shops use a lot of water and hard water destroys their supply lines and equipment. Hard water is the enemy of water ionizers.

      • Hey Rob, thanks as always. You are indeed the “Water Man!” hehe. Couple of quick snapper questions…..

        In terms of cost of operations, generally between the Alkastream or now Flo or whatever it is called, if you are spending 129 a year X 2 so 260 a year just for filters, how does that stack up against the average ionizer that are 1-2K to buy? How much are those filters cost wise on a yearly basis and is the quality of water THAT much better? I understand if you are filling your tub with it to have a bath every night you are going to need to change them faster but I am just talking general drinking water consumption for a family of 4 say. Secondly, I saw on the video that the Flo attaches to the tap in the sink and diverts the water into the filter and then out through the little tap on top. Is there a way you can hook it under the counter like the old Alkastream under sink assembly so you do not have to unscrew the attachment on the faucet thing every time you want to wash your dishes and all that jazz and have it plumbed from its own dedicated line that is there still from the Alkastream? If I have to drop the 129 now for a filter it is just as well to order the new rig and get it over with for the 129 or are they only selling them to current users when the filters are all gone?

        Thanks man!


        • Hi Mike:

          The electric water ionizers and the natural water ionizers all seem to have similar costs for filters. I personally think the cost is too high for all of them, but that’s just me. I like the natural units better for a lot of reasons including the fact that the up cost price is so much lower.

          I assume the Vitev guys can hook you up with an under the counter version of the Flo. They have been replacing the under the counter Alkastream units with their new Flo under the counter units for quite awhile. They tell me that the Alkastream under the counter units eventually leak due to the fact that the Alkastream units were not designed to withstand constant water pressure. That is one of the reasons they decided to go with the new American Flo unit.

          I suspect Vitev (call them) can send you a new under the counter canister and filter that will replace your Alkastream. The setup should only take a few seconds as you already have your existing in place and everything connects with the pressure fit quick connects. Just remember to shut the water supply off first or you might get a face wash (unfortunately speaking from experience too many times in such matters).

  18. Hello rob:

    I have been to a enagic seminar and let me tell you this, they act as if they are the Ferrari in the industry and everyone else are knock offs. Second, they will not let you ask questions out loud and they bash jupiter ionizers like it’s there job. Lastly, if you were to rate the top three ionizers in the industry right now, what would you chose? Also, how do you feel about jupiter?

    Thanks Rob

    • Hi Robert:

      Enagic has the best marketing. Their machines work…but so do the others.

      I don’t feel equipped to rate the electric water ionizers today as I stopped working with them about three years ago. I started using non-electric water ionizers because they also work, they produce more stable ionization, they put minerals into the water….and….they are a fraction of the price. I don’t see myself ever going back to using electric water ionizers

      If someone gave me my choice of receiving a water ionizer that I couldn’t resell for a profit, I would take the Vitev Maxx ($795) as it is clearly the best product on the market imo. It cleans the source water (reverse osmosis function), it remineralizes ideally according to the WHO (World Health Organization), it uses up to 80% less water than standard RO systems, and it fills the holding tank up to 4 times faster than standard RO systems. For those looking for the best bang for your buck, I like the VYVwater pitcher ($59) as it does what all good water ionizers should do at a very low cost.

      At one time I though the guys at Jupiter were pretty ethical so I was a fan….I later found out differently so I’m not a fan….but their machines do work.

      • Rob,
        I’ve decided on the VYV water system as a stop gap while we decide on a system that will remove fluoride as well. I don’t see that this one does and am wondering if there is a system that does everything this system does as well as removes fluoride. We have used a Berkey for a couple of years but just passed it off to our daughter for her health. It does have the fluoride filter.
        Thanks in advance!
        Pam A.

        • Hi Pam:

          I’m not a “conspiracy” guy as my wife is the conspiracy person in our family. However, it boggles my mind that any municipality chooses to put fluoride into their water supply.

          This is how I see the ability of the VYVwater filter in terms of importance:

          1) It gets people drinking more water because the water tastes great. Most people don’t drink enough water
          2) It produces dissolved molecular hydrogen for about a week after running plain white vinegar through the filter. The test results after cleaning the filter show 1.0ppm
          of H2, but the results back off to about 0.3ppm after a few hours, which remain fairly stable for the better part of a week
          3) It adds Mg to the water (according to Dr. Caroline Dean, more than 97% of people are Mg deficient) which add alkalinity (as opposed to alkaline which is irrelevant)

          The VYVwater filter will remove fluoride but only for a short period of time, which is true for any filter which contains DI resin or Activated Alumina.

          If all goes well with my trip next week (meeting engineers and chemists) in Florida and Nevada, I will be joining a company as a representative for them. That will be a first after 7 years of being on the sidelines. I have consulted for short periods of time over the years for various water filter companies to help them choose media for their filters and then test them (I once answered the telephone for a few weeks for a company to get feedback from their customers as part of the process which I really enjoyed). However, I have never chosen to actually “work” for a company since 2009. This particular company will be selling water products that are focused on the ability of the products to produce molecular hydrogen. The VYVwater filter will be the “starter” product for the company as it offers an extremely low cost means of producing H2. The company will be offering other products that cost more money that produce much higher levels of H2 without having to go through a “cleaning” process. I’m not a lazy person, but whenever I can find an easier way to get something done, I generally go with the easier way as long as the math makes sense. Hopefully I will be announcing a shameless promotion for the company by the middle of this month as I have finally found a situation where the consumer comes first.

  19. Thanks Rob! I actually just purchased the vitev flo system!

    My question to you is can the vitev flo produce the same -orp levels as an ionizer.. Reason I’m asking is, I heard the orp is the most important thing rather than a high ph..

    Also, what was your complaint about jupiter? There’s machines don’t work as well as people thought? I think they are priced pretty fairly compared to others!

    Anyway, when you have a minute I would like to hear what you think..

    Thanks for getting back to me!


  20. Honestly, did you set this site up just to sell your product. Please be straight up. My wife is dealing with a life threatening disease. Thanks, Jon (530) 966-6295

    • Hi Jon:

      It was great speaking with you on the telephone. You inspired me with you dedication to helping your wife with everything from diet to treatments etc. My thoughts are with you and your family.

      As you learned during the conversation, I don’t sell anything on my website and I’m not involved in the water business. Water has been a hobby for me during the past 5 years. I have gotten back into business this year, but the business has nothing to do with water. I’m proud to say that both of my sons have gotten involved in the water industry so I guess my years of passion for water did rub off on them.

  21. Hey Rob, in your opinion does the extra cost of the Vitev Maxx justify the cost over getting a Flo?


    • Hi Mike:

      They are similar but different products.

      Similarities: they both ionize, they both produce molecular hydrogen, they both produce alkaline water, and they both add alkali minerals to the water.

      Differences: the Maxx is extremely efficient at removing contaminants from the water while the Flo only removes chorine and some heavy metals to a limited extent
      : the Maxx adds alkali minerals at a much more controlled and stable level which falls within the optimum levels recommended by
      the World Health Organization
      : the Maxx provides a more consistent level of pH because the source water will be very similar no matter the location

      If someone was giving me a unit for free, I would take the Maxx because I think it makes the best drinking water in the world. However, if you are drinking from a municipal source water that doesn’t contain nasty contaminants (such as fluoride) or if the contaminants in the source water don’t bother you at the levels they are found, then the Flo will do the job for a lot less money.

      Everyone has different personal tolerance levels as to what amount of contaminants are acceptable. In our home, my wife prefers the Maxx because of the convenience of being able to get the water directly from the tap.

  22. How would one go about finding that out? Do you call the city to ask or is there a site in line that lists all the additives in city water?


    • Hi Mike:

      If you call the city, they should be able to direct you to the water works department or be able to direct you to a website. More and more cities are putting their information online. At the very least, they should be able to tell you if they have fluoride in the water and if so, at what concentration. Most cities don’t want to talk about nasty stuff in the water because it scares people.

  23. I purchased an Aqualiv system. I have it in service it appears to have helped some health problems. I had an R.O. system that i bought several years ago. After reading several items on R.O. units stripping the minerals out of the water . we bought the Aqua Liv system. You have a passion about water and its make up that is healthy for consumption. I would value your comments on the Aqualiv system .

    Regards John Frazier

    • Hi John:

      I have read the promotional material on the Aqualive system but I have never tested one. I have always been intriqued by the claims the Aqualiv makes. I have also been very disappointed in the evidence that Aqualiv offered to back up their claims. I will continue to remain on the fence about their claims until they show me something that I can sink my teeth into.

      I’m happy to hear that you think it has “helped some health problems”. I would be interested in hearing about what health problems it has helped. Please let readers know what health conditions you had, and how the water has helped.

  24. I’m a newbie here. I have a ro unit and didn’t realize it could be harmful. What is the best and cheapest way to ads the goods stuff back in? I just simply can’t afford the expensive alkalizing water units. I went with the ro because we have flouride added to our water here in our area. What are you thoughts?
    I really appreciate your time.

    • Hi Nicole:

      Don’t apologize for being a Newbie. I have always found that it is easier to educate those with a “clean slate” than to persuade those that have bought into the marketing hype that is based upon non-scientific mumbo jumbo.

      Your choice of an RO system to remove fluoride was the right decision. Your decision to put the “good stuff” back is also the right decision. I use a REMIN filter from Vitev ( which sells for $129. I don’t want to get into a long discussion about molecular hydrogen (H2) here, but suffice it to say that it is the presence of H2 that creates all the health benefits associated with alkaline water and my Vitev Remin produces great H2 levels.

      The best way to check if a RO system or a RO system with a Remin filter is working is to use pH drops. If a RO system without a Remin filter produces a pH of 6.5 or higher, the membrane is no longer working. If a RO system with a Remin filter is producing a pH of 7.5 or lower, the Remin filter is probably not working. You might want to buy pH drops from whatever company you purchase a Remin filter from.

  25. Good job, Rob.
    I noted a few postings here quoting what certain researchers and doctors say.
    Common folks have a tendency to believe in everything the Doctor says.
    Doctors are not researchers and they have to rely on reported research findings.
    However, doctors may not be fully aware if the research findings are authentic or not.
    Unscrupulous researchers may even fake findings in exchange for money.
    Only doctors who have also spent a lot of their own time to do research will be wiser to know the truth of any research findings.
    Therefore, whatever the doctors tell you and claimed may not be always the truth, whether intentionally or not.
    And if you are a doctor, ask yourself honestly first whether or not a reported research finding does make any common sense and scientific sense!
    And NEVER believe in any Godless scientist. A scientist who denounced the existence of the Creator God is like a frog-in-the-well, stubbornly refusing to take a quantum leap out of the well to explore the vast truths outside the well, and their “scientific” knowledge ends within the walls of the well.


    • Hi Pierre:

      Maybe it is just fate, but the scientists who mentor me are very spiritual.

      I don’t talk publicly about religion or politics. That advice came from my Mother a long, long time ago.

      As far a doctors go, my Dad was a brilliant physician who I had and continue to have the greatest respect for long after he passed away. Are doctors wrong about many things in regards to health? Absolutely, but we should not condemn doctors when it is the education system that they are subjected to that is responsible for the close-mindedness that plagues our health system. It appears that my self-imposed regulation of my thoughts on politics and religion does not pertain to our health care system.

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