Being the adequate balance of essential minerals provided for optimal metabolic performance.
In water these minerals are solved and charged. Chemically we call them ions, biologically we call them electrolytes.
Negatively charged minerals (negative ions or electrolytes) give the water an electrical negative charge and there with an alkaline pH.
That is why we call it alkaline water.
In clean water, mineralization is measured in ppm (parts per million) with a TDS meter.
Since ancient times, all over the world, a few sources of natural water, such as springs or rivers, have become famous for their healing and invigorating properties. Because these positive properties could not be explained scientifically, these waters were called miracle waters and their effects could only be described as placebo.
The best known cases are the miraculous waters of Nordenau, Germany; Tlacote, Mexico and Hunza, India.
Just a few decades ago the physical and chemical characteristics of these waters were studied and their possible relationship to health was documented.
Studies showed that water from these sources, due to the combination of mineral substrates from which they emanate, is enriched with essential minerals in a balanced ratio that produces mineral alkaline water. The right amount of essential minerals is important for the optimal functioning of our body.
The alkaline pH of the water was immediately linked with the Bohr Effect.
The Bohr Effect is a hemoglobin property first described in 1904 by the Danish physiologist Christian Bohr (father of physicist Niels Bohr).
At a lower pH, (more acidic. more hydrogen ions) hemoglobin joins with oxygen with less affinity.
This linkage clarifies why people who drink alkaline water recover some degree of vitality. By drinking alkaline water the blood pH is balanced within its spectrum, to the alkaline side. The "alkaline" blood is more liquid: it flows better and increases the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen.
By increasing the amount of oxygen that hemoglobin can carry, more oxygen is transported to the cells. This results in a greater burning of fats and sugars while increasing energy and vitality.
This biochemical balance in the body leads to a second beneficial effect on health.
The Haldane Effect is a property of hemoglobin first described by John Scott Haldane, a scottish Doctor.
Blood deoxygenation increases the ability of hemoglobin to carry carbon dioxide.
When hemoglobin transports a greater amount of oxygen and efficiently delivers it to the tissues and cells, increased deoxygenation allows better removal of acids from the body.