Kangen Water: Change Your Water, Change Your Life

On the claim that it kills 99% of bacteria and spraying it on the back of your throat will prevent a cold - colds are caused by viruses, not bacteria.

Keep up the good work teaching the public about pseudoscientific nonsense.

Matt Gorman, Bernville, PA
February 03, 2009 10:10am

"Alkaline water detoxifies and cleanses your colon. Without it, mucoid plaque clogs your bowels and contributes to many diseases."

This is my favorite claim ever (for it's absolutely blistering stupidity.)

True story...a few years ago, a cousin of mine (who I'm far from fond of) bought one of these little miracle machines because she was about a half-step away from having her colon hacked out and needing a colostomy bag for the rest of her life. Well, she whined, moaned, bitched and begged until someone paid a plumber to go to her house and hook it up and *gasp* wonder of wonders, six months down the line her colon was no longer in danger! And it was the maaaagiiiic waaaaterrr that did it! Not the six months of medication. Not the six months of exercise. Not the 62 pound weight loss. The water!

Of course there was quite a profound effect due to the water...but that effect was due to the fact that what she was drinking actually WAS water, and not Mountain freakin' Dew.

Of course...when I tried to mention that to a couple of people I was immediately shouted down, and (not really liking any of them much) was also more than happy to let them believe whatever the hell they want and spend all thier available cash on it. Hell, we live in a market economy; caveat emptor, stupid. Someone who's trying to sell you something completely unnecessary "for your health" isn't someone interested in your health, it's just someone interested in your wallet.

Kate, Des Moines, IA
February 03, 2009 1:17pm

You might also ask the purveyors about buffer capacity, which is essentially the ability of the water to resist changes in pH. of course anything with significant buffer capacity is going to taste pretty dreadful. And they're generating hypochlorite, isn't that what the awful municipal water suppliers add to their water?

Graham Jackman, Melbourne
February 03, 2009 2:24pm

"It is well known in the medical community that an overly acidic body is the root of many common diseases, such as obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes, high blood-pressure and more."

Hehe, that's why 4 out of 5 doctors recommend Kangen water.

Max, Boston, MA
February 03, 2009 8:11pm

There is a good debunking about the whole 'acidity causes all diseases' claim here:
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2007/06/your_friday_dose_of_woo_acid_base_or_woo_2.php

Justin, Fargo
February 04, 2009 10:10am

Ionized water is relatively meaningless as most
Chemist work with deionized (distilled) water. Ionized would just mean its not just water.

Paul, Denver Colorado
February 04, 2009 12:44pm

This is an excellent podcast regarding an issue I have tried to argue personally. To my dismay, my wife purchased an ionizer made by Jupiter. I think we only paid a couple hundred dollars, which is bad enough.

I am not actually sure where my wife came across the idea to purchase the device, since, as I pointed out, a number of prominent alt-med types (Andrew Weill, Mike Adams, Dr. Mercola, etc.) recommend AGAINST them. For example:

http://www.naturalnews.com/021687.html

One correction to the podcast (at least with respect to my unit). The Jupiter does generate hypochlorite ions, but they are discarded as waste water. Essentially, the water coming in from the tap is "ionized" and then separated, based on the physical separation of the electrodes. Thus, the water which comes out of the ionizer spout is alkaline (about 8.5 when I measured) and the water coming out the back is similarly acidic. You can wash dishes or give this to plants I guess or pour it down the drain.

I get some ionization with my plain tap water, without adding salts. I guess we have enough salts in the water supply. I didn't realize that Kangen required you to add salts then run the ionizer. If you are willing to add metal ions to your water, why not just add lye (NaOH) directly? In fact, one of the water hucksters does sell lye solution with a "proprietary" mixture of NaOH and KOH. I find it amusing that people go to these lengths to get the same outcome as adding lye to filtered water.

Michael, Cupertino, CA
February 04, 2009 7:05pm

This is a bit off topic, but here goes.

I sat through a Kangen MLM pitch once, at the invitation of a friend. It was sad and pathetic. The senior presenter was a seemingly intelligent professional woman, who was drawn into the Kangen world after the products apparently helped her and her child with some health problems. The rest seemed out of their element in explaining the financial or scientific principles behind the MLM approach or the products.

The presentation relied hugely on anecdotes and testimonials, which is a major red flag for me. They did a few tests of kinesthesiology which is a joke to watch. One of the women tried the test on me -- I held the tips of my thumb and middle fingers together in an "o". She tried to seperate them, failed, then tried again after putting a cell phone near my body. That was presumably going to weaken me because of the radiation. She was kind of surprised when she still couldn't open my fingers, because I am reasonably strong and have no desire to make her ridiculous point for her.

She also had some pendant offering a triple-whammy of woo, which I wish I could remember specifically. I recall it had special magnets, some kind of circuit to counteract negative energy, plus some other benefit like Feng Shui.

Overall, given the people in attendance, who were presumably looking for legitimate business and health opportunities, I found the whole experience nauseating.

Michael, Palo Alto, CA
February 05, 2009 11:38am

I see that you only let people that agree with you post comments here. I posted a very long comment which basically proved that the water actually works and your research is WAY off but it is not posted here. Thank goodness for censorship. (I doubt THIS will make it through the censors)

Michael, Houston
February 05, 2009 3:28pm

Save your comments in Word, and then transfer them over to the comment box. Its not censorship, sometimes the comments just don't take the first time round. Though if you are transferring a comment from Word make a few minor changes (e.g., delete the last word then rewrite it) to what you have written so the character counter indicates how many characters you have used, then post your comment. Otherwise I propose that you are not able to add two numbers accurately.

Bronson, Sydney, Australia
February 05, 2009 5:41pm

Post it again, Michael.
If you have refrained from blatant ad hom attacks, and downright cretinism, it will pass muster.
Just read some of the messages on topics with"creationism' in the title, to see how many people who do not agree with Brian are not "censored".

Marius vanderLubbe, nullabour plain, Australia
February 05, 2009 5:43pm

Hey Brian, call me what you want. I've been drinking alkaline water from my alkalizer machine for over 10 years. My whole family has, including my immediate family and friends who will listen. I don't have a health or weight problem to complain about compared to the digestive, lower back pain, acid reflux, and low energy problems. My health is better than it was 10 years ago. My family members have had some pretty incredible health benefits happen to them as well. I'm not pitching the Kangen or the Jupiter because they are way too much and take advantage of people. It's too bad there are marketers who ruin a good product in the name of money.

Brad, Morgan Hill, CA
February 05, 2009 11:09pm

That's great. Of course none of the problems you just said you don't have are related to drinking alkaline water. It's nice that you're healthy but correlation does not equal causation.

I don't have any of those problems either and to my knowledge I've never consumed alkaline water.

Craig, Washington DC
February 06, 2009 8:37am

I have a Culligan water filter in my refrigerator, it makes water tasty. That is the only health benefit you get from "water treatments". I couldn't drink the local tap water(smells and tastes bad) with out it.

Ashley, Pratt, Kansas
February 06, 2009 5:21pm

I agree with Ashley: These "Kangen" systems sound an awful lot like a water softener. Softeners do make water taste better, and let a washing machine get clothes cleaner, but aren't typically claimed to have health benefits.

Benjamin Geiger, Bartow, FL
February 07, 2009 7:13pm

If you connected one of these machines to your water supply and had health benefits, the first thing I'd suspect (aside from it just being a coincidence) would be whether the benefit was just from filtering the water as a side effect of the process, and that your water supply was bad. It seems to me that if you're worried about your water, the first thing you should do is test it, and if necessary buy a relatively inexpensive filter rather than some weird pseudo-scientific device.

I find this interesting: "Ionized water molecules form into hexagonal rings, which allow the water to be better absorbed by your body."

It's like someone saw a diagram of benzene, then thought that the shape was magic. It's interesting how pseudo-science works -- basically, scientific imagery is used in a superstitious way.

Paul, Walnut Creek, CA
February 08, 2009 2:24pm

Great episode, plus was a great refresher of my A-level chemistry level knowledge of water. Although, was I the only one who really needed the loo after listening to this? Bloody rushing water sounds!

Grace, London, UK
February 08, 2009 5:14pm

Paul, maybe they saw a diagram of ice, which has sort of a hexagonal structure. So instead of drinking water, just eat ice.

Max, Boston, MA
February 08, 2009 6:21pm

cool episode as ever. however, your googling is incorrect. search for their slogan (including quotes)

"Change your water - change your life."

gets 55,300 results. considerably less than 49 million, but not bad at all. without the quotes will bring up pages with those words on in any old order.

Rob Ireland, Dunsmuir CA
February 08, 2009 9:26pm

It's an interesting insight into the mind of the believer. There's a problem with the posting of a response. I curse the computer and my stupidity for not first copying the text for safety. He goes straight to censorship and conspiracy.
BTW the operating word is "lengthy". There's an equally applied character counter...

Shahar Lubin, Chiang Mai
February 08, 2009 11:18pm

Is "Kangen Water" a Marin County fad? Never heard of it, and the price tag is awfully high. Sounds like the upscale version of those $9.95 "water magnetizers" they advertise on TV--you clamp them around your water pipes, and they "polarize" your water, which does all kinds of good things. As Barney the purple dinosaur used to say, "Use your imagination!" Then he gave a brainless laugh.

John, Annandale, VA
February 09, 2009 10:43am

I find that alkaline has helped my dehydration, as it adds more to your body than tap water could. I found that adding a water ionizer to my kitchen made a huge impact on my life. But, do some research. You'll find more info on http://www.lifeionizers.com/?utm_source=A&utm_medium=B&utm_campaign=C

Andrea, San Diego
February 16, 2009 3:20pm

Andrea, that is a link to a company who makes money selling these machines to gullible folks, hardly a good place to 'do some research' about the supposed health benefits of the technology.

Josh, Chicago
February 16, 2009 4:32pm

Great episode. Most water companies this way advertise that their water is 'pure' and free of harmful impurities etc., thus making our bodies the 'filters' - i wonder if this could have been discussed as well.
Anthony.

Anthony, Adelaide - Australia
February 22, 2009 9:19pm

Well, it is possible there might be a real use for electolyzed water. Not by drinking it, though.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-magicwater23-2009feb23,0,2307567.story?page=1

Icepick, Ellicott City, MD
February 23, 2009 5:36am

It's never lupus.

Dr. house, Princeton, New Jersey
March 08, 2009 6:00pm

Kangen water has changed my life. I was almost bed ridden. I have 5 bulged discs and a broken bone in my neck, I have arthrities in my hand and wrist and was also diagnosed with Fibromyalgia which had me down and very depressed.

I have NO more pain at all in my hand and wrist, I have not had a fibromyalgia symptom since I started the kangen water. My neck has had very minimal pain if not any at times.

Can you explain that?

Colette Harms, Chehalis, WA.
March 27, 2009 8:36pm

I can explain that, Collete:

You're either lying, or your not telling us about the actual medical treatments you've received (which is still lying by omission). Take your pick.

Daniel "Theophage" Clark, Tucson, AZ
March 28, 2009 6:50pm

I'm really sorry that YOU feel that way, but I have nothing to gain from lying about my health. I'm not quite sure about what you mean by "treatment" I am on none. The only treatment I get is massage, a sm amount of Chiropractic. That is something I have gotten for many years. I have gone off of my pain medicine too. You really shouldn't knock something you haven't tried. I fell sorry for you , as to call someone a lier, that you know nothing about. Maybe you don't have a life?

Colette Harms, Chehalis, WA.
March 28, 2009 8:47pm

Collette,

I don't think that you are being doubted merely because of Daniel's lack of 'life'. Rather, the idea that water has enough therapeutic properties to heal your list of ailments is in question here. Lying is just another option of explanation that is being explored. It is not intended to be hurtful or peronal in anyway. Yes, we know nothing about you on the level in which you epressed. Which is why it is hard to accecpt that Kagen water has "healed you". Many times the pathology is multi-factorial. I'm confident that your water treatment in some fashion resulted in less stress. However, such items as diet, exercise, medications, mental status, and relationships are factors that could impact your overall health. It is unlikely that Kagen water is solely responsible for your claimed recovery based on what we know about modern medecine and chemistry.

Brett, RVA
March 29, 2009 5:51am

I'm sorry to say, but I can plainly see that not a lot of intelligent folks frequent this site. So I will be on my merry way. You may all continue to entertain each other. I will go and delete all of the tracking cookies that attach themselves each time I've been to this site.

Have a great life and remember:

"Change your water change your life".
:-)
Warm Regards,

Colette

Colette Harms, Chehalis, WA.
March 29, 2009 11:57am

Do you routinely refer to devices endorsed by the medical establishment and used in hospitals for several decades as 'fads?'
Enagic is the only water ionizer machine that has these endorsements, and provides the documentation for download on their website.
http://www.itshealthywater.com/lealdragon/ (click on 'Certification')
Respectfully, Sir, why do you make false statements? We can demonstrate tap water pH 7.5 ORP +350 input and water pH 9.5+ ORP -700 output. How, Sir, can you say that this is 'nothing?' This is NOT nothing. This SOMETHING.
If you are speaking of the cheaply-made competitor machines on the market, I would agree with you. However, you have mentioned our company's trademark, Kangen Water™, and therefore have lumped us in with the machines that do little or nothing. The Enagic water ionizer machine is a certified medical device in Japan, used in hundred of hospitals, and the subject of hundreds of clinical studies.

Surely you are not intending to convey that tap water is pure water? The Enagic runs on tap water. Therefore, any discussion of pure water is entirely irrelevant. NO salt or chemicals, are added to our alkaline drinking water.

Gosh, then are you saying that the Aisan researchers who have conducted OVER 300 CLINICAL STUDIES ON HEXAGONAL WATER are WRONG?

Hydroclorities come out the ACID HOSE, NOT the alkaline hose.

You confuse BLOOD pH with BODY pH. pH of water is not changed...the water is separated. NO SALT IS ADDED. Please get educated!

Monica Leal, San Antonio
April 09, 2009 9:54pm

Brian, I truly apologize for so many people trying to sell you stuff. I do want to bring up one point that you my find interesting: water does form hexagonal crystals...it's called ice, before any salespeople try to jump on me and misquote me. The water doesn't have to be 'ionized' or anything, but it does have to be cold. People, don't try to sell stuff on here. It's annoying, and you obviously have no idea what you're saying. Brian, keep up the good work, I enjoy the podcast.

Joseph, Norman
April 11, 2009 2:40pm

People are already motivated to buy Snake Oil.

AKK, WAshington DC
April 14, 2009 1:08pm

Are you accusing Japanese hospitals of serving snake oil?

Japan, a technologically advanced country, who ranks #1 in the world for health and longevity, as compared to the US who ranks #38 (right below Cuba).

Monica Leal, San Antonio
April 14, 2009 10:09pm

There are many misunderstandings about 'Kangen.' There is no Kangen machine. The Japanese company named Enagic makes a several models of an ionizer that produces Kangen Water, Enagic's trademark term for water with a pH of 8.5 to 9.5.

There is no need to add salts to the machine to produce this water. The machine uses the naturally occurring minerals in water (including tap water) such as calcium and magnesium. You and Professor Lower are correct that pure water cannot be ionized. However, but pure water has to be created, usually by distillation which takes out everything including these minerals.

A salt solution is used to produce strong acidic water with a pH of 2.5. This strong acid water is what kills bacteria. If you do your math, you see that it's more than a 1 or 2 point difference between strong acid water and tap water. There's a 4.5 point difference on the pH scale.

Professor Lower's site states that pure water cannot be ionized, with the innuendo that water ionizers cannot change the pH of tap water. Obviously, he's not done any testing of these devices. If you use a scientific approach and actually test the water from the machine with a pH meter (a real device), you'll see that they do exactly as claimed. From tap water with a pH of 7, the machine will produce one stream of water with a pH of 8.5 to 9.5 with another stream of waste water. This is done without any salt.

Testing the machine will also show that the machine does produce water with a pH of 2.5

Tim Blank, Green Bay, WI
April 16, 2009 4:45am

I have been using an ionizer for a few years now (from Royal Water). Like the one mentioned above, it does not use extra additives, just tap water - and it comes with a pH testing kit so I know it does what it says.

BUT...

1. Regarding either hexagonal water or health benefits, I have yet to see any peer-reviewed studies cited by anyone (NOT clinical trials).

2. I am still confused about blood pH and body pH, but I do find it hard to believe that the pH of imbibed water can have an effect after passing through the stomach.

3. I enjoy the taste of the alkaline water, but I can't help feeling that this is probably mainly due to the internal ("biostone") filtration cartridge. This seems to do the job, though the utter nonsense about infrared energy is laughable.

On balance, after listening to this episode, I am now reluctant to use the machine any more as I am a total skeptic in all other areas and I think this was my last remaining "blind spot". For a couple of years I had felt that it must be pseudo-science but I refused to recognize that I'd been duped because I paid a lot for the machine (less than half what was quoted on the podcast though). I have removed it from the kitchen, and I feel a bit peeved that I was taken in.

Or was I? Are there any benefits? Any peer-reviewed papers? I mean to find out: but I'm not expecting to be surprised...

Mike Torr (Mac Account), Southampton, UK
April 16, 2009 4:58pm

Skeptoid's article is a classic example of making up your mind first and then doing some research to support your preconceived ideas. No open mind here.

The claim that the machines do nothing beyond basic water filtration while appealing to skeptics is laughably false. As mentioned above, they do what they claim to do. Skeptoids own scientific analysis explains why they do.

"When there are more hydroxide ions, it's because the solution contains positively charged metal ions like sodium, calcium or magnesium for those hydroxide ions to bind to, thus making the solution alkaline. ... Pure water has neither such chemicals in it, and so it has neutral pH. To electrolyze or ionize water, you must add some chemicals of one type or the other."

Guess what -- tap water isn't pure water. It has naturally occurring calcium and magnesium, and during the electolysis process the hydroxide ions bind to these chemicals. The analysis using 'pure water' is just misleading as you don't get pure water from your faucet.

Ray Kurzweil is a respected scientist who like many people was skeptical when he first heard of ionizers. "As responsible scientists, we had the same skepticism when we first heard about alkaline water." But he did what Skeptoid wouldn't dream of doing. Experimented. Tested. Repeated the testing. And the tests revealed the ionizers do change the pH.

You can repeat Kurzweil's experiment. I did after I read Lower's work. And I had the same result as Kurzweil.

Tim Blank, Green Bay, WI
April 18, 2009 4:21am

Skeptoid's article is a classic example of making up your mind first and then doing some research to support your preconceived ideas. No open mind here.

EXACTLY!!!

see tis whole idiotic side! I said before in other articles it is DEFENDING!!!!!!!!!!!

and furhermore very uncreative, rich, or really critical.

It SEEMS criticasl all over the place if you don't know the rest of a subject.

Lot of peeple think they know stuff while not really researched anything with an open mind

but you know, skeptics.

Your mind is like a parachute, it works best when open!

but I know this won't help this very disturbed people.

Pindar, Holland
April 18, 2009 7:40pm

For some reason, I can't help but think of Pindar as some sort of manic-depressive sort of person, who types all this in a manic state. I request that you at least spell-check your posts, because it lends less authority to your argument when you misspell 'people', 'criticals', and 'furthermore'. Additionally, English may or may not be your first language, but check your grammar. I fail to understand why anyone pays attention to you when you have so many extra spaces and misplaced or repeated words and phrases. I'm not trying to attack you personally, and I accept that your opinions are different, but I would count it as a favor for you to post without that 'manic' feel.

Joseph, Norman
April 19, 2009 12:48pm

The company I work for just installed an ionizer. The internet seems to be a 50/50 split on the validity of these machines. What does a good skeptic do with this? I would like to learn more about this topic if anyone has any information they would like to share. Thank you

Ron Hughston, Mason City Iowa
April 28, 2009 5:54pm

I can understand being skeptical about newfangled gadgets that are unproven.

But Enagic water ionizer machines are:

USED IN JAPANESE HOSPITALS

ENDORSED BY THE JAPANESE MINISTRY OF HEALTH (similar to the US FDA)

ENDORSED BY THE JAPANESE ASSOCIATION FOR THE PREVENTION OF ADULT DISEASES (6500+ MDs)

ENDORSED BY DR. HIROMI SHINYA, INVENTOR OF THE COLONOSCOPE

What more do you want, people???

Monica Leal, San Antonio
April 28, 2009 11:46pm

Something better than appeals to authority. It needs to have some scientific data attached to it for us to believe you.

Endorsements are not science. Testimonials are not science. Data and testing is science. As soon as there are some peer reviewed tests, then it will be considered science.

Joseph Furguson, Brawley, Ca
April 29, 2009 5:53am

"As soon as there are some peer reviewed tests, then it will be considered science."

Peer reviewed??!!

That is absolutely NO Guarentee!!!!

ever taken a skeptical look at the 'peer review' process? Right!

Give it a try!!

and have a laugh at science then!

Pindar, Germany
April 30, 2009 9:03am

Just as an example that NO ONE should believe you just because you say so... In your first attack on "Kangen" water you say that "ionizing water makes it alkaline" is false. First you claim that in order to acheive this it requires "chemicals" to achieve the desired ph level. As with many "attack" sites, such as yours. YOU ARE WRONG and peddling misinformation. The saline used in the Enagic "Kangen" water machine is used strictly for the purpose of enhancing the electrolysis process for creating the "strong acidic" water. The drinking water (ph8.5-9.5) is achieved purely by ionizing the water through electrical charge. Simple ph tests show tap water in my area at 7ph from the tap (neutral) and 8.5-9.5ph after running through the machine. Many of your so called "science fact" is the same argument used when "traditional" medicine claimed there was no "scientific" basis for many Eastern medicinal methods... can you say Qi Gong, Tai Chi, Chiropractics, Pressure Points, Acupressure, etc? Your "snake oil" rhetoric is the true deviant in the modern world. It is this exact "naysayer" attitude and mindset that has halted the modern world from truly advancing away from the "good old boys" regime of "professional" medicine.

It is obvious in your argument, by the amount of negativity you cast in your tone towards network marketing, that your opinion is biased, therefore, unsubstantiated as "fact," but rather hearsay.

Why dont you try drinking the water for 30 days to see for yourself?

Richard, wyoming
May 04, 2009 1:51pm

Pindar, if you think about it, any other claim you make is peer-reviewed, as far as a bunch of people who have the idea review it. They are peers. So, I guess we have taken a look at the 'peer review' process, and have found that it really isn't a good selling point for anything. Testing is, and since the reptoids have little proof in their favor, may I laugh at you science?

Joseph, Norman
May 07, 2009 4:24pm

Brian is a "Typical" cynical "pseudo" scientist who probably cannot even explain how MAN even developed on this planet. How about cluing yourself in on Ben Stein's Documentary "Expelled".
A close friend WHO was On his DEATHBED from Stomach cancer a few months ago was told by DOCTORS to go home and DIE...RELUCTANTLY drank KAngen water at the badgering of his wife! And GEE wow...he is living breathing walking around. They are getting all the DOCTOR reports and SCANS of his illness to prove to people like you who have NO REAL PROOF that it DOES NOT help people with true illnesses. A friend of mine's relative had also been bed ridden and giving up, she had multiple health issues and a vey NEGATIVE person. DID NOT want anything to do with the Kangen water..and was ADAMENT about drinking it...and was set out to "PROVE" it didn't work. WOW I guess that "PLACEBO" affect works on people who don't beleive as well cuz now she is up and walking around without pain. AMAZING. PEOPLE's stories ARE FACTS !! Closed minded individuals live on their EGO sense of being "right" Good luck with that.

MR, Los Angeles
May 23, 2009 12:16pm

Either way there is always both sides of the coin. And why you care enough to put time into this means you have no life.

For the people that believe them let them be. Why don't you spend your time debating something totally irrevelant like which religion is better.

Spend you time telling us which products are good so we all can benefit stupid.

Michael, San Fancisco, CA
May 25, 2009 1:01pm

Brian, really do you have nothing better to offer. Here Be Dragons?! Leave the water people alone, if it makes them feel better and if it is making a difference in the lives of those who believe, well what's the harm?

Aside from that even you can't deny what some very intelligent people, doctors and scientist alike, have discovered about Kagen water. The last time I checked, yes I checked, you are neither a doctor nor a scientist.

Besides water is good for you and if it gets people hydrated...well I say "let them drink water."

kim, gainesville, fla
May 25, 2009 11:43pm

Wasted thousands of dollars is the harm, Kim.

Brian Dunning, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 26, 2009 2:46pm

What harm Brian? Spending thousands of dollars to be cured? Ha! If I spent it on doctors and expensive medicine, would it make it less harmful?

RSA, Manila Phils
May 27, 2009 9:19am

No, spending thousands on what amounts to snake oil and empty promises is harm. Especially when we consider that they are not effective. These water treatments do not provide any of the benefits that they purport. The best they can do for you is hydrate you, which can be done for significantly cheaper with tap water or even bottled water.

I like the veiled appeal to authority in Kim's post. Wow, some scientists have "FOUND" Kagen water - must be something to it then! I can't wait to see their research papers and whatnot.

That statement is a logic fallacy Kim, one you should recognize easily. A couple of scientists "Discovered" kagen water - and the rest? What did they do when they "encountered" this water? Likely what I did when I saw it on a shelf recently, laughed myself silly at the complete absurdity. Kagen is little different than any homeopathic "remedy" sold on the open market. It is PURE WATER. There is nothing else there. No one of its claims are supportable with evidence - just with half-baked hearsay.

I am having a hard time reading the post from one "Mr. Los Angeles" above - hard to determine if he is a POE or not. It's all wrong, but it is wrong in such an exaggerated manner that it seems almost comical.

Adam Martin, St. John's Newfoundland
May 27, 2009 10:26am

About 2years ago, my left kidney was not functioning due an infection that caused it to swell 30% and it was so painful. After medications with no results, the doctors decided that it should be removed. I was scheduled for operation in 2 weeks. Thats was when a friend told me about Kangen water. He gave me a couple of gallons and asked me to finish it as fast as I can. I normally drink 10 glasses of water so it was not a problem. Eleven days after my kidneys did not hurt as much as it did before. Going to the doctor for pre-operative checkup, he said that there has been a marked improvement and postponed my operation for 1 week. Its been 2years since then and I still have both my kidneys.

So to me, it was not a waste of money. It would have been a pity if I lost my left kidney for nothing.

RSA, Manila Phils
May 27, 2009 8:18pm

Most every time something good comes along, theres going to be people who knock it.

Gary Swank, Victorville
June 03, 2009 5:58pm

...and every time some bogus scam comes along there will be a few gullible twits who fall for it!

Steve Johnson, Olathe, KS
June 03, 2009 7:56pm

Twit? You sound like a very nice person

Gary Swank, Victorville
June 06, 2009 9:24am

First off Doctors, chemist work with the government so anything healing, wont make them money. I agee the price for the purifier is outragous, but cleansing our body through water has been around for centuries. If people did'nt get sick as often now more than before chemist and doctors wouldn't be busy. Trust our water isn't like it was 30 yrs ago. So im all for the healing. Chemist should know H2o is away to get rid of toxins.

Tanya, Los angeles
June 07, 2009 2:45pm

But your liver is an even better way to get rid of 'toxins'. Your main argument assumes that the water is 'filtered' through the body- picking up junk here and there. How does this happen?

Prove me three things:

1) Water will pick up toxins normally filtered out by the liver

2) Centuries of knowledge amount to more than the exponential knowledge growth we have had; whereas their technological prowess remained relatively similar, since the renaissance, our knowledge base is, if expressed in numbers by a layman, many orders of magnitude higher. Explain how ancient knowledge is better.

3) Prove that medication that does something is any less profitable than homeopathy or Kangen. Basically, people are going to get sick no matter what; medicine is there to fix what has gone wrong or is starting to go wrong. Doctors benefit from treating patients.

Oh, and a rhetorical question:

Why put down legitimate meds in favor of alternative meds, assuming neither one has a higher success rate, seeing as how no numbers have been produced showing modern vs. alternative successes.

Joseph, Norman, OK
June 07, 2009 6:29pm

Doctors benefit from treating patients. Yes. They do. Check out their possessions. They definitely benefit from treating patients.

Not from prevention, not from healing. When doctors can benefit from curing or healing patients, then we may see cures. Current treatments are designed for one thing: control of symptoms.

Best advice I ever read about health: don't be a patient.

ps. your rant almost sounds like you know a bit about the subject- key word -almost

Thomas, Virginia
June 17, 2009 8:27am

OK I retract my previous statement about you censoring opposing statements. I just found the posts that I thought had been deleted.

So, next question:

To Brian and the other skeptics: WHY have you not responded to the rational explanations?

"Do not provide any of the benefits" WOW. And you know this...HOW?

Clearly, you skeptics are having a lot of fun, but you are choosing to remain ignorant. You have no responses to our stories about our dogs, such as my elderly dog's arthritis healing and his milky-white eyes clearing up and oh btw did I mention that he was BLIND and CAN NOW SEE??? After 6 months on Kangen Water. He is 18+ years old and was nearly dead, could not walk, was deaf and blind. He is still deaf (I never said it fixed everything!) but can now see and play fetch! What do you say to THAT? Are you going to say a DOG can have a PLACEBO?

To all the Kangen Water drinkers: The skeptics either make $$ on drugs and surgery, or they just want to stay sick, negative, and closed-minded. It's their loss.

What's so amusing is that they are showing their prejudices. If it were the US medical establishment who was endorsing it and using in hospitals, and 6600+ American docs were behind it, they'd be singing a different tune.

Folks, this isn't some untested herb. This is tangibly provable.

Some people just want to stay sick. Or they're sick and don't even know how sick they are until their GOD (the doctor) gives them a diagnosis and a death sentence. Then they come to us.

Monica, San Antonio
June 23, 2009 10:00pm

Monica: so many fallacies, so little time.

1. Personal stories are evidence of nothing. Anecdotes can suggest a direction for research, but are in themselves not evidence. I have no response to your dog story because none is needed.

2. Close-minded again? Brian has done an entire episode about close/open minded. Read it and apply some intellectual honesty.

The rest was blatant and hysterical strawman and ad hominems. Btw, if the "medical establishment" and the majority of doctors endorsed it, you bet I'd give it a go (I'm close-minded that way, changing my opinion in the face of new evidence). This is because they would have relevant studies showing effiacy and at least a probable mechanism.

Thomas: Recently around here a baby died from whooping cough, just 1. The skeptics and doctors here are up in arms trying to re-iterate the importance of vaccination to stop any more preventable deaths. Your big pharma ad hominem conspiracy theories are an insult to them and the children who's lives they are trying to save.

Adrian, Brisbane, Australia
June 24, 2009 3:42am

Have you even tried drinking the water?

You and a small group of detractors claim it's all psuedo-science.

But are millions of other people who have seen amazing health improvments. Are they all wrong?

I don't think so. I too was a HUGE skeptic - at first. But after drinking the water for just a few months, it DID change my life. No more chronic fatigue, no more depression, 20 pounds+ lighter, and so much happier.

So if this is psuedo-scien, Oh My! I'll take it gladly over what you are claiming any day.

So please, don't disparage it until you've tried it.

It's only water, and who knows, it might change your life too.

Cheers,
Alex

Alexandra, White Mountains, Arizona
July 08, 2009 11:17pm

Alexandra, the plural of anecdote is not evidence. Millions of people also swear by homeopathy and acupuncture yet every properly blinded trial shows nothing better than placebo. Arguing that many people believe something is proof of anything is a fallacy. Billions of people believe in Jesus, billions do not (Muslims, Jews etc, not just atheists). This means that no matter who’s correct, billions of people are completely wrong about something that billions of people regard as both important and obvious. This is why Argument from Popularity is a fallacy. It would be easy to dismiss your and other stories as examples of confirmation bias, confusing association with causation or even post-hoc ergo propter hoc (am I picking the right fallacies here? – someone feel free to correct me) but I really won’t. The water appears to a helped you...great (honestly). But no amount of anecdotes is evidence (by proper standards of evidence) of anything, you’re quite correct...It’s only water. No-one needs to explain how it works, or come up with any possible mechanism, you really don’t. Just show (non-anecdotal) evidence that it actually does anything.....anything at all.

Adrian, Brisbane, Australia
July 10, 2009 12:57am

A more in-depth evaluation of ionized water claims is at http://www.chem1.com/CQ/ionbunk.html
by a chemist who evaluates many aspects of water treatment. He considers this "Snake oil on tap."
Get your health benefits from the very effective changing to a "whole-foods, plant-based diet" per the best experts - Dr. McDougall, Dr. Campbell, Dr. Ornish, Dr. Fuhrman, Dr. Esselstyn, Dr. Barnard and many others.

Bill K., Santa Maria CA
July 13, 2009 1:58am

It's slightly depressing to see the number of people in support of such a product. As a third-year pre-med student, the claims that this "miracle water" makes are clearly ridiculous to me . But really you don't even need a science background to figure that out, just a high school education and half a brain. Maybe not even that.

Water curing cancer? Please people, think about it.

Nora, California
July 17, 2009 9:00am

If no scientific evidence is required to show ionized water is effective against the treatments of diseases mentioned in people's posts and that the testimony itself serves as proof that it works, surely you're thousands of times more likely to be healed of these diseases by God since there are thousands of times more testimonies, without scientific evidence, suggesting divine intervention has healed people of all kinds of ailments.

Not to mention these machines costs $100's/$1000's of dollars but belief in God is free and seemingly much more effective!

Simon, UK
July 25, 2009 1:59pm

My question is a moral one. If Kangen's claim is true, that cancer cannot survive in a low ph environment, what responsibility do they then have to the thousands who are dying from cancer every year? Why choose to make so much money in such unproductive manner when the antidote to one of the most deadly diseases on the planet is available.

Please do not respond by saying that the product is available to all, because as the marketing scheme shows, there is a ridiculous mark up on the product itself. Thus, is it ethical to make this much money while people are dying?

chris, ON
July 30, 2009 10:54am

My mom just recently bought the Kangen filter machine. I thought it was a waste of money and didn't really believe in it either. However, it seems to have had a noticeable effect on my mom. She's always had trouble "going to the bathroom"" and constipation, but after drinking the Kangen water she's been going to the bathroom normally and her "wastes" look/feel more normal. She also sprays the water on her face everyday and her skin does seem to glow more and her freckles are less noticeable. So I don't know, is it just coincidence? Or is it really the water? Who knows..

Angie, Colorado
August 03, 2009 11:39pm

I am a skeptic about all such claims but I recently had an experience that made me wonder. My wife, who is taking Plavix, bruises easily. these bruises take weeks to disappear going from purple to yellow in the process. She fell about three weeks ago and had a bruise the size of a grapefruit on her hip. A friend who is an ionized water afficionado, suggested putting an ionized water soaked pad on it. We raised our eyebrows but figuring it couldn't hurt anything and not wanting to offend our friend she went ahead and did it. In the morning the bruise was gone...NO TRACE. This proves nothing about what it might do internally but I saw that it, somehow, took the bruise away overnight. I've seen many such bruises on my wife and I looked carefully at this one and it was definitely a deep bruise (not dirt or some other stain on her skin). All she did was put an ionized water poultice on the bruise overnight and it disappeared. Explanation?

James Wilson, Lyons, CO
August 08, 2009 10:14am

I think, whatever you look for in anything you will find. Mr Dunning spends all his time looking to debunk whatever he judges as false..well I am sure that people as smart as Dunning can also find truth in everything he finds fault with. We live in a reality that is undeniably controlled by our beliefs. If Mrs. Jones or MR. Smith gets miraculous relief from drinking alkaline water, who are you to say that they are wrong? If they feel better, it works.
Stop looking for the negative in everything Brian, you might live a happier life. (:

marty, utah
August 20, 2009 10:42am

Marty - people read this site to gain additional information or other perspectives on topics. How does that make Brian negative? He is given scientifically grounded explanations. That's not negative. If you think he is negative, don't read it.

Sylvia, Knoxville, TN
September 08, 2009 7:23pm

Wow, looks like all the health water MLM scammers googled this site and decided to spam the comments section with their BS.

"We live in a reality that is undeniably controlled by our beliefs. If Mrs. Jones or MR. Smith gets miraculous relief from drinking alkaline water, who are you to say that they are wrong?" -Marty

What a bunch of crap, your beliefs control nothing, they can however influence your perception of reality. The information that Dunning brings up has nothing to do with perception, he gives nothing but well sourced simple hard testable facts, which is what science is all about. At best what those "anecdotes" are describing is placebo, at worst its just a bunch of made up "marketing" to sway the weak minded by the MLM scammers.

To observe the power of placebo (as well as how harmful it can be) and pseudo-science in all its terrible, ignorant, and even slightly demented glory I suggest you read the story in this link here about a guy who performed trepanning (drilling holes in your head) at home as a cure all:

http://www.bmezine.com/news/people/A10101/trepan/

WARNING: the pics are graphic!

Anon, San Clemente, CA
September 20, 2009 2:02am

Thank you for this information.
I'm presently riddled with 'osteoporosis' and am searching for some 'cures' (if there are any.) It's to hard to separate the valid information from the hype.
Your comments on Kangen water were really gratifying. I almost purchased a machine but did further investigation, thank goodness.
What about 'alkaline drops' one adds to water. I've purchased a bottle.
If you have any suggestions re my osteoporosis, please post.
Thanks. Rosalyn

Susanne Schnell, Henderson, NV
September 20, 2009 5:01am

My understanding is that the latest research shows that stress increases bone mass, as well as calcium and vitamin D. Someone who already has osteoporosis wouldn't want to go out and jog for fear of stress fractures; however, Pilates or walking briskly with a lightly weighted vest have been suggested by some professionals. Clearly there may be a genetic component to osteoporosis, so don't do anything your doctor says will overstress your structure. Although medicine is available to help osteoporosis, there may be side effects. My own experience(although at 58 my bones measure stronger than an 18 year old from my long term exercise habits) is that Pilates has increased the density in my low back 6 per cent over 5 years. Hope this is helpful.

Vicki McLean,, Salem, OR
September 23, 2009 6:56pm

A good friend brought me some pamphlets and a video from Enagic selling a Kangen water ionizer. He wanted to know what I thought since I have a degree and professional experience in chemistry.

I hadn't heard of this before. I was immediately skeptical, but thought I'd look into it for my friend.

Just wanted to say thank you Brian, for doing all the work for me and posting it on your site. I also found a fair and thorough treatment of this subject on http://www.chem1.com/CQ/ionbunk.html#SCI which I thought I'd share with the forum.

I'm discouraged to see this scam is a widespread and growing "industry". The companies involved would be looking at a class action lawsuit in another era. Unfortunately corruption rewards the greedy, and greed has become a welcome companion of law authors and enforcers both.

Found this good website tho. Thanks,
k

Kerry Flood, Costa Mesa, CA
October 01, 2009 1:14pm

I have a Kangen machine, and love it. I feel great when drinking the water- it tastes better than any water I have ever had. It is almost 'thicker' than regular water- it has a body to it, and is pleasant to drink. I can grink a couple of large glasses right away when I get up- a good thing to do, but on bottled or RO water, it made me queasy. Not the Kangen! I went through a dexox on the water, which I did not expect as I regularly detox with veggies, herbs, etc. I am never sick since getting the machine, and all my friends and clients love that I share the water with them. My client who got me interested in the water got rid of her Fibromyalgia with the water. She feels great, I feel great, I am happy to spend my money on something that helps me rather than at the Dr's office. So you can keep going with your spin on the obvious benefits of alkaline water, and keep drinking the water that is also in your toilet. Whatever helps someone is fine with me, and none of us are fit to judge anyone else. We are all just trying our best. Folks, listen to your hearts and try the water for a few weeks. You deserve the chance to decide for yourselves. Namaste! Barbara

Barbara Nelen, Orlando Florida
October 03, 2009 5:59pm

Sorry Barbara Nelen (if you are a real person) but there's no way water of any sort can "get rid of" or cure Fibromyalgia - it's not something that you just suddenly wake up and find gone. I'm sorry you've fallen for the hype and not used logic to sort out what's possible in the real world.

B. Sullivan, San Diego, CA
October 11, 2009 4:54pm

With all this negative publicity I felt I have to put my 2cents in. Yes I bought the machine and I am not sorry in the least. Yes it cost more then other machines but this is the best machine on the market and don't doubt for a minute that this is a scam because it is not a scam. My wife of 75 years young has had the following improvements with in two weeks of drinking Kangen ionized water. Clarity of mind. That right. She could not go shopping without a shopping list or she would not remember what was on the list. Well she went shopping and left the list at home and remembered all 6 items. That may not sound like a lot but perhaps there are some people out there that can appreciate how big that is. Much more energy. Digging in the yard which she would not even think of doing before we got the Kangen water processor. Ok Now my friend who I give the water for free has diabetes and has been on the water for 2 weeks called me today and told his blood sugar went as low as 86. Something he has not had for years and his weekly average was down 39 points. And this is only after 2 weeks. So don't believe all this negative publicity put try it your self. We distributors of Kangen water will give you free water to try. I myself will give the water for as long as you want for free!
So in closing I say try it for yourself.

Stanley Braverman, Mesa Arizona
October 12, 2009 7:44pm

First of all, Dr. Stephen Lower is a quack in his own right and many of his claims are not exactly correct. Furthermore, this water and specifically Kangen Water™ has been promoted by people with much greater credibility including Dr. Hiromi Shinya who INVENTED the colonoscopy. That aside, my uncle OVERCAME TYPE 2 DIABETES and PROSTATE CANCER on this water and made his doctor a believer in this! I would say that BEWARE of sites like these whose whole purpose is to debunk. Some of these guys have even been caught on the payroll of Big Pharma.

S. Maples, Anywhere, US
October 13, 2009 8:34am

Oh no! I've been outed!

Brian Dunning, Laguna Niguel, CA
October 13, 2009 9:28am

Whenever I see one of these things I simply think "Wow. People have been living fine drinking water for thousands of years but now you need some kind of uber scientific ionization system that changes water from it's NATURAL (hence NATURE) state?"

Yeah. Whatever. So yeah our tap water has tons of bad stuff in it. Get a water filter and that stuff is removed.

Your water filter isn't going to add minerals that AREN'T PRESENT to the water so if it is indeed dead water then it will not be revived by your product.

Here's what I have to say.

Alex Q., Baltimore, MD
October 15, 2009 10:53am

I can understand being skeptical about newfangled gadgets that are unproven.

"But Enagic water ionizer machines are

USED IN JAPANESE HOSPITALS

ENDORSED BY THE JAPANESE MINISTRY OF HEALTH (similar to the US FDA)

ENDORSED BY THE JAPANESE ASSOCIATION FOR THE PREVENTION OF ADULT DISEASES (6500+ MDs)

ENDORSED BY DR. HIROMI SHINYA, INVENTOR OF THE COLONOSCOPE

What more do you want, people???"

Thank you!

:), Kokomo, IN
October 20, 2009 9:40am

I was also skeptical of this "miracle water" when I was introduced to it. I tried Kangen water so as to not hurt a friend's feelings. After 2 weeks I lost 10 lbs and had absolutely no desire to drink diet sodas (which I normally would consume 2 or more a day). I then took it more seriously and adjusted my diet without the usual cravings of previous diets. After 7 weeks I have lost 24 lbs and my osteoarthritis has all but disappeared (without taking the high dosage prescription medications I was on for years). So say what you want but for me proof is in the pudding......it has far exceeded any "Western Medicine" remedies I had tried in the past. The Japanese are right on this one........

D. Usty, Seattle ,WA
October 25, 2009 2:09pm

Thanks for the thought process. I typically am skeptical.

Maybe the solution is to purchase the minerals that go in the system. Someone writing the article could elaborate on this as to give people another solution other than to not buy the product.

Obviously, something with the system works and because of those who have used & have seen the incredible results-It's worth $6000 to see some cured of Diabetes, stop drinking soda, cured of ANYTHING. The medicine alone would be saved & pocketed $$$.

Making a smart comment like you have been outed - Does NOT prove that you were not outed.

Were you trying to be of assistance to the general public as to why they shouldn't buy the system? How about writing more on the alternative ways to get the same results.

Can we buy the stuff that they use to add to the machine? Where do we find it? Is there proof that that solution is the cure-all? Otherwise, you just make the conclusion for those of us who know the system to buy it. As I was searching for to information on it to begin with.

Your article doesn't finish the job or stop us spending that much money. We know something about it works. That something is worth every penny to me. Find the alternative solution to why it works & you may have a captive audience / prevent us from not buying it.

Seriously!!! Complete the article!

Another article in my search http://whatisyourwater.org only tells me I HAVE TO buy a system, any system & why not one that has results to cure.

Seeker of Info, Maryland
October 30, 2009 9:43am

I'd just like to say I've been drinking the Kangen water for two months and it's eliminated my annoying issues with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). It eliminated my need to use various fiber products. We're glad we bought our machine!

Jen W., Inland Valley
November 11, 2009 9:32pm

KANGEN WATER IS NOTHING SHORT OF A BLESSING FROM GOD ON EVERY LEVEL. DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU READ GOOD OR BAD. DRINK IT FOR YOURSELF AND GIVE IT TO OTHERS ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE SICK AND JUST WATCH WHAT HAPPENS. WHOEVER WROTE THIS ARTICLE I FEEL SAD FOR BECAUSE THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE NOT TRIED THE WATER AND ARE TRULY ONLY HURTHING THEMSELVES AND THEIR LOVED ONES. LIKE I SAID. A BLESSING FROM GOD. THANK YOU JESUS......XOXOXOXO

ANGEL, MIAMI FLORIDA
November 16, 2009 5:08pm

Kangen water did not come from Jesus. It came from some MLM that you got suckered into.

John McGee, Imperial, Ca
November 16, 2009 9:14pm

All the things these people claim are exactly the same things people who drink acia berry juice claim.

Almost identical. Maybe if you drink the water and the juice you'll live forever.

Joe, Orlando, FL
November 16, 2009 10:53pm

If it looks like Koolaid, smells like Koolaid, I for one wont be drinking it.

Marius vanderLubbe, Nullabour Plain, Australia.
November 17, 2009 5:37am

I forgot to add...and I know it's a bit off topic...but just trying to make my point...I don't believe there is any 'scientific' proof that God exists either...But I have seen miraculous things happen...

laurie, Portland, Oregon
November 17, 2009 4:18pm

Rebuttal of chem1.com

You've heard the saying "Figures don't lie, but liars can figure" right?

It describes this article.

The author makes a big deal about 'pure water' ...what exactly is 'pure water?'

Evidently, 'pure water' is water without any minerals...dead water.

Nearly all municipal water supplies DO have minerals...so are NOT 'pure water.'

Hence, his arguments about 'pure water' are meaningless and irrelevant.

Such as:
H+ + OH– → H2O
... so the net reaction for the electrolysis of pure water is simply the production of gaseous hydrogen and oxygen:
2 H2O → 2 H2 + O2
... leaving the pH of the water at 7.0, just as it was before electrolysis.

In other words, electrolysis cannot change the pH of pure water. None of the sites hawking these "water ionizers" mention this, of course, nor do they bother to tell you the even worse news:
Pure water cannot undergo significant electrolysis
One more thing about the electrolysis of pure water: because of the very small number of ions in pure water, it conducts electric current very poorly, so the process is extremely slow and inefficient. This means that if your water supply is free of mineral impurities, no significant amount of electrolysis will occur.

Ok...so?

This is not news.

It's common knowledge that extremely soft water (ie., no minerals) won't work with our machine. Hence, we have a reservoir for adding minerals back in if necessary (very rarely is this necessary, as most municipal water supplies do have minerals

Monica Leal, San Antonio TX
November 26, 2009 9:57pm

A drop of pH test soution will confirm that water from an alkalyzer has had its pH significantly altered. Being unwilling to acknowledge even this basic fact shows the author is all skeptic and not much science.

Try a gallon of Alkaline water and you'll find out what the drug companies don't want you to know.

John Condon, Portland, OR
December 17, 2009 8:09pm

I purchased Enagic's SD501 without ever tasting the water or seeing a physical machine. My wife got the MRSA staff infection 3 times over a 4 month period. She started drinking the water and now going on 4 months has not had any out breaks.

I have been battling High Cholesterol for the last 15 years, starting at the age of 25 my cholesterol was 205, during my 30's is has been ranging from 220 to 257. I have never taken any cholesterol meds and have been moderately active in exercise.

I just got my cholesterol results two weeks ago and my total cholesterol dropped from 257 down to 144, my triglycerides dropped from 120 down to 69, my LDL cholesterol dropped from 183 down to 91.

This is no placebo effect. I have tried dieting, eating healthier foods, vegetable juicing etc... without any good results in reducing my cholesterol.

At the end of the day, I really don't care what skeptical chemist, doctors, etc... has to say since they believe if it can't be proven scientifically then it can't be true.

Remember this,
RESULTS DO NOT LIE!!!

Being free from High Cholesterol without taking meds is something that I would have paid $50,000 for since I have had my father, my 3 uncles and 1 aunt that have had heart attacks.

As for Placebo effects... my 78 year old uncle who suffers from Parkinson's doesn't know that my aunt has been giving him Kangen Water and he has made such a remarkable improvement in motor skills, speech, and walking. Again I say... RESULTS DO NOT LIE!!!!

Sal, Phoenix, AZ
December 29, 2009 12:39am

I must say, I hate thinking of all the folks who may make fun of me after I post this, BUT...I adore my Kangen water! I drink it, spray it in my eyes, on any wounds, in my face for fun...Ha! Basically, I am an extreme user of Kangen water. I'm thankful for it, and the Japanese, and anyone else I didn't mention. If loving Kangen water is wrong I don't want to be right.
My mom has a machine and so does my boyfriend, so I always get it. Don't hate me because I actually have my thirst quenched!
My best friend has a Science-ish degree and hates the water...and thinks we are dumb and when she comes to my house she prefers tap water, but that's no reason to argue. Drink it or don't drink it. People that buy the Enagic machine don't feel like they have wasted their money, so for those out there that play skeptic with "our" money in defense...DON'T! We obviously didn't mind spending the money. Peace out! I'm gonna sip on my sexy water, and hope that no one rips me a new a-hole after this post...hahahha-der!

Rebekah, Gulfport, MS
December 30, 2009 1:40pm

so, the machine actually changes the ph of tap water. so what?

the main problem is--how does that give any health benefits?

it can't. it doesn't.

drinking water instead of soda (artificially sweetened or otherwise)--that has health benefits. just drinking more water in general might have some pretty noticeable health benefits for a lot of people. feeling good about taking steps toward taking care of yourself (misguided or otherwise) that probably has some health benefits too.

arguing over and over that the machine really does change the ph of tap water (and that has been the number one recurring defense of water ionizers on this forum--besides an assortment of anecdotes)--that argument just doesn't hold water (pun totally intended--obviously right?).

the real question is not whether these machines do in fact change the ph of tap water--it's whether drinking alkalized tap water can really produce all the extraordinary health benefits that the peddlers of these machines claim that it can.

no amount of anecdotes will suffice as evidence. where are the double-blind studies?

kevin tomascik, fort collins, co
December 31, 2009 1:28am

I had a terrible stomach pains, I was using Alka-Seltzer at 3 times per day. My doctor told me I was very acidic and I need to make some changes fast.

A friend came to my house with Kangen Water, within 3 weeks my stomach aches were GONE. My right knee pain and hip joint pain was GONE. Plus 9 yr old is NO longer complaining of tummy aches.

I am BELIEVER in Kangen Water.

Plus on top of that the BOTTLED WATER -- I have been drinking for 2 yr --tested very HIGH in acid.

I believe in Kangen Water.

sherrie Penny, blue Springs
January 02, 2010 12:43pm

It is not at all surprising that people report benefits of drinking ionized/alkaline water – the placebo effect is remarkably powerful.

One of my favorite examples is A blinded study conducted by a group from MIT in 2008 that discovered product cost was a significant factor in the perception of the product's effectiveness.

Volunteers were given a series of electric shocks and asked to rate their pain levels at different voltage settings. They were then provided with identical information about a new pain treatment pill.

Participants were randomly assigned to two groups. One group was told the regular price of the pill was $2.50 and the other group was told they would take a pill that was discounted to $0.10.

Participants in both groups took the pills and were again exposed to electric shocks and asked to rate their pain levels.
85.4% of the participants who took the $2.50 pill experienced an average reduction in pain.
61.0% of the participants who took the discounted $0.10 pill experienced an average reduction in pain.

The pills in each group were identical --- All pills were placebos --- Think about it.
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/299/9/1016
http://www.cyber-nook.com/water/alkaline.htm - for more information about alkaline water

If alkaline water had no distinctive taste, chances are pretty good that if anyone who feels a benefit from drinking alkaline water would not be able to tell a difference from regular water in a blinded test.

Randy johnson, Littleton, Colorado
January 07, 2010 3:58pm

For all of you skeptics out there I will say it again.

" RESULTS DO NOT LIE "

Science has been proven wrong by new Science studies. That fact is that our bodies are still not fully understood by science.

I have had the Enagic SD501 machine for 3 months now and have been giving the water away to all my friends and family and they are all getting amazing health benefits, even the ones who are skeptics.

What about the benefits that are coming to our pets. It is amazing all the testimonies from pet owners. There is no Placebo effect there.

For those who don't want to drink it, you don't have to. Those who are interested can get the water for FREE to try out for several weeks and months. If they are feeling great, and want to buy a machine why not.

What other health product can you try out for FREE and give away for FREE for months on end.

Sal, Phoenix, AZ
January 11, 2010 6:03pm

I feel sorry for the people that have been conned into buying these devices. Many people work all their lives to better themselves and their children only to be taken advantage of by scum.

Please stay away and read and understand what Brian Dunning is saying and if you can not get someone to explain it to you that is not involved with the water scam!

James Garfield, Phx,AZ
January 11, 2010 7:48pm

Ask Brian has he ever tried the machine and drank the water, I firmly believe in never knocking something until I have tried it. Then I can honestly give my opinion and yes, I have the machine. I had pains in my knees, down my legs had what the doctors said was a pinched nerve in my neck causing my hand to go numb and pain a lot. I can tell all of you if you have any kind of pain if you can find someone in your area that has a machine, they will gladly share the water with you free of charge and drink it for a couple of weeks and you will see the benefits for your self. This Brian person is just like the doctors they do not want us to know that God created our bodies to heal themselves if we keep them hydrated because they will be put out of business. I guarantee you that you will see the pains and sicknesses go away and the longer you drink the clean water the more your body work the way they were created to. All I have to say is do your own research and come to your own conclusion, the same as you would if the doctor told you that you had a terminal illness would you not get a second, third or maybe even a fourth opinion.

Sharon, Clinton, MD
January 14, 2010 1:04pm

And of course, the only way to drink clean water is to spend thousands of dollars on a multilevel marketing scheme.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
January 14, 2010 2:08pm

"Ask Brian has he ever tried the machine and drank the water, I firmly believe in never knocking something until I have tried it."

And he's replied to that sort of question on Skeptoid before. (#123 Listener Feedback Reloaded)

"...you should eat my used Kleenex. It's only $500 and will cure cancer. Oh, you don't want to? You're not a good skeptic. How is that any different? Folks, you don't have to already be a victim before it's appropriate to have healthy skepticism. When someone promotes a product with fantastic claims with no plausible foundation, the best thing to do is not try it. Giving them your money is never the best response."

Lewayne, Near Des Moines
January 14, 2010 5:13pm

Thankyou for your well writen and scientifically sound expose of the water ionizer claims. I particularly enjoyed your analogy to generating weak chlorine bleach. The comparison is simple, obvious and true. Water + Electricity = nothing. Water + Salt + Electricity = Salty water with Chlorine gas bubbles. It is the same technology used to chlorinate salt water pools. While most water filters promise to remove chlorine...these ionizers add more chlorine. Amusing!

Its too bad the water ionizer scammers have hijacked "Kangen Scam" as a search term. This tactic has pushed your informative article back to the 12th page of google search results.

Good work though. I'm adding this site to my favorites.

Paul Kasanda, Ottawa
January 21, 2010 6:00pm

""Ask Brian has he ever tried the machine and drank the water, I firmly believe in never knocking something until I have tried it.""

Sticking your hand in a mouse trap is completely painless and cures any destabilization you may have in your body between your centimeters and meters. It also positively charges your PH, and ionizes the aura of your blood pressure and kilograms.

What's that? You know from the wealth of evidence available that mouse traps do hurt, and you want evidence that any of the benefits I claim are real? Wow. Talk about dissing something before you try it.

Safe-Keeper, Bergen
January 25, 2010 6:17pm

Unfortunately, we all can't be experts on any given subject. So we have to trust others to help us make well informed decisions- or at least we should! Would you trust a real chemist whose career is based on knowing about the subject of interest and has no vested (financial) interest (i.e. profit from) his remarks or the purveyor that wants to dupe you into buying a product that makes claims just about anyone with a good understanding of high school chemistry can easily see the problems of? Hmmm...?

I am a real chemist and give talks on pseudoscience myself. I have done extensive research on "hexagonal" and Kangen water and even tried some too! I find no real benefit. Drinking what amounts to be a low concentrated bleach solution probably has bad long-term exposure issues, but Kangen water is currently all the rage these days, for some reason. Check out my website (www.AlchemEDU.org) for some more info and resources.

If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably isn't, eh?

Paul Shin, Los Angeles
February 07, 2010 1:19pm

I just bought the Kangen Sd 501 Machine and I have decided to market it through their Marketing Program. I am familiar with MLM and the one thing that MLM requires it's distributors to have is faith and a belief that what they have is truly remarkable. I appreciate your blog and the fact that you did not single out Enagic. All I know is that I drink the water and my breathing improves. I also watch what I eat and how I react to what goes in my mouth. I take Milk Thistle for my liver. It works. I use Biofeedback. It also seems to work. Four years ago, I was given less than a year to live by Modern Medicine. I did not fall off a turnip truck. I don't know how much time I have left. What I do know is the water works. I believe it is helping me. I have evidence that it is. Skepticism has it's place. Freedom dictates that we follow our hearts as well as our heads. Most of us Humans don't know what we don't know but think that we know everything. What a waste of time it is to question everything and gain nothing but a life filled with conflict and misery.

James Acres, Portland, Oregon
February 10, 2010 1:23am

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1545924?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=3

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18773120?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=1

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18203915?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_SingleItemSupl.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=4&log$=relatedreviews&logdbfrom=pubmed

Jason, Honolulu, HI
February 20, 2010 12:28pm

My Dear Brian, It's a good thing your comments are posted on the web. You have kept people from drinking the water. I have been drinking great water for 1 year. My health and the heath of others, to whom I have introduced this water is improving. You may have prevented people from buying the water machines in the past but now I have a chance to help others and to build my business in your area.

Brad E., LA,CA
March 13, 2010 10:34am

This water is a total scam! The only people that claim it is good are people that either have already been ripped off and they don't want to admit it or people trying to make money from selling one of these machines!

if something is too good to be true it is! Don't be fooled you can trick yourself in to believing that something is working. I drank this water for 6 months until I discovered it was a scam. I even thought it was working. Once I discovered it was a scam I stopped drinking it. It is nasty too.

adam, usa
March 14, 2010 7:33am

Brian Dunning is a complete idiot...

You truly have NO idea what your talking about...

People stop listening to people like this they are the poison of the earth...

Try the product for yourself and you determine if its right for you or not...

The people I've shared it with are sold by the results they have seen using it...

Don't listen to Brian Dunning !!!

Mark, Michigan
March 15, 2010 3:03pm

Drinking a gallon of water is going to help you lose weight, feel better, have more energy, improve your skin tone, ect, ect. It has nothing to do with Alkaline. I have a family member sucked into this phenomenon...
When she stops drinking the water she doesnt feel good anymore, but when she's not drinking the water she is drinking coffee to replace it. Well from personal experience I can tell you that your body will feel like SH!T if you drink a gallon of coffee or pop or tea or energy drinks because it is dehydrated. As someone who regularly drinks 150-200oz of water a day I can tell you the only thing kangen water gave me that I didnt get while drinking tap water was a stomach ache.

John, Michigan
March 16, 2010 7:21am

ph is very interesting.anyone that is knowledgeable about plants will tell you that the health of plantsis directly related to ph.like humans,plants will utilize nutrients and thrive under proper ph.alter ph and it will show physical signs of distress.alter ph in human and animal for a given time and it will manifest as a physical ailment.it is simple.you are what you eat/drink.

wallen, kodiak ak
March 16, 2010 7:07pm

To the person who got a stomach ache from drinking the water once - this is called "die off". It happens when you do a variety of healthy things your body is not use to - look it up! This machine is too pricey for me at the moment, but I have a Dr. friend that sells it and see improvements in her patients, and herself too. Is it better than other quality alkaline machines? I have no idea. But I am a believer in alkaline water, and wish I could purchase it!

Melissa, NY
March 21, 2010 8:24pm

It's a pity when sites like this which present infomation as if it's accurate, have no basis for the conclusions reached, and get traffic which serves to spread both lies and misinformation. Dunning is totally misinformed about Kangen water. There are literally thousands of real life health problems that have been solved by the body's ability to heal itself once balance has been achieved by drinking Kangen water from the Enagic machine. Dunning should check out any one of a number of videos showing Kangen water. Then he should try it. Then he will get the picture. Until then he should stop with the pseudo-science crap, which is more misinformation by the way, and try to educate himself before pontificating about subjects he has obviously not comprehended. I can provide any number of scientists and doctors who can refute all of his bogosity.

Alan, San Francisco
March 26, 2010 8:10pm

Alan,

Pick Brian's worst lie and refute it here.

Max, Boston, MA
March 26, 2010 10:20pm

Hmm.. so if Mr. Brian is wrong, and there is a lot of scientist an doctors who support the thing, could you please provide a link with the scientific facts about? he does, you?... hmmm. Since water is water you can spend all the money you want, but you will still be drinking the same water i drink every day for free, perhaps that`s why I prefer to read carefully and research by myself later. I`m becoming an insane water drinking skeptic.

Hmm, ARGENTINA
March 26, 2010 11:39pm

Alan,
I suggest you might consider placing your money is the immediate vicinity of your mouth.

Provide away.

Marius vanderLubbe, Nullabour Plain, Australia
March 27, 2010 1:02am

Pick Brian's worst lie and refute it here.

Kangen water is ionized, which makes it alkaline.

First off, Enagic machines start from 1,200 on up. Their mark up is about 50 - 65 % whereas Nike commonly mark up products 500 - 1000 percent. (It looks like Brian is beefing up his numbers in an attempt to strengthen his argument)

The Enagic machines produce alkaline and acid water by utilizing the trace minerals found in all tap water, calcium, magnesium.

And it is not similar to making a weak bleach solution. I would suggest to Brian that he should not make comments that make him sound very ignorant. If ammonia has a ph value of about 9.5, and Kangen water has a ph of about 9.5 also. Does that mean we are drinking ammonia? Similar ph values do not mean similar chemical structure / substance.... any idiot would know that

Dream on about finding any so-called "pure water" in any of America's municipal water systems.

Read through all the comments before posting half - assed replies. I posted links to medical and scientific journals above

Go to Pubmed and search under alkaline reduced water or electrolyzed water... you will find scientific data there... don't waste time reading other idiots posts

Jason, Honolulu, Hawaii
March 29, 2010 10:30am

Jason,

Nobody will argue that minerals in water don't have any effect. For example, phospho-soda is a powerful laxative used to cleanse the bowel before a colonoscopy.

The first question is whether using an expensive machine to ionize the water has any effect. I didn't see anything on PubMed about this.

Max, Boston, MA
March 29, 2010 9:19pm

I enjoy hearing the pros and cons of any subject. The first question or issue is does it work? I can say first hand that I drink Kangen water and have done so for 30 days. During this 30 days I have seen positive results in my health. I am a severe Asthmatic who used Advair twice a day plus my inhaler at least daily. After going on Kangen water I have not had to use my inhaler at all in thirty days, I am not taking Advair any longer, I have other health issues but suffice it to say the Kangen water is working in many areas of my life. I also know first hand persons who are using Kangen who have medicaly been diagnosed with cancer and after being on Kangen for a short period of time the doctors have not been able to find a trace of the cancer. Sadly Brian what I read in your article is a very biased self opinion. The water is FREE distributors will gladly give it to you at no charge so you can make an informed decision by watching what it does in your own body. Try it you might like it, then speak from personal experience. Opinions are like belly buttons remember? My EXPERIENCE is speaking for itself and I AM NOT A DISTRIBUTOR for this product or any other product I am not a MLM I am a person using the water in my life and seeing results!

Penny, Birmingham, AL
April 07, 2010 10:21am

We consider ourselves open-minded skeptics. This is a comment we posted in response to Dr. Andrew Weil on ionized alkaline water and body pH.
http://home.earthlink.net/~microwater/hydroanalytics/id15.html

We have globally consulted on water ionizer technology and have introduced it to small and large businesses such as Johnson & Johnson. The Japanese FDA, tougher than the US FDA, approves water ionizers for gastric problems. I see another poster at your site claims that alkaline ionized water may cure cancer. That goes too far. While quite healthy for you, alkaline ionized water is not a reliable cure for diabetes or cancer.

Stanley Arcieri, Klamath Falls, OR
April 12, 2010 4:23pm

I just cannot see how it does a shred of good aside from the placebo effect. The effects on molecules it claims do not exist, and the changes it makes to water do not connect to the body in any meaningful way medically. Its much the same as Acupuncture. Very important and profound looking, but ultimately useless (blinded studies showed no difference in effect with random puncture point ppl as opposed to traditional acupuncture point ppl...that pughta tell you something). See what happens whn you run a controlled trial with people on common water as opposed to this and then get back to me.

@ Jason in Honolulu, post some hard evidence from respected journals before calling other people idiots. You quite frankly made yourself look like one by not showing us why this water makes medical sense, while tossing out a pile of red herrings and straw men. I am still waiting for evidence from medical trials to show this provides anything other then a placebo effect.

Cam, Thunder Bay
May 11, 2010 2:36pm

I have a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the Univ. of Illinois, and have published over 200 papers on semiconductors and semiconductor processing, and made over 150 invited conference and workshop presentations. We use deionized water nearly every day in processing, which is more "pure" than than distilled water. Both Stephen Lower and the skeptoid present misinformation on water. Tap water, spring water, filtered water, etc., have a great deal of minerals dissolved in them and are easily ionized to ph of 10 or so. It can easily be tested with ph paper.

These two appear worse than the articles they criticize, and possibly more caught up in pushing their agendas than presenting good information. Individuals should try things and see how their bodies respond, and trust what they feel. Ignore these two posing as know-it-alls that try to quote information from papers that neither they nor probably the authors of the papers understand. The beauty of our bodies is that we can all do our own experiments and gauge how it makes us feel. If it makes you feel better and seems healthy, trust it. If it makes you feel worse, trust that as well. If you try alkalized water for a few days you'll likely feel health benefits, just don't waste money on an expensive machine. Low cost machines can work just as well.

Glenn, Orlando, Florida
May 23, 2010 8:08am

A warning that messing with the PH level pet's urine can be dangerous. I was given samples of Alkaline water to drink and told that it is healthy and good for pets also; websites on Alkaline water also state that pets can benefit from Alkaline water. Little did I know that I was hurting my pet. I gave my kitty the water for several weeks and he started behaving strangely, urinating on the floor. A vet visit revealed urine crystals and alkaline PH level in the urine. The crystals blocked his urethra requiring emergency hospitalization and care that cost $2,000 to save him. Different types of crystals form in urine that is too acidic or too alkaline. Please, please, check with your vet before giving your pet something that seems harmless.

Esther, Los Angeles
May 27, 2010 1:38pm

If it's so good why doesn't the WHO, NHS and other health organisations endorse these devices? Why aren't hospitals fitted with them?

The pH seems hardly any different from most bottled waters and those aren't being supported as a miracle cure to realign the bodie's pH. Why is this?

On the other hand I can't seem to find any negative testimonials on the web from people who feel for this scam. Are they all somehow blocked? Hard to believe nobody has been disappointed enough to post a website dedicated to exposing this scam after they personally wasted their money on one.

David Williams, UK
June 07, 2010 5:20am

@ Glenn

If you can show the science was wrong on how they displayed Ph levels, fine then show it. Corrections mande good enough. However if you're trying to push these two to six THOUSAND dollar machines on us, or even any goddamn machine (even cheaper yes)get real. Quite honestly you sound like you're pushing your agenda. At least Brian gave us sources to check up on. Wheres yours? You do honestly thing I am going to trust "I am a Ph.D in electrical Engineering" (which by the way is NOT Ph.D in Chemistry)or even worse, and I quote:

"The beauty of our bodies is that we can all do our own experiments and gauge how it makes us feel. If it makes you feel better and seems healthy, trust it. If it makes you feel worse, trust that as well. If you try alkalized water for a few days you'll likely feel health benefits, just don't waste money on an expensive machine. Low cost machines can work just as well".

Confirmation bias, placebo effect....any of these sound familiar? And "just don't waste money on an expensive machine. Low cost machines can work just as well". You sound like you're pushing your own agenda. If you were really a Ph.D and you STILL got suckered into this all I can feel is sad for you and hope you do your research, which by NOW you should have been an expert in.

Cam, Thunder Bay
June 07, 2010 6:26am

Much as I love the podcast, I have a real love/hate relationship with the comments section on this site. I do find it interesting that the level of vehemence and delusion amongst the dissenters tends to be directly proportionate to their vested financial interest in the topic. MLM schemes sit right under religion in the order of controversial topics on this site, which makes me a little sad at the state of society.

Kevin, Canberra, Australia
June 15, 2010 9:43pm

A friend of mine who is genuinely concerned with me having breast cancer, very happily anounced there is a cure. Because: it is all in the acid water we drink... And I can buy a Kangen water machine. Well, anyone wanting to believe that the properties of water will change when you put a label with 'love' onto it, will probably also promote this water machine. Thank you for the nonsense, and thank you so much Brian Dunning for your explanation.

Ida, Amsterdam, Netherlands
June 17, 2010 10:15am

Thanks for this article. My wife has a wellness program at her work which is nice - exercise and some structured goals for working on weight, cholestoral, etc.

The other day, though, they brought in a Kangen water rep who was going on and on about how it is so big in Japan and how the special water was responsible for curing someone's deadly illness, how it cured the rep's allergies and more insanity.

The sad part is that most of the people there were believing it. My wife is going to anonymously leave some printouts of this article around to help her coworkers see what was wrong with the device.

Also, it looks like they're now also promoting the antioxident "wonders" of the water. Sigh.

Scott, San Gabriel, CA
June 21, 2010 10:49am

I own an Enagic Kangen Water Machine. I drink the water, it has done wonderful/miraculous things for me and my family. No doctor or chemist could possibly convince me it does not work! I wonder how many of the skeptics actually know someone personally that has a machine!

Here are just some results:
• The acid reflux I have had for over 15 years has vanished.
• My rotator cuff pains have gone and I sleep better and have more energy.
• My wife wakes up much easier from better sleep and has more energy at the end of the week.
• My son is seeing faster recovery from his workouts, he cannot drink pop anymore and he notices other water “just does not absorb!”
• My father’s arthritis pain has gone.
• His wife’s leg swelling and pain has gone.
• A lady my father sold a machine to had her blood pressure normalize after being on the water a little over a month. A lump in her leg disappeared and she now walks better than she has in years.
• My father-in-law’s sugar is lower and less erratic.
• My mother-in-law’s knee pain disappeared and both of their issues with reflux disappeared.
• A lady in the neighborhood’s arthritic back pain in the morning was gone in 3 days and she has not taken any acid reflux medicine since starting on the water.
• Another neighbor’s fibromyalgia symptoms including severe leg pain are gone and her acid reflux issues are gone (only 24 days on the water.) She now reports her arthritis pain in her neck is almost gone.

Edward.Miller@frontier.com

Ed Miller, Nebo, WV
July 22, 2010 11:29am

I find it hilarious that the guy saying that ionized water is such a hoax has so many ads running for ionized water machines, right next to the article where he says they are a hoax! I suppose everyone has a price .

Michael Schwab, Cibolo
August 12, 2010 1:29pm

Sounds like someone doesn't understand how google ads work......they are based on search terms. Then again, Michael is also likely a believer in this quackery and not equipped with the tools to evaluate health claims or navigate with technology.

Nick, Bloomington, IN
August 13, 2010 4:25am

This statement is to answer all the people who say mml products are a rip off and are marked up high to pay distributors. As you will see in this case Enagic is much better deal
Kangen water from Enagic is is the best product that has come along in years..they make the best machines at the best prices..can't afford the sd501 that will last for 20 years and make's high antioxidant water.
Buy the sunus for $1280. it is a higher quality product than all the "other" $2000. ionizers on the market(except Enagic)
these guys got it right (sunus cost $425.to produce and is marked up 3x)
don't believe these guys that say direct marketing is a rip off not in this case. These "other products cost $300.to produce and are marked up 7x that is a rip off. Do your research and you will see.

Mike Doyle, Warren Mi.
August 13, 2010 5:54am

All I see from Kangen supporters is more of the "this water is good for you" and no hard data to back that up.

Check the further reading section and try to refute their findings before you spend more money. Weigh the evidence for and against as objectively as you can. Please dont go down that MLM path any farther.

Cam, Thunder Bay
August 13, 2010 11:31am

Geez Louise!
First of all, try ACTUALLY drinking Kangen water FIRST... BEFORE you type on your keyboard. Then your body would feel the difference and you'd understand. Have you talked to the people that have been healed JUST by drinking the water??? I only wish I had this water before my parents passed away due to cancer and other health issues. I'd pay ANY $$$ to have had this water a few years ago. All I know is this water WORKS! PERIOD. And we have THOUSANDS of testimonials so I don't need a chemist's opinion. Oh WOW, wait, guess what! We DO have a chemist who bought a machine because he confirmed the whole ionization process to US and confirmed its validity!!! Yeah that's right! Now I understand it may be a lot of money to SOME people. But health is the most important thing in the world to SOME of us! The old adage "You get what you pay for" applies here. Kangen machines are actually worth MORE than they cost. For those of you who have perfect health God bless you! But once your health starts deteriorating MAN, you'll be begging for this water, that's for sure! So Brian, try drinking the water FIRST before writing nonsense...I'm sure you'll change your mind. That goes for all you non believers!

Roger D, Jersey City
August 22, 2010 9:35pm

Roger,

One dollar will be too much for something that doesn't work.

Shahar Lubin, Hanoi, Vietnam
August 23, 2010 1:07am

Yes Roger, my families health is incredibly important. Which is why I am never going to beg for ridiculously expensive water. Because I have no interest in paying through the nose to risk their health on unproven pseudoscience when tested and effective medicine is cheaper and freely available.

If this worked why would the NHS waste money on doctors and medical treatments? Er, because this doesn't work.

Oh, and in industry we have to bulk by deionised water for batteries and the like. Which kind of suggests impure tap water is already ionised...

Tom H, Kent, UK
August 23, 2010 5:31am

You can say what you want about the Kangen water. And all truth it sounds good to me however. I have a few conditions that I have been trying to get rid of for years and no doctors or chemist has helped me even a little bit!!! All I did was pay bills and buy pills that never worked!!! Plain in simple the water worked!!! And if you delete this, that also tells me something!!

Wayne Harden, Jersey City
August 23, 2010 7:18am

Any one else noticing that the entire population of Jersey City seems to buy Kangen Water because of scarily simaler annectdotal evidence. Right down to multiple exclamation marks?

It must work!! Somebody from Jersey City found Doctors couldn't help!! But then water filters worked!! For no reason!!! Other than they said so!!! Wheres the evidence????

Now THAT is telling me something... Still sticking to cheaper medicines which have been licensed and approved by NICE (or relevenat authority in which ever country you inhabit).

If a product can't beat a placebo on double blind testing in a peer reviewed environment, then frankly it isn't worth the risk. It could do nothing. It could have ill effect. You have no way of knowing. even if it is Just water.

Tom H, Kent, UK
August 23, 2010 12:31pm

Not looking for an argument but here goes. I drank Kangen water for a period of seven months. I became particularly ill after this time period. I found out that this water had leeched my phosphorus to an almost life threatening low level. If you are unaware of what phosphorus does in your body let me advise you you won't live long without it. When your phosphorus level goes low so does your magnesium level, which is also a vital component. I'm presently trying to replenish in my system these elements and it has been a scary process. I wish I could say that there was something viable about this water but after real research, I would be lying. I feel foolish that my research didn't come before I started drinking this water. There are a ton of testimonials but no actual scientific studies to legitimize this water. I have evidence, however, that this water was detrimental to my health. This water is not something you need to be drinking. Eat a good diet, not garbage food and just drink good clean natural water, it's all your body needs. Sincerely

Brian, Florida, USA
September 01, 2010 2:36pm