Oxygenated Water: The Newest Health Scam

By Tyler Saso, Contributing Lean Beret Columnist

Oxygenated water is the newest craze amongst physically active populations.  These products claim to be extremely beneficial in several ways.  They all claim to be remineralized (to incorporate trace minerals and electrolytes), ionized (for enhanced alkalinity), microstructured (for “optimal hydration”), super-oxygenated (to increase athletic performance), increase longevity, and all of this is made possible through the latest “15 step-purification” process.  This is all a load of crap folks!

Let me indulge you with the facts--people need trace minerals to survive and maintain regular body functions.  Before oxygenated water can be made, it is filtered through a system that is nearly identical to city processing equipment.  Then, essential minerals are stripped away to be added in later.  Why take out all the good stuff?  Why not just leave it be?  Oxygenated water companies do this in order to regulate the quantity of trace minerals, so they can make bogus claims about having “just the right amount” of minerals in their water.  Heads up- if you’re only drinking high-tech water, you may be missing out on a few important minerals in your diet.  Regular bottled water is far more nutritious, because it contains adequate levels of various minerals.

Let’s talk about the oxygenized part for a bit--oxygenated water is “created” by pressurizing the water with oxygen gas; each additional atmosphere of oxygen pressure pumps an additional 40 mg into each liter.  Sounds great right?  Let’s take a step back for minute--water consists of billions upon billions of H2O molecules (2 parts hydrogen and 1 part oxygen) 1 hydrogen atom can only bond with 1 other atom (in this case, oxygen), because of its chemical properties.  Basically, it’s absolutely impossible for 1 hydrogen atom to bond with 2 oxygen atoms.  When water is pressurized with the oxygen gas, the oxygen has nothing to bond and it remains in a free-floating state inside the bottle.  So what happens when you open the lid?  That’s right, all of the oxygen escapes.  You go from holding a $4 bottle of high-tech water, to holding a $1 bottle of fancy city water.  Still don’t believe me?  Then what’s making that hissing sound when you crack open a new bottle of water? It’s pressurized oxygen shooting out, and leaving you with regular.

Oxygenated water as a performance enhancer--we already know that all of the precious oxygen leaves the bottle when you open it.  Let’s pretend that the oxygen magically stayed in the bottle and made it inside your thirsty stomach.  So what would happen?  Well, first off, your intestine is not designed to adsorb oxygen into the bloodstream--that’s the lungs job.  Second, the moment oxygen enters your stomach it will cause you to burp it all out!  Lastly, the only two ways to carry oxygen in the bloodstream is when it is bound to hemoglobin or dissolved in the plasma.  In most people hemoglobin is already 97% to 98% saturated with oxygen.  

You are better off taking an extra breath than wasting money on bogus “oxygenated” water.  Last time I checked, breathing is free.

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(Updated 5.5.08)

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