Water PH

[Dutchie]

Recently, I've finally switched out the packs of mineral water I used to get. (bc it has all kinds of crap in it, glyphosate likely being one of them. When I asked the manufacturer, they said they weren't allowed to share testreports but that "it was all within range".)

However, I noticed that my body doesn't like the acidity/lower ph of the RO water.
So, I have a waterjar with maifan mineral stones in it. That sometimes works (depending on where I'm at in my cycle and the mineralbalance). I've also experimenten with adding a pinch of sea salt to the water, but it seems the water just doesn't absorb correctly into the colon and move waste out (regardless of fiber).

It also seems that lately I've been needing high amounts of certain minerals to have even the slightest bowel movement.
I've read that lower ph water (below 7) doesn't absorb nutrients well and absorb into the colon. RO water has a ph of 5-6 and the water I used to buy 7.5.
How do I raise the ph of the water without using mineral drops? (which have some minerals in it which I don't want.)
I know baking soda and/or potassium bicarbonate can do this, but I'm worried it'll lower my stomach acid too much/interfering with digestion.

 

[Sphagnum]

Are you buying the RO water, or filtering it yourself?
RO water’s should not be that low. 6.5 is normal.

Two things come to mind as far as your actual concern.

1) sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate would be fine to raise the pH so long as you only added enough to raise it to the 7.5 that you’re looking for. Test the water before, add a couple pinches, and test again. Repeat until 7.5 is reached, and remember the amount you used for next time. Very simple.

2) You proposed a theory that minerals are poorly absorbed if the water is acidic.
Any water you drink is coming in contact with your stomach acid first regardless. I don’t know exactly what minerals are in the higher pH waters, and whether or not they’d react with stomach acid or just pass through intact. Regardless, the water and solids are being separated and filtered in digestion anyway. Your water isn’t (or at least shouldn’t…) be passing through to the colon in the first place. This whole theory seems made up to sell higher pH water to me, but I’m only a layperson speculating.

 

[Dutchie]

Are you buying the RO water, or filtering it yourself?
RO water’s should not be that low. 6.5 is normal.

Two things come to mind as far as your actual concern.

1) sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate would be fine to raise the pH so long as you only added enough to raise it to the 7.5 that you’re looking for. Test the water before, add a couple pinches, and test again. Repeat until 7.5 is reached, and remember the amount you used for next time. Very simple.

2) You proposed a theory that minerals are poorly absorbed if the water is acidic.
Any water you drink is coming in contact with your stomach acid first regardless. I don’t know exactly what minerals are in the higher pH waters, and whether or not they’d react with stomach acid or just pass through intact. Regardless, the water and solids are being separated and filtered in digestion anyway. Your water isn’t (or at least shouldn’t…) be passing through to the colon in the first place. This whole theory seems made up to sell higher pH water to me, but I’m only a layperson speculating.

I have a countertop RO system. (I used to buy the (weak) mineral water.

1) yeah, I tried the baking soda method already but it didn't make much of a difference.
So, I'm thinking it's likely a combination of ph around 7/7.5 and the kind of minerals in there.
Ideally I would try to recreate the store bought mineral water.

These are the minerals listed, mg/l:
ca:47
mg:3,4
na:10,6
k:0,6
F:<0,1
cl:10,3
so4:>1
hco3:170
no3:<lt/>1
ph:7,6

This water made my bowels move (better), but I'm now actually questioning if it were toxins/irritants in it which caused that...
My bowels now are slow, small amounts and consistency+color isn't normal either.

 

[Sphagnum]

Have you gone back on and then off of the mineral water to confirm it was the water causing the differences? I personally would want to know for sure and then move on from there. Even then, though, I guess it’s uncertain if it’s a good or bad thing.

How much water are you drinking in a day?

 

[Dutchie]

Have you gone back on and then off of the mineral water to confirm it was the water causing the differences? I personally would want to know for sure and then move on from there. Even then, though, I guess it’s uncertain if it’s a good or bad thing.

How much water are you drinking in a day?

Yes,in the past (when BM was running good) there's been times where I couldn't get the water for a couple of days and noticed that BM's started to get more wonky. That's why I've hesitated so long to make the switch to purely filtered water only, but since the mineralwater started to exacerbate physical issues, I finally stopped.

I drink to thirst (same amount as the mineral water), which generally is around 1.5liters.

 

[Sphagnum]

Yes,in the past (when BM was running good) there's been times where I couldn't get the water for a couple of days and noticed that BM's started to get more wonky. That's why I've hesitated so long to make the switch to purely filtered water only, but since the mineralwater started to exacerbate physical issues, I finally stopped.

I drink to thirst (same amount as the mineral water), which generally is around 1.5liters.

One thing that seems to be in the water and would help with what you describe would be magnesium. If you don’t have any other source of magnesium in your diet, I would look into adding some and seeing if it helps.

 

[Dutchie]

One thing that seems to be in the water and would help with what you describe would be magnesium. If you don’t have any other source of magnesium in your diet, I would look into adding some and seeing if it helps.

I take magnesium malate daily and I have electrolyte drops which contain magnesium.
Reading the label of the package,there doesn't seem to be a high amount of minerals in the water per liter. (I'm not a math wizard though).