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Physiological effects of alkaline ionized water: Effects on metabolites
produced by intestinal fermentation
by Takashi Hayakawa, Chicko
Tushiya, Hisanori Onoda, Hisayo Ohkouchi, Harul-~to Tsuge (Gifu University,
Faculty of Engineering, Dept. of Food Science)
We have found that long-term ingestion of alkaline ionized water (AIW)
reduces cecal fermentation in rats that were given highly fermentable commercial
diet (MF: Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd.). In this experiment, rats were fed MF and
test water (tap water, AIW with pH at 9 and 10) for about 3 months. Feces were
collected on the 57th day, and the rats were dissected on the 88th day. The
amount of ammonium in fresh feces and cecal contents as well as fecal
free-glucose tended to drop down for the AIW group. In most cases, the amount of
free-amino acids in cecal contents did not differ sign- icantly except for
cysteine (decreased in AIW with pH at 10) and isoleucine (increased in AIW with
pH at 10).
Purpose of tests
Alkaline ionized water electrolyzers have been
approved for manufacturing in 1965 by the Ministry of Health and Welfare as
medical equipment to produce medical substances. Alkaline ionized water (AIW)
produced by this equipment is known to be effective against gastrointestinal
fermentation, chronic diarrhea, indigestion and hyperchylia as well as for
controlling gastric acid.*1 This is mainly based on efficacy of the official
calcium hydroxide. *2 By giving AIW to rats for a comparatively long time under
the condition of extremely high level of intestinal fermentation, we have
demonstrated that AIW intake is effective for inhibition of intestinal
fermentation when its level is high based on some test results where AIW worked
against cecal hypertrophy and for reduction in the amount of short-chain fatty
acid that is the main product of fermentation.*3 We have reported that this is
caused by the synergy between calcium level generally contained in AIW (about
50ppm) and the value of pH, and that frequency of detecting some anaerobic
bacteria tends to be higher in alkaline ionized water groups than the other,
although the bacteria count in the intestine does not have significant
difference. Based on these results, we made a judgment that effect of taking AIW
supports part of inhibition mechanism against abnormal intestinal fermentation,
which is one of the claims of efficacy that have been attributed to alkaline
ionized water electrolyzers. *4 On the other hand, under the dietary condition
of low intestinal fermentation, AIW uptake does not seem to inhibit fermentation
that leads us to believe that effect of AIW uptake is characteristic of
hyper-fermentation state. Metabolites produced by intestinal fermentation
include indole and skatole in addition to organic acids such as short-chain
fatty acid and lactic acid as well as toxic metabolites such as ammonium, phenol
and pcresol. We do not know how AIW uptake would affect the production of these
materials. In this experiment, we have tested on ammonium production as
explained in the following sections.
Testing methods
Four-week-old male Wistar/ST Clean rats were
purchased from Japan SLC Co., Ltd. and were divided into 3 groups of 8 each
after preliminary breeding. AIW of pH 9 and 10 was produced by an electrolyzer
Mineone ROYAL NDX3 1 OH by Omco Co., Ltd. This model produces AIW by
electrolyzing water with calcium lactate added. On the last day of testing, the
rats were dissected under Nembutal anesthesia to take blood from the heart by a
heparin-treated syringe. As to their organs, the small intestines, cecum and
colon plus rectum were taken out from each of them. The cecurn was weighed and
cleaned with physiological saline after its contents were removed, and the
tissue weight was measured after wiping out moisture. Part of cecal contents was
measured its pH, and the rest was used to assay ammonium concentration. The
amount of ammonium contained in fresh feces and cecal contents was measured by
the Nessler method after collecting it in the extracted samples using Conway s
micro-diffusion container. Fecal free-glucose was assayed by the oxygen method
after extraction by hot water. Analysis of free amino acids contained in cecal
contents was conducted by the Waters PicoTag amino acid analysis system.
Test results and analyses
No difference was found in the rats
weight gain, water and feed intake and feeding efficiency, nor was any
particular distinction in appearance identified. The length of the small
intestines and colon plus rectum tended to decline in AIW groups. PH value of
cecal contents was higher and the amount of fecal free-glucose tended to be
lower in AIW groups than the control group. Since there was no difference in
fecal discharge itself, the amount of free-glucose discharged per day was at a
low level. The amount of discharged free-glucose in feces is greater when
intestinal fermentation is more intensive, which indicates that intestinal
fermentation is more inhibited in AIW groups than the control group. Ammonium
concentration in cecal contents tends to drop down in AIW groups (Fig. 1). This
trend was most distinctive in case of fresh feces of one of AIW groups with pH
10 (Fig.2) AIW uptake was found to be inhibitory against ammonium production. In
order to study dynamics of amino acids in large intestines, we examined free
amino acids in the cecal contents to find out that cysteine level is low in AIW
groups whereas isoleucine level is high in one of AIW groups with pH 10,
although no significant difference was identified for other amino acids.
Bibliography
1. "Verification of Alkaline Ionized Water" by Life
Water Institute, Metamor Publishing Co., 1994, p.46
*2. "Official
Pharmaceutical Guidelines of Japan, Vol. IT by Japan Public Documents
Association, Hirokawa PublIshin Co., 1996
*3. "Science and Technology of
Functional Water" (part) by Takashi Hayakawa, Haruffito Tsuge, edited by Water
Scienll cc Institute, 1999, pp.109-116
*4. Tasics and Effective Use of
Alkaline Ionized Water" by Takashi Hayakawa, Haruhito Tsuge, edited by Tetsuji
Hc kudou, 25th General Assembly of Japan Medical Congress Tunctional Water in
Medical Treatment", Administratio~ Offices, 1999, pp. 10- 11
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