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Water Snakeoil

by Steven Novella, Jan 05 2009

Water is the new snakeoil – well, it’s an old snakeoil too. There certainly seems to be something psychologically appealing about the notion of pure water. It is clear, crisp, untainted – it just has to be healthy. And, of course, clean water is essential for health and life, and nothing enhances a lie better than a kernal of truth.

It is not surprising, therefore, that “magic” water has long been a staple of snakeoil salesmen, gurus, and charlatans. Health spas originally centered around special springs of water, or mineral water, and later carbonated water.

I was recently asked about a recent incarnation of the water snakeoil routine, Kangen Water. The claims made on the website for this dubious product are unimaginatively representative.

Water is the single most important resource for the human body. Water is the most essential nutrient involved in every function of the body. Water accounts for approximately 70% of an individual’s complete fat free body mass. In order to function properly, water must be consumed in set quantities in consistent intervals (average of 2.5 liters per day). When not enough water is consumed, people can begin to develop certain illnesses and even accelerate their aging processes.

Many of the “magic water” website begin like this – water is an “important resource for the human body.” Well, duh. This says nothing, of course, about why any particular water is more healthful then, say, the water that comes out of your tap.

Notice also that the website repeats the common myth that everyone needs a set amount of water to be healthy. Actually, the amount of water each person needs on any particular day is not fixed – it is a variable depending upon how much water is consumed through food and how much is lost through sweat, urine, and breathing. It also depends on how much salt and other electrolytes are consumed. Also, millions of years of evolution have given us a pretty tweaked mechanism for knowing how much we have to drink – it’s called thirst.

Next we get some nice vague claims:

Kangen water is being recognized by more and more people around the world as the purest and healthiest water for the human body.

This, naturally, is combined with testimonials about the miraculous effects of this water, and “expert” endorsements from various quacks. That’s the usual 1-2-3 combination – vague claims that get by the FDA, testimonials from private citizens (hey, that’s just free speech), and paid quacks to lend a false image of legitimacy.

There are two core claims made for the mechanism of this magic water’s health benefits – it has anti-oxidant properties, and is alkaline. Both claims are absurd.

Anti-oxidants are the latest in medical techno-babble for any self-respecting snake oil. They do serve a legitimate function in the body, but their regulation is complex and so far there is no evidence that simply eating more anti-oxidants has any health benefits, in fact taking too much may be harmful. The jury is still out on that.

They claim:

It is safe to say that Kangen water is an incredible antioxidant. Some may go as far as to say that Kangen water is more powerful that any single food or vitamin
supplement in the world. Simply stated, Kangen water contains active hydrogen which supplies vast amounts of free electrons to our body.

As far as I can tell, this is pure nonsense. It also seems to be self contradictory – they claim the water is alkaline, but that it contains free hydrogen. Uh – free hydrogen would make the water acidic – the opposite of alkaline. Also, once absorbed into the body the water is just water; it does not retain its pH or ionic state.

The alkaline claims are similarly nonsensical. What happens when alkaline water hits the acid in the stomach? They neutralize each other a bit. My guess is that the acid wins out. It takes serious antacids to temporarily neutralize the acid in the stomach. This slightly alkaline water would not have much of an effect.

Further, the blood pH is around 7.4 and is fairly tightly managed by elaborate metabolic systems in the body. Most people are not too acidic, and this website claims, and you cannot change your body’s pH by drinking alkaline water. You would need to overwhelm your body’s metabolic processes to alter the pH, or drink certain kinds of poison. Either that or there needs to be a significant respiratory or metabolic disorder. In any case, someone whose pH is out of whack is seriously and acutely ill.

If all these claims about pH and anti-oxidants is too much for some would-be customers, the promoters of Kangen water hedge their bets with some straightforward magic:

“Magical miracle healing water” has been found in nature at only a few specific locations throughout the world. These so called “miracle” water sources have been discovered in Mexico, Germany, India, China, Australia, and Japan. Large numbers of people from all over the world wait in line almost every hour of every day to obtain some of this “magical water” at all of these locations.

That’s right – forget all that stuff about active hydrogen – this stuff is just plain magical.

Magic water claims are centuries old and will likely be around forever. The sales pitches change over time, taking advantage of the latest craze or sexy scientific jargon. But the con remains the same.

88 Responses to “Water Snakeoil”

  1. Mr. Novella,
    It is unfortunate that you would post a skeptic remark on a product that you obviously no little or nothing about.
    I too was a skeptic until I actually spent some serious time researching it and connecting the dots of information. Kangen is just almost too wonderful and amazing for words.

    Now I’m not going to waist my time in typing or yours in reading, but I will offer you this, I’d be happy to put you into contact with someone in your area so that you can receive some of this “Magic” water and try it for yourself! That ought to be a offer you’d want to take up and try as this is a Multi-Million dollar corp. as in over a half billion annually. Likewise, I’d also like to send you our latest and greatest DVD that is over 3.5 hours of information and testimonies, as well as some serious studies on the subject.

    The people that drink this water were all skeptics at first, now there is NO other water they would drink period.

    And just like Henry Fords skeptic with the horseless buggy, 10 years later they where building roads to accommodate. Likewise the same can be said of the telephone when the telegraph and Morris code seemed to be all that was needed, and then of course more recently as 11 years ago was e-mail, cell phones and the list keeps growing doesn’t it.

    So, let me know if you’d like to take me up on your offer of FREE water to TRY, and you mailing address for the DVD. One thing I know for certain is that age 53 I have more energy, and look better than most because I am hydrated at a cellular level with Hexagonal, Micro-clustered, antioxidant, Ionized Enagic Kangen Water.

    Have a Waterful Day!
    L. Chase-Dunn
    KangenArizona@gmail.com
    (links redacted)

    • Tommy says:

      I can tell the greed driven people very easy. They all never pay attention in the chemistry class. I wonder what would you do when a cancer or diabetes creeps in on you and Kangen won’t be there to take your testimonial… keep on scamming

  2. Mike says:

    Specifically advice to drink set amounts of water are positively dangerous.

    A recent case in the UK involved a ‘therapist’ advising her client to drink large volumes of water and despite the woman involved reporting back that she had headaches, dizziness etc (the early signs of water intoxication) – she was advised to drink even more! She died.

    Similarly, there has been a vogue in long distance running to drink lots of fluids and cases of water intoxication are not uncommon and occasional deaths. The advice to marathon runners now is to drink if they are thirsty! Duh!!

    Basically your kidneys are brilliant at managing your fluid balance and pH and don’t need any help!

  3. Max says:

    Got this from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine.
    “Minimizing Heat Casualties in Operations”
    http://www.usariem.army.mil/heatill/mincaso.htm
    “[Soldiers] must know: that although thirsty = dehydrated, dehydrated does not = thirsty.”

  4. MadScientist says:

    @Max: yeah, the army’s got it right – just because you’re dehydrated doesn’t mean you’ll be thirsty. Some people don’t even have a reliable sensation of thirst. Some people like myself have got something wrong and there are days when I feel incredibly thirsty even if I drink until I feel bloated.

    “It is safe to say that Kangen water is an incredible antioxidant.”

    Gee – almost 20 years as a chemist and I never thought of water as an antioxidant. My school must have used somewhat sensible textbooks.

    “Simply stated, Kangen water contains active hydrogen which supplies vast amounts of free electrons to our body.”

    I’m a chemist and I don’t know what the hell “active hydrogen” is – guess it’s time for me to go back to school – maybe the Kangen School of Snake Oil Salesmanship. If you want a lot of free electrons on your body, scuff your feet on the carpet on dry days. Hmm … on second thought, if you use the right materials then scuffing your feet may deplete you of electrons. There are plenty enough electrons in my body without me ever drinking anything.

    “Kangen water is being recognized by more and more people around the world as the purest and healthiest water for the human body.”

    Isn’t that a natural consequence to “there’s one (sucker) born every minute”?

    Dang – isn’t there a quote on the water being alkaline? Pure water has a pH of 6.0 – this is ‘neutral’, not alkaline, because the pH of pure water is the basis for defining what is neutral. Pure water cannot be alkaline.

    Water normally has gases dissolved in it – oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide are the chief gases. Due to dissolved carbon dioxide, a glass of pure water placed in air would turn slightly acidic – in fact you can select an appropriate pH indicator and literally see the acidity change. Boiling the water reduces the solubility of gases and would drive out much of the oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. Let the water cool and taste it – YUCK! Let it sit for an hour or so for the oxygen and carbon dioxide content to increase and taste it again – much better, it tastes the way you expect water to taste.

    Based on Kangen’s description, they’re absolutely not selling pure water but I can guarantee they are selling pure bullshit.

  5. Frito Pendejo says:

    Water? You mean like in the toilet?

  6. Gerry says:

    Here is another source of miraculous water:

    http://www.drinkvivo.com/vivo_index.html

    They sell clustered water. They say “it’s water the way God intended it to be!”
    They also make a concentrated version – 4oz bottles. Presumably, you just add…water (and all for $39.95 – I’m in the wrong industry!)

  7. Great post!

    I recently did a comic about such ‘miracle water’.

    http://www.apenotmonkey.com/2009/02/13/pseudo-miracle/

  8. MadScientist says:

    Oops …

    Damn, I wrote ‘pH 6.0 is neutral'; that should have been ‘pH 7.0′. It’s been too long since I’ve done any calculations or measurements involving pH…

    • Yeah I can tell its been toooo long for you. Im glad there are skeptics like you very few( especially scientists who by the way”the more you know , the less sence anything makes”) you probably dont believe in God either.

  9. Annie says:

    MadScientist, I was just about to correct you! (I’m a chemist too).
    Concentrated water? I love it.

  10. oldebabe says:

    Good post. And entertaining too, whether you intended that or not.

  11. Mr. Chase-Dunn,

    Thank you for helping make Dr. Novella’s point.

  12. Shahar Lubin says:

    “Water accounts for approximately 70% of an individual’s complete fat free body mass”?

    Well, water accounts for a 100% of an individual’s complete non-water free body mass.

  13. Feralboy says:

    Concentrated water? What then, it’s just hydrogen and you add the oxygen? Or maybe it has a special molecular structure that is communicated to the molecules of regular water. Although why the bad molecules wouldn’t take over, since they outnumber the good ones…this will require further “research.” The math always works out if you use a magic 7 in all your calculations.

  14. Max says:

    What comes after concentrated water? Dehydrated water, duh.

  15. alex says:

    I own a kangen water machine and yes it does work. It works for EVERYTHING, from cleaning, to acne treatment, to turmors shrinking, I know from personal expereince. All you IDIOTS saying its “bullshit” are complete MORONS. but then again i could really care less if you people that didn’t believe that it actually works as “magic water”, because the more idiots that die from this world the better. so keep on thinking what you do and die faster then the smart non cheap people! k thanks for your time :D

    • Tommy says:

      Of course it works for you.
      You would not even know the truth of it even if it hits you in the face.
      You would look like a MORON and a IDIOT full of shit if the word got arround that you got duped by the oldest trick in MLM’s history.

  16. Dave Thompson says:

    (Read below about the $100,000 challenge!)

    This is the most amazing phenomenon I have witnessed in a very long time! The ignorance and stupitidy with which people try to refute absolute reality on here is overhwhelmingly profound! You “so-called” expert chemists and various other naysayers conjure up in my mind what it must have been like after it was discovered that the earth was not REALLY the center of the solar system or that the earth was not REALLY flat. Even in the face or irrefutable evidence people were still unable to “see” the truth and continued to persecute and even kill those who revealed the truth.

    For the sake of your own health and that of your loved ones, if you have any, I would encourage you do so some research on the importance of pH balance and total health. Yes, your body will do whatever it has to do to keep the pH blanced at about 7.36 in the blood stream. It will rob minerals from anywhere it has to to keep the blood balanced: bones, teeth, muscles, etc. The benefit of drinking alkaline water and eating an alkaline diet is beyond question. Forget about the water for now! Just go to Amazon, for example, and look for anything that has to do with diet and alkalinity. That would be a safe place to start. In fact, go to http://www.RawFor30Days.com and see what eating an alkaline diet will do for diabetics! By the way, I have nothing to do with this site. Don’t let anyone tell you that diet doesn’t matter or that there is no “cure” for diabetes!

    We have an extremely acidic diet in the US! Nobody other than a hair-brained idiot would even dare to refute what is almost common knowledge among educated people, health care professionals and medical doctors around the world. Just get a pH meter and measure the pH of a coke and see how much regular water you have to put in it to neutralize it! It will take about 30 times the same amount of water to neutralize the coke to a pH of 7. Don’t tell me that just because your body will balance that acidity itself that it’s not a problem what you put in your body. Yes, it’s all about chemistry for sure! Our bodies are one great big electro-chemical factory that are affected by everything we put in our mouths, breath in, put on our skin and even think. Even our thoughts and attitudes affect our blood chemistry AND THAT, blood chemistry, is what determines the quality of our health to a very large degree!

    I am no expert! However, some of my biggest passions in life, as a lay person, have been health and nutrition, alternative/preventive medicine and natural healing. Some of what I have learned must have paid off for me. Just last year, at the age of 57, I had my heart checked. I was told that I hade the heart of a 36 year old man. So, some of what I’ve been doing must be working.

    I have rambled on for a minute but let me get to my challenge. I will offer a $100,000 reward to any of the people on this post or anywhere else who can prove that the Enagic water machine is a “Snake Oil Hoax”. In fact, I would like to challenge Dr. Novella personally to the challenge! Tell ya what Doc, let’s set up a meeting and I will give you as long as you want to draw a crowd and even publicize it. We will have a simple Enagic demonstration and you bring all of your so-called expertise or other experts to the table and I will represent Enagic. The one who loses the challenge forks over $100,000! Of course, we will have to have a panel of unbiased judges to make the decision. You prove that it’s “Snake Oil” and I will prove that it isn’t! Fair enough? Put your money where your mouth is or just shut up – period! Sounds fair to me! Just call me and let me know if you are man enough to do this or if you’re just gonna shoot your mouth off in ignorance!

    To Your Unlimited Health and Wealth!

    Dave Thompson
    Nashville, TN
    615-855-3607

    P.S. This challenge goes to anyone else who wants in on it too!

    • Jon-marc says:

      Dave Thompson i have to say that was pure genius what you just said, that was everything that i was thinking as i read the other posts lol. When i first came into contact with kangen water i was a sceptic, but then i decided to start drinking it i wanted to see if there was any truth to what i had heard. The last 4 years of my life my health was miserable i was constantly sick and terribly depressed. I have been drinking this water now for 4 months and i feel fantastic in every way! The only thing i changed… was this drinking water, it has changed my life. There is no other possible explaination. By the way i am just some chump from Portland Oregon who is now finnaly ENJOYING life;) Have a nice day

    • Tommy says:

      Is the money in escrow already?

    • steelsheen11b says:

      I’ll take that challange, but since you are a liar and a thief and have no intention of actually LIVING up to this; I’m going to take me and my money and go to the “magical” waters of Hawaii to surf.

  17. Wayne says:

    I am about to buy into the Kangen water.
    My wife was healed of arthritis and colitis. Both her diseases came from colon problems. I have always known sickness comes from the colon.

    After learning about health our 5 year old daughters eye sight was healed. She use to wear really thick glasses and today at 22 She has no need of glasses. Child cold medications cause the problem

    Our doctors are taught by the big chemical companies. So there knowledge lacks greatly in the natural realm as GOD intended us to have health.

    I know the cure for many things and yet because our politicians are bought and paid for we have laws to put people in jail for telling the truth about health.
    Any one with just a little intelligence is able to figure this out.

    I will give one example fluoride toothpaste, why do they use fluoride for rat poison? Just google it.
    Our government doesn’t want us to be healthy when we get old.

    • kgirrl says:

      ANYTHING YOU PUT IN YOUR BODY IN HIGH DOSES WILL KILL YOU, just like any vitamin!! Flouride isn’t bad for you. But it will kill you if you have too much. Even an idiot knows that!

  18. Joe Gonzalez says:

    To the 20+ yr chemist… Have you always been this hard on yourself, by finding fault in others! Please give me a break down as to why Kangen water has resolved my problem? Remember that being contructive and using your knowledge in a positive way, you could possibley run a very lucrative consultive business.

    I own a small lawnscape company and consume alot of water/soft drinks, such as gatorades/cokes and several others. I rarely drink beer. Now I would like to know that after consumming more then the 2 to 3 liters of liquids why is it that I would get home after a hard days 12 + hr days that I would be slugish/sleepy and could not stay up passed 9:00 pm. Also I have had to take Meta Mucil for more than 15 yrs twice daily “Dr’s orders”. If ever I missed one day from taking the Meta Mucil, I would have stomach aches/diahrea and would need to stay close to home.

    I have always said that if I could find something that would fix my problem, I would be all in! Novella, explain to me why after being on this Kangen water for one week, I was able to get off the Meta Mucil and have not used it now for more than 8 weeks and have not had any stomach problems and eat what ever I like with out any worries. Also, I have a friend that has a dog with cancer, the Vet. told my friend that the dog would die in about two weeks… I started taking her the water and explained that it would not hurt to try the water. Now it has been 8 wks and the Vet has no real explaination.

    Also, I have lost more than 20 Lbs in 3 weeks. I went from 190 to 170 and the energy level is unpresendented.

    I am hoping to share this water with as many people as possible!

    One more short but true story! I met this friend of mine who is very sick and that the Dr., has no idea what is wrong with him. He went from 3 to 5 prescriptions to 33 + prescripstions. I gave him a video to see “Kangen” and than took him some water… He did drink very little of the water, but then said that he was going to consult with is Dr. I guess the Dr knows best! He has ignored the water and is still taking all the Meds and has not had any relief from his “what ever his problem is”, and the Dr., still can’t tell him what is wrong!

    The question to you is that if the odds are stacked against you and knowing that the Dr and I am sure he has gotten several second opinions… Wouldn’t you see what all the side affects of all the medications would do to your body VS what side affect the water would have. Which would you chose?

    Sorry for rambling, I love my Kangen water!

    Thanks, Joe Gonzalez

  19. BRUCE WATSON says:

    MY FEET WERE SWOLLEN TO THE POINT WHERE I COULDN’T SEE MY ANKLE

    BONE. AFTER ONLY THREE DAYS OF DRINKING THIS WATER MY FEET WERE BACK TO NORMAL AND I COULD SEE THE DEFINITION OF MY ANKLE BONE AGAIN. I’M BUYING THE APPLIANCE FOR THE KITCHEN AND THE BATH TOO.

  20. al c says:

    i have one simple question to ask? why has the enagic company been in business since the mid 1960’s and growing and expanding over the globe like crazy? why would so many people spend $4000.00 on this ionizer if it didnt work? would somebody please answer that question for me? can thousands and thousands and thousands of people be that stupid to pay that much money for something that didnt work, or can it be just a couple of stupid people that say kangen water is bullshit? i think we know the answer to that. these couple of bonehead idiots probly bought into the enagic business but couldnt make money with the business cause they were to lazy to do the business. the concept is simple, share the water with people who are ill or have de generative diseases and let them drink it. when this powerful negitive ion alkaline rich water neutralizes the acidic waste in our bodies, our bodies heals ITSELF. the water cures nothing. im apologizing for all the people that want to improve their health and live a better life that they have to hear negativity about kangen water. our health care is in a crisis and getting more expensive everyday. the doctors in this country cant make billions and billions of dollars if the remedy was water.

    • REBEKAH ZORNES says:

      I have been drinking Kangen water for months now, and my mother is a distributor. I live it, I believe it, I love it. It’s real–the good news is, if you think it’s bullshit, don’t drink it. If you love it, drink it. I do. I don’t need some dicks that own a website to prove jack shit to me. The proof is in the water.
      When their assholes are hangin’ out and cancer has over come their entire body, I’ll be sippin on some water enjoying my retirement.

  21. Mike says:

    All I know is this, its very easy to bash “things” “people” “people of color” based on what you “think” you know about them, or it, until you really get to know the person or thing you “think” you so much about. Once you get to know them or it better, you start to have a different take on the matter, or not, but now you can say that you have “intimate” knowledge of that person or thing. And its no longer what you “think” you know. last 2 points: 1) don’t generalize about people 2) I would put this water to the test (drink it) before going any further

  22. chris says:

    I am just about to start “kangen” water. I understand ionic chemistry and “pure water” does contradict alkaline water. I don’t like snake oil but I think health is a good thing. I am not frightened by pure water so I will let you all know the results.

  23. D. Bob says:

    To the writer of this article:
    First thing I would like to say is that I am not involved with Kangen water or any other company related to water purification. I had someone approach me on the Kangen water machine and decided to google it for more information and landed here. The world needs skeptics of course but what makes your article so unbelieveable is the fact that you are so “negative” on everything that it actually makes me want to research this product even more. Your sense of “know it all” attitude makes me believe that you are someone that has never accomplished something in life and this is your way to try to be the expert on everything. Your statement in one of the paragraphs begins with “As far as I can tell….” which validates the fact that you obviously are giving everyone your opinion on a subject you obviously know NOTHING about. You were probably the kid in school that got beat up at recess all the time so this is your way to feel important. This is my opinion that is more than likely dead on! Positive people will ALWAYS prevail over negative fools.

  24. Tommy says:

    Look how is talking about negative talk. hahaha

    • sceptic's-enemy says:

      Tommy, you dyslexic fool…read your posts out loud before you submit them, and quit advertising your ignorance. Although…when in Rome…

  25. Kimberly says:

    The Kangen water ionizer produces beautiful,safe and energized drinking water. I’m a bit confused as to why there is sooo much hate towards it??? It almost seems like a bit of jealousy because they were to late to come up with the idea themselves!!! I think anyone that has seen the benefits of drinking the alkaline water understands why Kangen might refer to the water as “magical” perhaps it’s from the endless stories they hear each day from enthusiastic consumers?? I am a student and this machine is in the natural pharmacy where I just recently started working and I have tell you it is constantly being used and asked about. I can’t even count the number of people on a daily basis that tell me what it’s done for them or someone they know. I guess what I’m trying to say is this: Why put down a product that might instil a bit of hope for certain individuals with various ailments?? It’s their $4,000 dollars let them do what they will with it!! Heaven forbid we all live happy,healthy and hydrated lives…

  26. John says:

    A client of ours at the vet drops off 2 gallons of kangen water every few weeks for the employees to try. We just use it for manager’s puppy when he brings him to work. Now I have to say his puppy has yet to get cancer. I just can’t understand the link between kangen water salesmen and terrible grammar and spelling. Even the brochures the lady drops off with the 2 gallons has such funny spelling and grammar errors, almost like it was written by someone still learning English. L-dunn, in response to your argument, I’m supposed to believe your “research” and “connecting the dots” when you spell “know” “no” and “waste”as “waist”. Get a spellcheck if you’re gonna debate something on the net. I’m on my iPhone, so excuse my grammar haha

    • Leslie says:

      They are Japanese. The word Kangen is a Japanese word that means “return to origin”; speaking about the alkalinity you are born with at approx. 7.3-. The original machine is manufactured in Japan. The American company is Enagic. This company is still run by Japanese

  27. clown town says:

    ^^^^
    can you say pretentious? i sure can.

  28. Bill says:

    I have recently started using Kangen water, and it has absolutely changed my life in every way. I’m not a scientist or chemist (and quite happy to say so, as you scientists are obviously close-minded and in the pockets of the government/industrial complex whose only interest is in preserving the satus quo and keeping us sick!), but I have experienced these changes first hand!

    In the two weeks that I’ve been using this God-sent miracle water, here are only SOME of the positive changes that I’ve seen:

    – Clearer skin
    – Healthier, shinier, more vibrant hair
    – Found not one, but TWO(!!!) dimes on the sidewalk
    – Healthier immune system
    – Better concentration and clearer thought patterns
    – Improvement in mood and fewer symptoms of clinical depression
    – Better movies on cable this past weekend
    – Improved vision
    – Finally got my last World of Warcraft character to level 80
    – Whiter teeth and healthier gums
    – My car’s brakes no longer squeal

    If you poor, misguided skeptics would only open your mind and try this water, who knows what might happen? You could have results just like mine! Well…except for the dimes. I’ve already picked them up, so you won’t be able to find them like I did. Maybe you’ll find some different dimes, though – wouldn’t THAT be cool?

  29. Fil says:

    Tom – can you give us all a lesson on how to be such a miserable person. Many of us are striving to be just like you. For someone to be so against something and waist their time here is strange. You must be completely bored with life. I’ll keep drinking 9.5 ph water. You keep drinking your toilet water. Keep acting the way you do and I’m sure the rest of the corrupt FDA and NCI will enjoy your company in hell. Pat yourslef on the back, you’ve succesfully made yourself look like a miserable human being.

  30. ronald says:

    You’re absolutely right. Kangen water is nothing but a big scam. Type in “Kangen Water Scam” in google and you get results from other people selling the same crap for a lower price. Type in “Kangen Water Chemistry Scam”, and you will know the truth. I feel sorry for ignorant distributors and consumers. If you have money to throw away, then so be it.

    • REBEKAH ZORNES says:

      THOSE SCAM ARTICLES ARE POSTED BY COMPANIES THAT DON’T WANT YOU TO BUY KANGEN WATER, IF EVERYONE DRANK IT THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR BIG PHARM AND ALL THE DOCTORS, AND CRAPPY WATER FILTER AND BOTTLED WORTHLESS WATER COMPANIES OUT THERE. I BET I’M YOUNGER THAN HALF YOU MORON’S AND I UNDERSTAND. THE BIGGEST SCAM IS YOU, AND PEOPLE AND COMPANIES LIKE YOU THAT TRY AND PERSUADE PEOPLE THAT KANGEN WATER IS B.S.
      AS I SAID BEFORE, I’LL DRINK MY KANGEN-YOU DRINK YOUR POLLUTED-CHEMICALLY ALTERED, RECYCLED TOILET WASTE, MINERAL STRIPPED PISS THAT YOU CALL WATER. WE’LL SEE WHO LIVES LONGER, I’M SURE KANGEN WATER DRINKERS WILL HAVE THE LAST LAUGH.

  31. Omar Hill says:

    Obviously Tommy has no class, no manners, and no brains. His language speaks for itself.

  32. Chad says:

    I LOVE MY KANGEN WATER MACHINE!! THANK THE GOOD LORD THERE ARE SCAMS OUT THERE THEN!! IT HAS TRULY BEEN LIFE CHANGING!! FIXED MY ARTHRITIS AND ACID REFLUX!! ANYONE WHO HAS HALF A BRAIN AND IS OPEN MINDED SHOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WATER MIGHT BE DIFFERENT!! DON’T KNOCK IT UNTIL YOU’VE TRIED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  33. Danny Boy says:

    People are allowed to spend their money any way they want! Why not try everything you can to maintain a healthy lifestyle. What harm is there in preserving the one and only life we have by whatever means necessary? What about the fact that in some places like (Mexico) for example it is completely un-heard of to drink the water. Hence the reason I am here in Cancun selling Enagig water machines. Now Mexicans are able to drink the water straight from the tap. Bottled water is a multi-million dollar industry here, Sometimes it’s not just about he said she said and it actually boils down too(no pun intended) helping people help themselves! Long live good health

  34. Danny Boy says:

    My humbolist appologies, to my wonderful company Enagic for the misspelling of your name. I was so excited to post a comment on this site I neglected to proof read my writing. It must be from all of the energy I have from my Kangen Water!!!

  35. Chad says:

    So hows business in Mexico Danny? Exciting or what?! I run a little store in BC. Canada here and people are getting results and loving the water!! I would not give up my machine for a million bucks!!! Keep sharing the water!!!

  36. Leslie says:

    I too love my SD501 Kangen water machine. Most people that drink this water have found things in their lives change. The motto of this company is ” change your water change your life” …they got that right.

  37. michael jones says:

    Thanks for the laugh guys this was one hilarious post listening to the kangen water bullshit.

    If the Kangen water pushers are correct I have to wonder why we waste money on hospitals anymore when one of their water machines cures all ills?

    On the other hand the world is full of morons and maybe taking their money will help them see the value of knowledge or at least lessen their chances of breeding or having that extra kid….

  38. Chad says:

    Do you know how corrupt and greedy the medical field is?!! Its all politics!! And do they actually treat a disease or just the symptons!! I haven’t had any medications, rollaids, pain killers or any such garbage for over a year!!! Its the WATER that counts my friends!! You are 80% water!!! Doesn’t it make the most sense that maybe water is important?!!

    • steelsheen11b says:

      Wow the marketing department at the “magical” water people is working overtime here. good thing the subject is water, there are a lot of plants here.

  39. doug agyei says:

    Water is the single most important resource for the human body. Water is the most essential nutrient involved in every function of the body. Water accounts for approximately 70% of an individual’s complete fat free body mass. In order to function properly, water must be consumed in set quantities in consistent intervals (average of 2.5 liters per day). When not enough water is consumed, people can begin to develop certain illnesses and even accelerate their aging processes.

    Now after establishing the importance of water, one must then think what kind of water is good to drink? Many people believe that the water concentrations in coffee, sodas,and energy drinks will be sufficient for the human body to function on optimal levels;
    but that is incorrect. Simply stated, the water from these beverages is nothing but poor quality distilled water.

    Your Answer to Hydration and Better Health Lies in Alkaline Water!
    Water technology is just in the infancy, watch out for the next 5 years.

  40. Chad says:

    You will see it change North America in the next 5 years!!

  41. Ashish G says:

    Lets just say that Alkaline water is good for health or neutralising the acidic content in our body even then there are natural resoruces like coconut water for this. Also there is a tablet called AlkaSeltzer which we can put in a glass of water and it makes the water alkaline. Why should we buy a machine for that? Also there is no cure for diseases that are caused by the “wind or space” in our body – viz. arthirits, parkinson etc. so alkaline water may make you feel better but it is not going to make you live longer or forever.

  42. Chad says:

    You can make water alkaline by adding baking soda!!! But can you break it down in size so its only 1/4 as big? Imagine the super hydrating powers of a much smaller water!! Working through your body on a cellular level!!! No wonder it’s so effective!!!

  43. Deana says:

    Studies have shown that placebos can relieve the symptoms in about 40 percent of those who suffer from chronic ailments. If you “believe” that something might help, it may well do so, and the more people are made to pay for it, the more eager they will be to have their beliefs confirmed.

  44. Chad says:

    If placebo effect is so great then tell me why animals prefer this water?!!!!

    • Nate T. says:

      Throughout these responses I’ve seen ad hominems, arguments from ignorance, non sequiturs, false premises, hasty generalizations, ad populums, false analogies…..ideally skeptics (and laymen) would use logic and the sciences to promote or challenge a claim. Testimonials are anecdotal. “Pure water” contains ONLY H20, and has a pH of 7….these are facts and there should be no dispute on this…..If Kangen Water is “pure water” it should not be alkaline or have “free hydrogen”, and it should neither contain nor act as an antioxidant. Testimonials are not empirical…..I would only be convinced by a double blinded study. The evidence should be able to stand on its own. Initially labeling it quack science or snake-oil is “poisoning the well”……simply calling the Kangen Water claims “unscientific” or “unsupported” would be more accurate and more intellectually honest…..

  45. candace says:

    I’ve tried the miracle water haven’t notice one positive thing and have been two weeks in bed, sick. Nastiest sinus infection of my life. Back to my former common-sense habits.

  46. Chad says:

    Dear Candace!!! Don’t stop the water!!! You are detoxing!!! You are very acidic!! Drink more water but lower the ph of it!! Flush out the toxins and you will soon feel like a million bucks!!! Trust someone who went through it as well!!

  47. Steve R says:

    A friend of mine has been on this “Kangen water” kick for some time now, and he makes many of the same health improvement claims as the pro Kangens on this page make. He also mentioned that he had stopped drinking sodas, and had been prescribed high-blood pressure medicine as well. All at about the same time. Is it the “Kangen water” doing all this? If he substituted regular tap water for his Kangen water would his symtoms change? Personally, I doubt it. I’ve no doubt that he feels better these days, but probably because he replaced the soft drinks with water and is on medication. I tried the Kangen myself for two weeks, and found it to be simply tap water.

  48. Jeshua says:

    Kimberly, i have to admit you are 100% correct! I am extremely jealous that i didn’t think of this little scam myself instead of working for a living. (I really do enjoy my work but it doesn’t make the kind of money this scam generates.) Who would have thought that a product that denies the most basic facts of chemistry would find so many gullible takers?

    Most people know, or at least have heard, how to improve their health but are unwilling to make the necessary changes. It’s much easier to just drink “magic water.” It doesn’t take a genius to know that getting a minimum amount of exercise, eating a lot fruits and vegetables plus whole grain foods, nuts and seeds, and a reasonable amount of meat and/or fish is the surest way to good health, short of trading in your genes for ones less prone to the diseases of your older relatives.

  49. Chad says:

    Why are people so harsh to judge before they try it?!!! When you are given a bunch of pills for some health condition, do you take one or two and if you don’t feel better do you stop taking them?!!! OF COURSE NOT!! You are prescribed an amount to take for your condition!! You are supposed to take the whole bottle!! Now if I were to tell you to try Kangen water for 8 weeks and you stopped after 2 do you think maybe you didn’t give it a fair chance?!!!
    Why are high profile people and athletes drinking it if it is a scam?!! People without any health problems are loving it as well!!
    Check out Wade Lightheart(national body building champion), Shan Stratton(sports and nutrition advisor to the New York Yankees and a host of other pro athletes!!}, Pat Boone(legendary hollywood singer!!}. Maybe ask yourself if they’re all idiots who fell for a scam!!

  50. Jared says:

    “Pat Boone(legendary hollywood singer!!}. Maybe ask yourself if they’re all idiots who fell for a scam!!”

    LOL. No wait. Yeah – LOL.

  51. Nina says:

    We managed to evolve to this point without fancy water. Same for all the other animals. I’ll stick to the basics because millions of years of evolution show that you don’t need something fancy to thrive. Real food, pure water, and you’re good to go. But hey, if it makes *you* happier to spend your hard earned dollars on a fancy water thingie, then go for it.

  52. James says:

    well now, that proves everything,”millions of years of evolutions”no wonder you don’t believe anything

  53. Lori says:

    My mother has been giving me gallons of this Kangen water over the past two months, claiming it will cure an early in life arthritis. Although I cannot find any science to support her claim, I agreed to drink it and report to her. I haven’t found the water to be of any help at all, and when I tell her this, she tells me that my body is taking time to adjust, etc. She won’t accept that the only thing I want to try now is the medication my doctor has prescribed. The water did nothing for me.

    I do wonder, however, why it is that she believes it has helped her with her arthritis and my dad’s Parkinson’s. Neither one takes their medication anymore, and it has been 1 year. What accounts for her and my father’s recovery? I am mystified about that. Any guesses? Could it be the water? Diseases like arthritis and Parkinson’s just don’t go away.

  54. GUAD JOHNSON says:

    My friend is all over kangen and has been bringing me gallons of water weekly for about two months. Bottom line…total bullshit. He tells me that he lost tons of weight because of the water. I think he lost tons of weight because at about the same time he was drinking the water he was 1. Doing Yoga in a hundred degree room 2. working on a farm and 3. Started eating tons of vegetables instead of fatty food….maybe that has something to with it. I have lost ZERO pounds of fat in the past two months…ZERO. How about the Kangen brochure that tells you to give it your pets and let them decide? After all the brochure says there is no placebo effect. OK, i gave it to three of my dogs and guess what! NOTHING HAPPENED. I have one dog that is a little obese, he lost ZERO pounds after two months. Another dog has diahrea which my friend said the water would cure. Nope, still diarrhea coming out. He tells me that they would be naturally attracted to the water. Huh, I put two of the exact same bowls, one with tap water and one with FRESH kangen water, the dogs drank the tap water on a 2:1 ratio to the kangen. It was totally random. Aside from tha,t every WEALTHY doctor that i have asked to look at it, comes back with the same answer…BULLSHIT. I say wealthy because Kangen tries to say that Doctors don’t want people to discover kangen because it would make the entire medical industry collapse. Well,these doctors have more than enough money, they are doctors because they like to help people. I don’t think my cousin (doctor) is telling me not to by Kangen water because he is worried that his industry will collapse. He could retire right now, and why doesnt his family have kangen or every other doctor in the world? Wouldnt they buy it for there families at the very least if it did work? I guess these doctors just dont understand chemistry as well as the Kangen guys (sarcasm). Also take a look at the Kangen “professionals” on there website. Proffessional con artists, none of them have doctorate degrees. Now the excuse as to why it has not worked for me is that the water has an expiration date of 48 hours. you might want to tell people that before they do the 30 day trial in which you dont have the machine to fill water up every 48 hours. Obviously I’m not buying a 4,000 machine that has not done anything to see if it will do something if i fill it up every 48 hours.

  55. Jacob John says:

    Hi everyone,
    Good arguments and lots of bad language which only helps to increase stress and create more damage.
    There are lots of medical research done on electrolyzed reduced water (ERW) that too by respected University teaching hospitals around the world, and if they say the results are good then for the time being I’m listening to those dudes and not to some ill-informed skeptics.

    My advice to everyone is that you have to be very careful in deciding whom you are taking advice from. Make sure that your source of advice is well educated on the subject being discussed. I know many people who make decisions based on what somebody close to them tells them even though the person giving the advice was not an expert in the matter. The particular case of a gentleman who was a guest in my uncle’s house and while he was sitting there he began to experience some chest discomfort, I personally took him to the hospital and within 2 days I had an angiogram arranged; the results stated he needed coronary intervention; however this person took the advice of his neighbor and decided otherwise. 3 weeks later he had a massive heart attack and died before he reached the hospital. (the result of taking his neighbor’s advise as opposed to his cardiologist’s advice)

    I noticed that many people just write something because they feel so or because they are biased against MLM based marketing that Enagic employs.
    In my opinion (and this is purely my opinion) I feel that a manufacturer makes a product and the marketing division of the company decides what form of marketing would be the best for that particular product. The type of marketing does not alter the original product. Marketing is defined as “to make known” advertising is defined as “to make known in such a way that others desire the product” Enagic decided to go the MLM or direct sales method because they probably are getting results with it, after all every company has to have sales in order to survive or simply have to shut down.

    If you see pharmaceutical ads on TV they show you all the good things about the drug both audio and visual and encourage you to go and ask your Doctor for a prescription and when it comes to the side effects they just read it as fast as is legally allowed; they don’t show you the visual of a person throwing up or someone with severe stomach cramps because of side- effects of the drug.

    Now I am also not going to say that ERW alone is the answer to all health problems and that we can do away with hospitals by installing Enagic’s machines next to all fire hydrants so people can just drink water and the medical community is done with, however I will say it helps in addition to whatever else you can do. I remember seeing a post above where someone said they lost weight and the skeptics comment was that it was because of him stopping soda; well my response was that if Enagic helped him to stop sodas and drink water then thats a good thing isn’t it? Maybe its the Enagic distributor that helped him open his eyes and take charge of his health rather than waiting for something terrible to happen, I appreciate the efforts of that distributor; and should he be rewarded for his efforts? of course he should, would seeing the life changing benefits in that person encourage the distributor to keep talking? yes indeed. Now suppose the distributor kept talking but nobody noticed any change in their health or otherwise would that distributor eventually get fed up and stop promoting? again the answer is yes.

    So guys do your independent research and come to your conclusion. DO NOT take advice from people who are not experts in that particular field.

    By the way I am a Cardiologist from India; I do interventions as well as manage a coronary care unit.

    You can reach me at maplelinks@gmx.com

  56. Bob says:

    We live in a culture where cognitive dissonance caused by believing in religious myths against all available evidence leaves us all susceptible to specious claims made by charlatans. Until we, as a culture, learn to value reason above myth and superstition, we are doomed to be duped by devices such as these and political ideologies espousing other bullsh*t.

  57. Fred Browning says:

    My wife borrowed one of these machines, and I drank this ionized water for 4 weeks. ph of our well water was 7.5 and with this machine it boosted it up to 8.6 . Final result, feel no better, no worse. Ordinary tap water as far as I am concerned. The body is incredible! Found that using a co2 meter, that the more acid you take in , the more co2 you exhale, and the more alkali that you take in, like this magic water, the less co2 you exhale in each breath. Body ph stays the same. As for the smaller cluster size and reduced molecule size, physics law says that the only way to reduce molecule size is temperature change or state change (gas, liquid, solid). Anyway, do the math…. The size of water molelules reducing in size can be accurately compared to a sewing needle passing through the Holland Tunnel in New York. With the actual size of a water molecule, our blood stream and tissue that water pass through or in is completely unaffected by the size of a water molecule. Our body cannot tell the difference, as they are way too small!

  58. Mike Jetzer says:

    Wife talked me into buying one for $4000. If it was $400 it was overpriced. Total bullshit! I feel this sale guy and wife took atvantage of my wife and I am preparing a small claims suit against them for false claims with no scientific data. FTC supports our claim. Anyway, this piece of %#%^% machine is on ebay for $1000 if anyone wants it !

    Or I can use it for a doorstop for the front door too! Except it still leaks water and would ruin the hard wood floor!

  59. Ann says:

    I have tried Kangen water. The sales pitch is, we give you free water and you will feel so good you will want to shell out $4000 for a machine. Sorry I didn’t feel any better (that could be because I felt fine to start with) I keep my body hydrated by drinking filtered tap water. I see no reason to spend $4000 on a water machine.
    Here is what I found interesting- The man who is selling this machine was in poor health to start with. He touts that he feels so much better. He now has cancer. Last year his girlfriend who was a Kangen water drinker died. Yet he is still touting the water as a miracle cure????????
    The bottom line is these people need a down line so they can make MONEY. I feel predatory sales practices are used to sell these machines.

    A note to the person who doesn’t need to take metamucil anymore. Baking soda is a laxative. The baking soda you use to produce your “Kangen” water is what is helping you stay regular.

  60. Taddles says:

    Lots and lots of sales ducks ruthlessly quacking out the same tired, sleazy, pseudo-refutations to demands for actual empirical evidence to support their fantastical claims and assertions for this so-called wonder-water…I’m afraid that Bob (post #57) has it nailed….

  61. Bill Borden says:

    The logic in your article is flawed and no longer scientific. Your arguments have already been scientifically disproven.

    One must remember that science and medicine has advanced exponentially. What was impossible 100 years ago is now modern science. (e.g. TV, space travel, wireless communication, stem cells, cloning, …)

    There’s a difference between being a skeptic and a pessimist. A skeptic researches thoroughly with an open mind and tries to disprove new technology based on factual evidence. A pessimist sees no need to seriously consider new science because he knows that ‘Everything that can be invented has been invented’ Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, US patent office, 1899

  62. thechillz says:

    I am relatively new to this Kangen water concept and feel incline to investigate it for myself before i start introducing it to my family and friends. I have been drinking it for the past two days and have not seen any significant changes. I would give it at least a week or more. It is possible that Kangen water does have a positive effect on the chemistry of the body or simply drinking enough water is the major factor; also the placebo effect should not be underestimated as our minds and thoughts do effect us in more ways then we realize. I feel like the Skeptic who wrote the article is simply sharing his general opinion as his article does not give any detailed anaylsis or data to back up his criticisms.

    I am a skeptical person, but also like to keep an open mind so i will continue my investigations and continue to try this Kangen water to see where it goes from here. I encourage anyone who stumbles upon this site to do the same, investigate for yourself and then weight out the beneficial factors versus the negative factors to see what fits you. The worth of $4000 is subjective.

    Happy searching!!

  63. T. J. Sapp says:

    I showed the information I received on Kangen water to my daughter who is a genetic scientist. She reviewed it and told me that it is total nonsense. She has no reason to lie to me about it. What I am reading in these comments is that people who are actually educated in science think that Kangen water is a scam. People who aren’t educated believe in it. I was told that the water would do anything from clean my floors to curing diabetes, cancer, MRSA and on and on.I think the old adage that if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is applies here. I believe that the people who are pushing this water to people are con artists. I think it is dangerous to try to convince people to stop taking their medications and just drink that water instead. I have a friend who wants so badly to believe in this (so called) miracle cure all that she is probably going to spend $2000 on a machine. It’s money that she doesn’t have to spare. It is very shameful and criminal to take someone’s money like that.

  64. P.B. says:

    I am a professional, and a skeptic, and a bit of a tightwad. For a lot of people drinking this magic water will make them feel much better for a very simple reason. They stop drinking all the energy drinks, fizzy drinks etc. and just drink the water. If they had changed their lifestyle to even tap water only I think most would have achieved the same great feeling. This is just IMHO.

  65. Jim says:

    Another effect for Kangen Water is the placebo effect. If you believe or even have the hope that this “magic” water will help with a problem, I believe 60% of the population will believe it because hey they think they feel better (I’m pulling that number from memory so sorry if it is wrong) The other problem with Alkaline water is that in order to ionize the water, you have to leave contaminants in it. Now forgetting the whole argument of whether minerals in water are good or not needed. there are loads of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, herbicides and other toxins in the water that is needed in alkaline water to ionize it. An ionizer does nothing to purify the water. If they are running it through a filter first and then ionizing it then perhaps health effects are coming from the removal of toxins in the water.

  66. juan j garcia says:

    am about to start takin the kangen water, i will let you know if it works.

  67. Joel says:

    Sounds like a religion.

  68. EnagicFTL says:

    I love the guy who said he was drinking soda and gatorade every day managed to lose 20-30lbs after he started drinking the Kangen water. Nevermind the fact he cut out all of that soda and sugar which is a leading cause for diabetes. Lots of morons in the world who want to throw money at a product claiming to be the end-all miracle life saving water.

    So let them waste their money.

    • Dalex says:

      EnagicFTL, I don’t believe the guy you cite stated he stopped consuming soda and sugar. He stated that “I eat(s) what ever I like” and drinks the Kangen water. Besides that, one cannot infer that he has changed his nutrition regime, although I agree that the soda and sugar consumption are a leading cause of diabetes. If people using the Kangen water and posting their results on this blog were more specific about their nutrition changes (if any) after starting the ‘Miracle’ water, perhaps a pattern would emerge. As far as “lots of morons in the world”, we are human beings with individual-specific moronic characteristics (hopefully not too many!)as seen and hopefully not judged too harshly by others. If persons wish to spend their money on these machines with the hope of better health, is that truly a waste? (fiscally perhaps…supporting science is not clear)