Michael Ash BSc(Hons) DO, ND, Dip ION explores the idea that drinking sparkling water has a direct health benefit for the drinker, if not for the environment.
In this case, fizzy drink consumers are directed towards a specific water drink rather than some of the more challenging sugar-laden carbonated offerings. So if compelled to drink carbonated water rather than tap water, it may be helpful to consider that fizzy mineralised water may help your gut, heart and reduce your risk of premature death related to cardiovascular illness and metabolic syndrome.[1] A healthy ‘dose’ of water per day is understood to be vital for optimal physiology, digestion and elimination.[2] A long historical interest in the taking of waters, popularised in the Victorian age, but initiated with Hippocrates appears to have some credibility traction.
Carbonated waters it has been hypothesised as well as thermal waters may aid functional bowel problems due to the gastric stimulation by the carbonisation of the digestive juices.1 Fizzy bi-carbonated (A soluble mineral salt or a mixture of salts that can neutralise acids) waters have also demonstrated some positive impact upon lipoprotein levels in humans.[3],[4] Plus there are indications that the bicarbonates improve bile acid flow and cholesterol metabolism.[5]
So next time you reach for your bottle of carbonated water, consider the impact on your heart as well as your current account. The study in 2004 of non-obese postmenopausal women not taking hormone replacement therapy or food supplements found that, compared with the control period, drinking carbonated water rich in sodium significantly decreased total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein by 6.8% and 14.8%, while high-density lipoprotein increased by 8.7%. Despite the increased sodium in the mineral drink blood pressure was not affected. The impact was to significantly reduce their risk from CVD and metabolic syndrome, two common health problems. The group was already following the recommendations by the Madrid City Council for risk reduction food selection, and therefore they were considered to be an educated group.
How did they do it?
The subjects did not take oestrogen replacement therapy; supplements of vitamins, minerals, and phyto-oestrogens; or other medications known to affect bone and lipid metabolism. The study consisted of 2 intervention periods of 2 months each, during which women drank 1 L/d (4 glasses) of a control mineral water (low mineral content) for 2 months followed by the carbonated mineral water, rich in sodium, bicarbonate, and chloride, for 2 months. Body weight, height, and blood pressure were measured, and BMI was calculated.
Blood samples were taken from fasting subjects and serum was analysed for total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerols, apolipoprotein AI, apolipoprotein B, soluble intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), and glucose. Interestingly, despite the increased ingestion of sodium, blood pressure levels did not change throughout the study. Quite likely this is due to the bicarbonate as it tends to reduce some of the negative effects of sodium in the body.[6] The carbonated water also contained 39 times more potassium than the control water; potassium is known to counteract some of the negative effects of sodium and protects against CVD.
In addition, the women also had a marked decrease in fasting serum glucose concentration. This reduction indicates the relation between lipid metabolism and glucose, suggesting that consumption of the carbonated sodium-rich water studied can play a beneficial role in preventing cardiovascular disease and the related metabolic syndrome.[7]
Comment
How much water we need to drink each day has been estimated by a multitude of commentators to be equivalent of 8 full glasses per day. This can be no more than a rule of thumb as many factors including, age, activity, food selection, humidity and others impact upon our daily needs.
What this neat study demonstrates is that 1 litre of mineral-rich water per day, provides benefits outside of those achieved through hydration alone and confers a significant health risk reduction. Whilst the women selected were at higher risk than pre-menopausal women for CVD the implications are that all individuals looking for a simple mechanism for CVD risk reduction should consider a mineral-rich drink in addition to their daily beverage choice.
References
[1] Schoppen S, Pérez-Granados AM, Carbajal A, Oubiña P, Sánchez-Muniz FJ, Gómez-Gerique JA, & Vaquero MP (2004). A sodium-rich carbonated mineral water reduces cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal women. The Journal of nutrition, 134 (5), 1058-63 PMID: 15113945
[2] Armijo, M. (1968) Compendio de hidrología médica 1968 Ediciones Científico-Médica Barcelona, Spain.
[3] Grassi, M., Lucchetta, M. C., Grossi, F. & Raffa, S. (2002) Possibilities of thermal medicine in gastrointestinal functional disorders. Clin. Ter. 153:195-206 View Abstract
[4] Bertoni, M., Oliveri, F., Manghetti, M., Boccolini, E., Bellomini, M. G., Blandizzi, C., Bonino, F. & del Tacca, M. (2002) Effects of a bicarbonate-alkaline mineral water on gastric functions and functional dyspepsia: a preclinical and clinical study. Pharmacol. Res. 46:525-231 View Abstract
[5] Capurso, A., Solfrizzi, V., Panza, F., Mastroianni, F., Torres, F., Del Parigi, A., Colacicco, A. M., Capurso, C. & Nicoletti, G., et al (1999) Increased bile acids excretion and reduction of serum cholesterol after crenotherapy with salt-rich mineral water. Ageing (Milano) 11:273-276 View Abstract
[6] Luft, F. C., Zemel, M. B., Sowers, J. A., Fineberg, N. S. & Weinberger, M. H. (1990) Sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride: effects on blood pressure and electrolyte homeostasis in normal and hypertensive man. J. Hypertens. 8:663-670 View Abstract
[7] Magliano DJ, Shaw JE, Zimmet PZ. How to best define the metabolic syndrome. Ann Med. 2006;38(1):34-41. Review. Erratum in: Ann Med. 2006;38(2):160 View Abstract
3 Comments. Leave new
I’ve always avoided carbonated water because my naturopath told me it leaked calcium from the bones. Are you talking about naturally carbonated such as ‘badoit’ or artificially carbonated.?
Hi Julia
Carbonated (by adding bicarbonate) naturally mineralised water including the naturally occuring sodium, bicarbonate, and chloride minerals were used in this study. You may be confusing the role of phosphoric acid in terms of risk for bone demineralisation.
Phosphoric acid, used in many soft drinks (primarily cola), has been linked to lower bone density in epidemiological studies. One study using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry rather than a questionnaire about breakage provides reasonable evidence to support the theory that drinking cola results in lower bone density. This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
A total of 1672 women and 1148 men were studied between 1996 and 2001. Dietary information was collected using a food frequency questionnaire that had specific questions about the number of servings of cola and other carbonated beverages and that also made a differentiation between regular, caffeine-free, and diet drinks.
The paper cites significant statistical evidence to show that women who consume cola daily have lower bone density.
Total phosphorus intake was not significantly higher in daily cola consumers than in non-consumers; however, the calcium-to-phosphorus ratios were lower. The study also suggests that further research is needed to confirm the findings.
Tucker KL, Morita K, Qiao N, Hannan MT, Cupples LA, Kiel DP.Colas, but not other carbonated beverages, are associated with low bone mineral density in older women: The Framingham Osteoporosis Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Oct;84(4):936-42. View Abstract
I have chronic kidney disease (creatinine 3.5), high potassium level (5.1) and PAD. I would like to drink sparkling water, such as Nice! Sparkling water, but cannot find out how much potassium it contains, only that it contains 39 times regular water. I have researched internet but cannot find an answer. Where can I find exactly how much potassium there is in this drink as well as in other drinks?