The chemical activity of these free radicals is due to one or more pairs of unpaired electrons.
About 2% of the oxygen we normally breathe becomes active oxygen, and this amount increases to approximately 20% with aerobic exercise.
Such free radicals with unpaired electrons are unstable and have a high oxidation potential, which means they are capable of stealing electrons from other cells. This chemical mechanism is very useful in disinfectants such as hydrogen peroxide and ozone which can be used to sterilize wounds or medical instruments. Inside the body these free radicals are of great benefit due to their ability to attack and eliminate bacteria, viruses and other waste products.
Problems arise, however, when too many of these active oxygen molecules, or free radicals, are produced in the body. They are extremely reactive and can also attach themselves to normal, healthy cells and damage them genetically. These active oxygen radicals steal electrons from normal, healthy biological molecules. This electron theft by active oxygen oxidizes tissue and can cause disease. Because active oxygen can damage normal tissue, it is essential to scavenge this active oxygen from the body before it can cause disintegration of healthy tissue. If we can find an effective method to block the oxidation of healthy tissue by active oxygen, then we can attempt to prevent disease.
What are Antioxidants? What are the benefits of Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. Antioxidants act as "free radical scavengers" and hence prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, cancer etc., are all contributed by oxidative damage. Indeed, a recent study conducted by researchers from London found that 5 servings of fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of stroke by 25 percent. Antioxidants may also enhance immune defense and therefore lower the risk of cancer and infection.
About pH and Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) Instruments
The other way an alkaline water making device alters the water is to turn it into a powerful antioxidant, measured as ORP ("Oxidation Reduction Potential") -- It is a more complex concept and is an extremely difficult to measure accurately. ORP is sometimes referred to as "Redox". An alteration of the ORP of your drinking water is what causes the microclustering, antioxidant and hydrating effects. ORP is a "potential" energy that is stored and ready to be put to work. An analogous way to look at ORP would be to consider pressure. When you blow up a balloon you use energy that creates force. As long as the balloon remains closed, this force is a “stored potential energy” in this case measured as air pressure. When released, this “potential” energy becomes kinetic energy.Potential electrical energy in liquid can be measured. It is measured with an ORP meter. These meters display extremely slight, and highly variable differences in the electrical properties of water. ORP readings are expressed in millivolts (1/1000 of a single volt).
ORP measures the presence of oxidizing or [oxidation] reducing agents by their specific electrical charge, thus Oxidation Reduction "Potential". Oxidation in simple terms is what turns an apple brown after it is cut or causes metal to rust. Rust weakens metal and signifies the deterioration of the apple. High pH water has more "reducing" agents (-ORP) and low pH water has more oxidizing agents (+ORP). High pH alkaline water demonstrates a negative (-)ORP and so is a reducing agent or “antioxidant”.
Tap water: What it is and isn't
Normal tap water, for example, with a pH of 7 is approximately neutral on the pH scale of 0 to 14. When measured with an ORP (oxidation potential) meter its redox potential is approximately +400 to +500 mV. Because it has a positive redox potential, it is apt to acquire electrons and oxidize other molecules. Reduced Alkaline Water, on the other hand, has a negative redox potential of approximately -250 to -350 mV. This means it has a large mass of electrons ready to donate to electron-thieving active oxygen.
