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Reverse osmosis (RO) systems remove nearly all dissolved minerals from water, including beneficial ones like calcium and magnesium. This results in water that is very pure but often tastes flat or bland due to the lack of minerals. Additionally, the absence of minerals can make the water slightly acidic, with a pH typically between 5.0 and 6.5.
To improve taste and balance pH, an alkaline filter is added as a final stage in some RO systems. This filter reintroduces essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium into the water. Doing so raises the pH to a more neutral or slightly alkaline level (typically 7.0–8.5), enhances flavor, and gives the water a smoother mouthfeel.
In short, the alkaline filter prevents flat water by restoring minerals removed during RO filtration, making the water more pleasant to drink and less acidic.
Reverse osmosis tips. Only use dow filmtec membranes. Everything else is worse and not worth savinga few bucks. Amazon sells the film tecs for 30.00. Ispring is a decent starter brand for kits. Tank and the autoshut off valve are the weakest link. Might switch them out ASAP. Bulk Reef Supply is your best friend for RO. They dont sell garbage. Pumps are silly IMO. I get 98-99% rejection without it. If you do get a pump, this one is crap. Get a flowtec or shurflo. The pressure tank, is most likely the first thing that breaks though, and it's very hard to get an American tank. USA Water Systems used to sell American tanks, but now it seems you have to buy the whole 500.00 us system to get the us tank. Pretty solid warranty though.
Absolutely bunk. I had my water tested in a lab. Zero calcium or magnesium, meaning my water is very very soft. Nobody has died from drinking the water here because (shocker) you get the overwhelming majority of your minerals from food.
My water just has about 580 ppm of sodium in it. And an almost equal amount of bicarbonate. It tastes like saline. No way to filter out sodium without RO as sodium is typically used on the ion exchange surface of a water softener. Calcium and magnesium wreak havoc on plumbing so you wouldn't want to add it to take the sodium out with a water...uhh..."hardener".
If taste is your thing, sure. Spend the extra money on the alkaline marketing BS. But it gets neutralized as soon as it enters your stomach, from a tiny drop of gastric acid. "Alkaline water" and the "essential minerals" scam needs to end.
Placebo effect if they're using alkaline water to treat reflux. The amount of hydroxide ions in "alkaline water" are so few that it won't even begin to outpace the acid in your throat.
Of course! All my cooking is done with RO water. I have an 8 gallon tank. Been using RO water for the last decade, though Texas is the only place I probably absolutely need it. Sucking on a hospital IV bag would probably quench my thirst better than tapwater here. At least it's so soft that a 30 year old water heater with zero maintenance is the norm.
It's been proven in testing that Alkaline water can permanently denature pepsin, which often becomes established in the esophageal tissue and can remain there, inactivated, indefinitely. This established pepsin enzyme, of course, becoming reactivated when acidity returns. Damage to the esophageal tract and the presence of this pepsin itself is evident in lab testing. It would not be possible for lab testing to produce these results due to the placebo effect.
That's with almost any filtering system. The filters are the most expensive part because that's basically all it is and the rest of it is just a skeleton that holds the filters. This should be no surprise.
I wouldn't say 100% nonsense.
However, if you sweat a lot, the added minerals will "help". Obviously, a balanced diet is better.
Most people do not get enough calcium or magnesium. Calcium will help bone. Magnesium is great for healing and energy.
Medical science (SCIENCE) will tell you that your body will regulate the acidity of your body no matter what Gwyneth Paltrow or anyone else on the internet tells you. There is nothing you can ingest that will change the pH of your body as long as you lungs and kidneys are functioning properly. Well that is within reason and not deadly. As far as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, well, they are commonly known as electrolytes and most people consume way more than they need with drinks and supplements. This is causing an increase in kidney stones! Also your liver will detoxify your body not things that make you cry on the toilet. So take the information however you want, but just remember. Even though you think it makes sense and feels good if SCIENCE tells you that you are wrong. YOU ARE WRONG.
"most people consume way more than they need"
Actually, the science says that in the US, most people are deficient in Ca, Mg, and vit D.
It's been proven in testing that Alkaline water can permanently denature pepsin, which often becomes established in the esophageal tissue and can remain there, inactivated, indefinitely. This established pepsin enzyme, of course, becoming reactivated when acidity returns. Damage to the esophageal tract and the presence of this pepsin itself is evident in lab testing. It would not be possible for lab testing to produce these results due to the placebo effect.
First two links are the same article. Unsure why you would do that. Third link is a blog post from a doctor trying to sell lifestyle changes and alkaline water in her book(s). Oh, would you look at that! The blog post from the doctor selling something is also the same doctor who authored this article!
Anyway, since I have a subscription, I can actually read this article. They used Artesian water with a pH of 8.8. You are not getting that from this kit, for starters. You are not getting that from the vast majority of "alkaline water" at the store, either.
Secondly, they are using a concentration of pepsin in the micrograms/mL range. A quick google search shows pepsin concentrations in the miligram per mL range. In actual gastric acid, there are orders of magnitude higher concentrations of pepsin (looks like a ~100x dilution in the study). It's also, this was an in vitro study but it looks as though the experimental design was created to try to force an outcome, rather than letting the outcome of a well-controlled experiment speak for itself.
The barrier to being published is a lot less stringent than it used to be.
Though even that said, Dr. Koufman is right that lifestyle changes are effective.
Last edited by TPMJB January 10, 2026 at 09:34 AM.
First two links are the same article. Unsure why you would do that. Third link is a blog post from a doctor trying to sell lifestyle changes and alkaline water in her book(s). Oh, would you look at that! The blog post from the doctor selling something is also the same doctor who authored this article!
Anyway, since I have a subscription, I can actually read this article. They used Artesian water with a pH of 8.8. You are not getting that from this kit, for starters. You are not getting that from the vast majority of "alkaline water" at the store, either.
Secondly, they are using a concentration of pepsin in the micrograms/mL range. A quick google search shows pepsin concentrations in the miligram per mL range. In actual gastric acid, there are orders of magnitude higher concentrations of pepsin (looks like a ~100x dilution in the study). It's also, this was an in vitro study but it looks as though the experimental design was created to try to force an outcome, rather than letting the outcome of a well-controlled experiment speak for itself.
The barrier to being published is a lot less stringent than it used to be.
Though even that said, Dr. Koufman is right that lifestyle changes are effective.
You've erroneously claimed that simply because a specific product marketed as providing "alkaline water" doesn't hit a specific ph, that's evidence that alkaline water itself as a category cannot provide a therapeutic effect. That's absolute nonsense. Anyone who is utilizing alkaline water for therapeutic purposes should be using a science based approach, including PH testing. I don't actually recommended anybody purchase products like this for adding alkalinity to water. But if one does choose to invest in a filter system, it is important to verify its claims through PH testing and not just take the word of the product listing. But I'm not personally interested in products like this because it is entirely trivial to produce alkaline water in a cost-effective way, with the desired PH range with no filter system.
You also seem to be erroneously concluding that the concentration of pepsin present in gastric acid is the levels that you might see deposited in saliva and tissues of the upper esophagus of LPR patients. While pepsin thrives in the highly acidic environment of the stomach (which is the body working as intended), that concentration would never be the levels present in the upper esophageal tract. LPR symptoms would present at levels more along the lines of 1 nanogram/mL, which would be approximately 1/1 billionth of the concentration in the stomach. It's frankly nonsensical to cite pepsin concentration levels in the stomach, in the context of a discussion of targeted therapy to address pepsin in the upper esophagus.
You go on to falsely assert that this doctor sells an alkaline water product. She does not. She did offer some options for alkaline water products in an entirely objective manner, being sure to express that simply because a product is advertised as "alkaline water" does not mean it will provide the necessary PH, and one must use a science based approach that considers the PH range of the end product if they are to utilize it as a treatment modality. She also made it clear that despite pseudoscientific marketing claims, alkaline water cannot affect the overall PH of the body.
Dr. Koufman is a pioneering authority on acid reflux, with decades of experience in the field. She was the first to diagnose and treat cases of laryngopharyngeal reflux. There's an incredible amount of irony in the implication that we should not trust this doctor on a basis of financial perverse incentive structures. She has specifically bucked the trend of doctors that prescribe harmful patented PPIs that disrupt the natural (and optimal) acidity present in the stomach, in favor of treatment modalities that are based on lifestyle changes and generic treatments that cannot be patented - including alkaline water as a treatment tool. Her credentials and experience in the field are not in dispute.
Her treatment modalities are not based on selling you some specific alkaline water product, but on developing your knowledge and understanding of the overall systems at play. Some may reject this approach because it would feel "easier" to pop a pill than to make the substantial lifestyle changes necessary to address the underlying dysfunction. As a singer suffering from LPR, I worked closely with my physician to address the underlying dysfunction, utilizing the LPR protocols developed by Koufman. Tissue tests showed the pepsin that had established itself in my upper esophageal tract was completely eliminated.
Last edited by riffdex January 10, 2026 at 01:14 PM.
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Each finds their own solution. I would avoid this product because of their proprietary filters. I have a 5 stage RO system under my sink ... best investment I ever made. My tap water was tested at about 250 PPM dissolved solids. I installed the system and my water now reads about 15 PPM.
Each finds their own solution. I would avoid this product because of their proprietary filters. I have a 5 stage RO system under my sink ... best investment I ever made. My tap water was tested at about 250 PPM dissolved solids. I installed the system and my water now reads about 15 PPM.
Any thoughts on whether I can just run the water out to my refrigerator direct ? I don't Have to use the fixture, do I? And if so, should I remove the refrigerator filter?
Nice Chat GPT response. This discussion is not for a layman who doesn't have experience reading scientific journals. Pasting the same paper twice from different sources was a dead giveaway - and your response is riddled with errors that anyone with a few minutes on google could point out. But the great thing about chat GPT is it will be completely confident about its non-answers, which is what you pasted.
Not worth my time. Continue buying your snake oil.
Nothing in my comment was generated by Chat GPT. You're just in over your head talking a topic you don't understand. The funniest part of your comments was when you seemed to imply you understood the mechanisms behind LPR (Laryngopharyngeal Reflux) better than Dr. Koufman, the doctor who coined the term and diagnosis itself. Yeah, a rando on the internet like you just happens to understand this niche condition better than the Dr. who has studied it her entire career. Except you didn't seem to know that the concentration of pepsin in the stomach isn't relevant in a discussion about pepsin concentration that is accumulated in the tissue of the upper esophagus in LPR cases.
Last edited by riffdex January 10, 2026 at 08:18 PM.
Yea cuz calcium, magnesium, and potassium don't do anything right? You should teach us some more
That's just water with normal mineral content, aka trace electrolytes. Unless you add them to make them more concentrated, most water (even natural spring mineral water) is trace levels. This is the same logic as trying to educate people that pink salt doesn't make a noticeable life difference outside of the placebo effect. There is near nigh scientific evidence (at best it's a nice suggestion that it might help over a lifetime, if that even) that it's any more beneficial over normal, neutral ph 7 water.
From Google:
Alkaline water is water with a pH level higher than 7, typically ranging from 8 to 10, making it slightly basic rather than neutral like regular drinking water, which has a pH of about 7.
This increased pH results from a higher concentration of dissolved minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium, which are alkaline compounds that can accept hydrogen ions in solution.
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To improve taste and balance pH, an alkaline filter is added as a final stage in some RO systems. This filter reintroduces essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium into the water. Doing so raises the pH to a more neutral or slightly alkaline level (typically 7.0–8.5), enhances flavor, and gives the water a smoother mouthfeel.
In short, the alkaline filter prevents flat water by restoring minerals removed during RO filtration, making the water more pleasant to drink and less acidic.
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My water just has about 580 ppm of sodium in it. And an almost equal amount of bicarbonate. It tastes like saline. No way to filter out sodium without RO as sodium is typically used on the ion exchange surface of a water softener. Calcium and magnesium wreak havoc on plumbing so you wouldn't want to add it to take the sodium out with a water...uhh..."hardener".
If taste is your thing, sure. Spend the extra money on the alkaline marketing BS. But it gets neutralized as soon as it enters your stomach, from a tiny drop of gastric acid. "Alkaline water" and the "essential minerals" scam needs to end.
Placebo effect if they're using alkaline water to treat reflux. The amount of hydroxide ions in "alkaline water" are so few that it won't even begin to outpace the acid in your throat.
Of course! All my cooking is done with RO water. I have an 8 gallon tank. Been using RO water for the last decade, though Texas is the only place I probably absolutely need it. Sucking on a hospital IV bag would probably quench my thirst better than tapwater here. At least it's so soft that a 30 year old water heater with zero maintenance is the norm.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm
https://journals.sagepu
https://jamiekoufman.co
However, if you sweat a lot, the added minerals will "help". Obviously, a balanced diet is better.
Most people do not get enough calcium or magnesium. Calcium will help bone. Magnesium is great for healing and energy.
Medical science (SCIENCE) will tell you that your body will regulate the acidity of your body no matter what Gwyneth Paltrow or anyone else on the internet tells you. There is nothing you can ingest that will change the pH of your body as long as you lungs and kidneys are functioning properly. Well that is within reason and not deadly. As far as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, well, they are commonly known as electrolytes and most people consume way more than they need with drinks and supplements. This is causing an increase in kidney stones! Also your liver will detoxify your body not things that make you cry on the toilet. So take the information however you want, but just remember. Even though you think it makes sense and feels good if SCIENCE tells you that you are wrong. YOU ARE WRONG.
Actually, the science says that in the US, most people are deficient in Ca, Mg, and vit D.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/...1212100702 [sagepub.com]
https://jamiekoufman.com/alkaline...id-reflux/ [jamiekoufman.com]
Anyway, since I have a subscription, I can actually read this article. They used Artesian water with a pH of 8.8. You are not getting that from this kit, for starters. You are not getting that from the vast majority of "alkaline water" at the store, either.
Secondly, they are using a concentration of pepsin in the micrograms/mL range. A quick google search shows pepsin concentrations in the miligram per mL range. In actual gastric acid, there are orders of magnitude higher concentrations of pepsin (looks like a ~100x dilution in the study). It's also, this was an in vitro study but it looks as though the experimental design was created to try to force an outcome, rather than letting the outcome of a well-controlled experiment speak for itself.
The barrier to being published is a lot less stringent than it used to be.
Though even that said, Dr. Koufman is right that lifestyle changes are effective.
Anyway, since I have a subscription, I can actually read this article. They used Artesian water with a pH of 8.8. You are not getting that from this kit, for starters. You are not getting that from the vast majority of "alkaline water" at the store, either.
Secondly, they are using a concentration of pepsin in the micrograms/mL range. A quick google search shows pepsin concentrations in the miligram per mL range. In actual gastric acid, there are orders of magnitude higher concentrations of pepsin (looks like a ~100x dilution in the study). It's also, this was an in vitro study but it looks as though the experimental design was created to try to force an outcome, rather than letting the outcome of a well-controlled experiment speak for itself.
The barrier to being published is a lot less stringent than it used to be.
Though even that said, Dr. Koufman is right that lifestyle changes are effective.
You also seem to be erroneously concluding that the concentration of pepsin present in gastric acid is the levels that you might see deposited in saliva and tissues of the upper esophagus of LPR patients. While pepsin thrives in the highly acidic environment of the stomach (which is the body working as intended), that concentration would never be the levels present in the upper esophageal tract. LPR symptoms would present at levels more along the lines of 1 nanogram/mL, which would be approximately 1/1 billionth of the concentration in the stomach. It's frankly nonsensical to cite pepsin concentration levels in the stomach, in the context of a discussion of targeted therapy to address pepsin in the upper esophagus.
You go on to falsely assert that this doctor sells an alkaline water product. She does not. She did offer some options for alkaline water products in an entirely objective manner, being sure to express that simply because a product is advertised as "alkaline water" does not mean it will provide the necessary PH, and one must use a science based approach that considers the PH range of the end product if they are to utilize it as a treatment modality. She also made it clear that despite pseudoscientific marketing claims, alkaline water cannot affect the overall PH of the body.
Dr. Koufman is a pioneering authority on acid reflux, with decades of experience in the field. She was the first to diagnose and treat cases of laryngopharyngeal reflux. There's an incredible amount of irony in the implication that we should not trust this doctor on a basis of financial perverse incentive structures. She has specifically bucked the trend of doctors that prescribe harmful patented PPIs that disrupt the natural (and optimal) acidity present in the stomach, in favor of treatment modalities that are based on lifestyle changes and generic treatments that cannot be patented - including alkaline water as a treatment tool. Her credentials and experience in the field are not in dispute.
Her treatment modalities are not based on selling you some specific alkaline water product, but on developing your knowledge and understanding of the overall systems at play. Some may reject this approach because it would feel "easier" to pop a pill than to make the substantial lifestyle changes necessary to address the underlying dysfunction. As a singer suffering from LPR, I worked closely with my physician to address the underlying dysfunction, utilizing the LPR protocols developed by Koufman. Tissue tests showed the pepsin that had established itself in my upper esophageal tract was completely eliminated.
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The filters are CHEAP and non-proprietary.
The filters are CHEAP and non-proprietary.
Not worth my time. Continue buying your snake oil.
From Google:
Alkaline water is water with a pH level higher than 7, typically ranging from 8 to 10, making it slightly basic rather than neutral like regular drinking water, which has a pH of about 7.
This increased pH results from a higher concentration of dissolved minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium, which are alkaline compounds that can accept hydrogen ions in solution.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Join The Conversation
Share your experience with the Slickdeals community
Share information with the community. Please follow our Community Guidelines and be kind!