Difference Between Alkaline Water Ionizers & Hydrogen Water Generators

Many would fail to understand the difference between an alkaline ionizer and a hydrogen generator. Many-a-times, people tend to think of them as the same or as an extended version of one another. However, the fact is completely different. They work on completing different technologies altogether.

Alkaline water ionizers work on the principle of simple water electrolysis by breaking down the source or input water into alkaline and acidic components. Whereas, hydrogen water generators work on the principle of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) alongside titanium and platinum electrodes.

In a conventional alkaline ionizer machine, approximately 40% of the water comes out as acidic and the rest as alkaline. In a hydrogen water generator, there’s only one stream of water with zero wastage or drainage of water known as hydrogen water! It means that Hydrogen water generators do not have a secondary wastage/acidic outlet. 

So if anyone tries to say that an alkaline water ionizer is the same as a hydrogen water generator, they are simply mistaken due to their limited knowledge in the context. The concept and mechanism of a hydrogen water generator are too complex which makes it difficult for everyone to understand them correctly.

There are currently three determinants in this context:

1. pH (potential of hydrogen ions)
2. ORP (oxidation-reduction potential)
3. PPB of DH (parts per billion of dissolved molecular hydrogen)

Alkaline ionizers work on the concept of pH and ORP. It does not contain MOLECULAR Hydrogen above a certain amount due to its inability to remove the harmful ozone gas (a byproduct while producing high PBP Hydrogen Water)

A machine with a PEM separates this harmful ozone gas in the form of tiny water droplets and provides us with proper molecular hydrogen water having high therapeutic value.

Hydrogen water generators do not use the concept of “higher pH, higher ORP” which is very well followed in the conventional type of ionizers. 

In a hydrogen water generator, you can find 1,600 PPB of dissolved hydrogen and a -750 mV of ORP without ANY CHANGE in its pH value. 

Confused? 

Yes, it does seem a little confusing but it’s actually the truth. When ionizers were developed, the therapeutic benefits of molecular hydrogen were not known to the scientists and researchers. They simply increased the pH of the water to produce a substantial amount of ORP. By doing so, some people increased the pH of the water to above human consumption levels ( >9.5 pH) in order to produce ORP. This kind of very high alkaline water is of no use and is actually harmful to the human body.

Not more than a decade ago it was researched and understood that the therapeutic value in alkaline ionized water was hydrogen gas! Or simply put, water with dissolved molecular hydrogen alone is far better and superior in terms of its ability to eliminate harmful free radicals (hydroxyl, peroxynitrite, and the like). It works without increasing the pH levels to highly alkaline. Sometimes these machines are also known as neutral pH hydrogen water generators due to their characteristic of not altering the pH much!

Interestingly, one can find that a molecular hydrogen water generator can generate ORP and PPB without raising the pH of water! 

Let us discuss 2 cases here: 

1. Alkaline Water Ionizer with 7.3 pH Neutral water taken from it (Alkaline)
2. Hydrogen Water Generator with 7.3 pH water taken from it (Hydrogen)

One would try to say that the above 2 cases when compared, should yield the same exact results! Now, as a fact, the above two water samples should be completely different from one another. 

The first case would have almost negligible ORP (-100 mV) and almost Zero PPB (Nil).

The second case will have an ORP of -500 mV and a PPB level as high as 1,600 PPB.

Shocking. Isn’t it? 

The major reason is that Hydrogen Water Generators use a completely different technology as compared to conventional Alkaline Water Ionizers. The newer Hydrogen Water machines have been designed and optimized to produce high levels of Hydrogen water at almost neutral levels of pH.

Credits: Akshit Agarwal – KYK