ANTIOXIDANTS
Active oxygen species or free radicals are considered to cause extensive oxidative damage to biological macromolecules, which brings about a variety of diseases and aging. The ideal scavenger for free radicals is active hydrogen. Active hydrogen is produced in the reduced, alkaline water stream near the cathode during the ionic separation of water. Antioxidants are substances that inhibit the rate of oxidation caused by free radicals. Antioxidants can be classified in five major groups based upon where and how they work within the body. The five major classes are natural preventive, scavenging, dietary, natural enzyme, and pharmacological antioxidants.
Natural preventive antioxidants include transferrin, lactoferrin, ceruloplasmin and albumin, which are found primarily in blood plasma. Examples of scavenging antioxidants are uric acid, bilirubin, sulfyhydryl, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, flavonoids, and melatonin. Dietary antioxidants are commonly found in tea, fruits, and vegetables. Natural enzyme antioxidants are found in the intracellular environment and include superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. Pharmacological agents that may have direct or indirect antioxidant activity include: acetylcysteine, SOD, deferoxiamine, Probucol, Amidarone, Captopril, and Rezulin. All of the aforementioned drugs have well-documented toxicity and side effects. Their use requires direct medical supervision by a licensed medical doctor.
Based upon interesting clinical improvement of a variety of diseases through the intake of reduced water, Dr. Hidemitsu Hayashi, Director of the Water Institute of Japan proposed the "Water Regulating Theory". Since 1985, this theory suggests that the active hydrogen of reduced water "quenches" free radicals or reactive oxidative metabolites. Research demonstrates that reduced water scavenges active oxygen species and protects DNA from damage by oxygen radicals similar to the natural enzyme antioxidant, superoxide dismutase. Essentia Water is a reduced, alkaline water with an abundant concentration of active hydrogen that "neutralizes or quenches free radicals".
The smaller molecular weight of hydrogen compared to other antioxidants concentrates it's reducing capability for a given amount of antioxidant. Each atom of an antioxidant donates one and only one electron to neutralize the chain of free radicals. So whether large or small, the end result of the antioxidant is to provide a singular electron. The molecular weight of water (i.e., 18 grams per mole) is one-tenth the molecular weight of Vitamin C (i.e., 176 grams per mole).
Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) is a measurement of the potential for a reaction to occur. ORP represents electron concentration and activity level. An ORP in the positive range indicates oxidation, (i.e., the absence of chemical potential energy, and an inability to perform additional chemical reactions).
An ORP in the negative range indicates chemical reduction, (i.e., and the presence of electrons, potential energy, and the ability to generate additional chemical reactions).
Essentia Water, compared to other bottled waters has the lowest ORP value or greater relative abundance of electrons (See Figure 2).
FREE RADICAL
Under normal physiological conditions, the use of oxygen by cells of aerobic organisms generates potentially deleterious reactive oxygen metabolites. A chronic state of oxidative stress exists in cells because of the imbalance between prooxidants and antioxidants. The amount of oxidative damage increases as human's age and is postulated to be a major causal factor of senescence. This hypothesis is supported by the observations that an over expression of antioxidative enzymes retards the age-related accrual of oxidative damage and extends the maximum life span of fruit flies. In addition, longevity of species is inversely proportional to the rates of mitochondria generation (i.e., "powerhouse of the cell") of superoxide anion radicals and hydrogen peroxide.
There are several indications that the oxidant challenge to aerobic cells is not trivial. It is estimated that 2-3% of the oxygen consumed is diverted to the generation of superoxide anion radicals and hydrogen peroxide. A typical rat cell may undergo 100,000 reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) on DNA per day. The presence of these ROM interactions has led to the concept that antioxidative defenses are not fully efficient, that cells are chronically under oxidative stress, and that aging is a consequence of oxidative stress.