Fact Check: Can water with lemon and alkaline salts act as cancer killing alkaline water?
An Instagram post claims that water with lemon and alkaline salts act as cancer killing alkaline water. The claim is FALSE.
Claim
In an Instagram post, it is claimed that water with lemon and alkaline salts act as cancer killing alkaline water. The post by the user vitolyzeofficial is captioned as, "Cancer Killing alkaline water. Squeeze 1-2 lemons, or more if you want to make it more potent, add 1/2 to 2 scoops of alkaline salts (phour salts from phmiracle products in USA or avocadoninja. com in EU) drink up straight as a super concentrated shot or add to 1 litre water as a hydrating drink
Drink 2-3 times daily
Illness is not natural -- wellness is 💯 natural. Start using natural molecules to heal, recover & rejuvenate!"
The reel can be accessed here.
Fact Check
The claim is False. While lemon offers several health benefits, it is inherently acidic and not alkaline. There is no scientific evidence or medical consensus supporting the claim that combining lemon with alkaline salts can treat or cure cancer.
What is Cancer?
Cancer is a condition in which certain cells in the body begin to grow uncontrollably and have the potential to spread to other areas. It can occur in almost any part of the body, which is made up of trillions of cells. Typically, cells grow and divide in a regulated way to produce new cells when needed, and old or damaged cells die to make room for new ones. However, in cancer, this normal process is disrupted, leading to the unchecked growth and division of abnormal or damaged cells.
These abnormal cells can form lumps called tumors, which may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Malignant tumors have the ability to invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body through a process known as metastasis, creating secondary tumors in distant organs. While many cancers form solid tumors, some types, like leukemia (blood cancers), do not.
Can Cancer Be Cured/Killed?
Cancer cannot be completely cured or killed or eradicated, but it can go into remission. Remission refers to a state where the cancer has responded positively to treatment, and the signs of cancer have significantly diminished or disappeared. In remission, no further treatment may be necessary for the time being. However, it is important to note that it is rare to consider cancer as completely cured, as there is always a possibility of recurrence.
American Cancer Society says, "Whether a person’s cancer can be cured depends on the type and stage of the cancer, the type of treatment they can get, and other factors. Some cancers are more likely to be cured than others. But each cancer needs to be treated differently. There isn’t one cure for cancer."
What are the Nutritional Benefits Of Lemon?
Lemon, is an evergreen tree species native to South Asia, particularly North East India. This fruit offers notable health benefits, with a peeled lemon containing 17 calories and 22 calories when including the peel. One tablespoon of lemon juice provides 3 calories, while a quarter cup delivers 31% of the daily recommended vitamin C, 3% of folate, and 2% of potassium, totaling 13 calories. Beyond its use in food and nutrition, lemon is valued for its medicinal properties. It aids in weight management, helps regulate blood pressure, and supports conditions like osteoporosis, insomnia, asthma, nausea, vomiting, travel sickness, acne, throat infections, scurvy, and fever. Additionally, lemon helps maintain the body's pH balance, offering a variety of health benefits through its juice, leaf oil, citric acid, alkaloids, and other nutrients.
What are Alkaline Salts?
Alkaline salts act as effective substitutes for costly sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatments. They break down lignocellulosic structures by cleaving ester and glycosidic bonds, modifying lignin, swelling cellulose, and improving cellulose digestibility. These salts also enhance the release of fermentable sugars by removing acetyl groups from xylan polymers.
Can water with lemon and alkaline salts act as cancer killing alkaline water?
The claim that water with lemon and alkaline salts can act as "cancer-killing alkaline water" is unsupported by scientific evidence. Lemon water has some health benefits but it is acidic in nature. Further, there is no reliable scientific proof that lemon and alkaline salts can cure or kill cancer.
Lemon offers various health benefits, including antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties, as demonstrated in a study conducted by Paramita Jana et al. The research highlights these potential therapeutic effects, emphasizing lemon’s ability to combat infections and reduce inflammation.
Lemon is highly acidic in nature, as noted in a review by Bernard Tiencheu et. al., and it contributes to the acidic characteristics of the juice blend, with its pH ranging from 3.40 to 4.90, indicating its significant acidic properties.
Yet another study led by W.M. Otang et. al. noted that the lemon is a potential source of vitamin C.
There is no scientific evidence or established medical consensus supporting the use of alkaline salts in cancer prevention or treatment. A systematic review published in Nutrition and Metabolism concluded that, despite widespread promotion of the alkaline diet and alkaline water in popular media and by marketers, there is a significant lack of clinical research validating these claims. The review found no credible evidence linking dietary acid load or alkaline water with the onset or management of cancer.
Lemon is known for its health-promoting properties and is acidic in nature. However, current scientific evidence or medical consensus does not validate the claim that lemon and alkaline salts have the ability to kill or cure cancer.
Talking to the Medical Dialogues Fact Check Team, Dr Darshana Rane, Consultant Medical Oncology, HCG Cancer Centre, Borivali said, "The relationship between alkaline water and cancer is a topic of ongoing debate. Some proponents claim that alkaline water can help prevent or treat cancer by neutralizing acidity in the body. However, there is limited scientific evidence to support these claims.
The human body has a natural pH regulation system, maintaining a slightly alkaline pH level (around 7.35–7.45) despite dietary influences. Cancer is a multifaceted disease involving genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
Potential Benefits and Limitations
- Some alkaline waters may contain antioxidants, which can help reduce oxidative stress.
- Adequate hydration is essential for overall health.
- However, there is insufficient evidence to support alkaline water as a cancer treatment or prevention method.
It is important to prioritize established cancer prevention strategies, such as maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in regular exercise, and avoiding known carcinogens. If you have concerns about cancer prevention or treatment, consult a healthcare professional for personalized advice.
Dr Riddhijyoti Talukdar, Consultant Radiation Oncology, HCG Cancer Centre, Borivali, further said, "Although it might be true as per some lab-based studies that cancer cells thrive in acidic environment, drinking alkaline water in no way can decrease the growth of cancer.
1. Our stomach contains the strongest acid (Hydrochloric acid) and drinking any amount of alkali will be immediately neutralized.
2. The pH of the body is tightly regulated with a complex biochemical process. Alkalosis or Acidosis (Increase in or decrease in the body pH beyond the normal limit of 7.35 to 7.45) are both serious conditions requiring critical management in ICU.
Consuming alkaline water or salts like ‘phour salt’ orally will not alter the pH of the body. Cancer cells may have an innate mechanism to induce acidic environment in the vicinity. Drinking alkaline water, while may not be poisonous, and in some cases help with hyperacidity, using it as treatment can delay timely evidence-based interventions, and may indirectly responsible for progression of an early stage cancer to an advanced cancer which has a less chance of cure. For prevention, here is something you can try instead- high fibre diet, regular exercise, decrease in intake of preservatives, refined sugar, stopping the of use of alcohol and tobacco.
Medical Dialogues Final Take
The claim that that water with lemon and alkaline salts act as cancer killing alkaline water. Lemon water can provide health benefits but it’s acidic, not alkaline. There’s no scientific evidence or medical consensus to support that lemon with alkaline salts can cure or kill cancer.
Hence, the claim is FALSE.
