Alkaline water: "cancer cannot survive in an alkaline body".
As forwarded
"Cancer cannot live in an alkaline body. Drink alkaline water and baking soda daily."
Circulates as text and video. Specific Indian version with URL and reach: not available. Reach not available
Verdict
Baking soda and alkaline water do not cure cancer, food and water cannot make the blood "alkaline", and choosing them instead of treatment can cost lives.
What the evidence says
A systematic review screened 8,278 citations: it found no randomised trials and no studies at all of alkaline water or diet for treating cancer, and concluded that promoting them for cancer prevention or treatment "is not justified". [S1]
Food and water can change the acidity of urine, but the body holds the acidity of blood within a narrow range regardless of diet; drinking alkaline water does not make the body "alkaline". [S1]
The real harm is delay. In a study of people with curable cancers, those who chose alternative medicine alone had about 2.5 times the risk of death of those who had standard treatment. [S2]
How this verdict was reached
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The forward
Taken exactly as it circulates, not as a summary of it.
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The evidence
2 sources from the four tiers, strongest first.
- Tier 1 · 1
- Tier 3 · 1
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The line
Nothing below tier 4 is counted; every source here is graded.
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The verdict
Dangerous Every evidence sentence above links to its source. Not reviewed by a doctor; a sourced guide, not medical advice.
What to do instead
Do not take baking soda or alkaline water as a cancer treatment.
Keep to the plan from the cancer team; tell them about any remedy or diet you are trying.
If unsure about a treatment plan, ask another oncologist for a second opinion rather than switching to an unproven remedy.
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Sources
- S1Fenton TR, Huang T. Systematic review of the association between dietary acid load, alkaline water and cancer. BMJ Open 2016;6:e010438.Tier 1
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27297008 - S2Johnson SB et al. Use of alternative medicine for cancer and its impact on survival. J Natl Cancer Inst 2018;110:121-124.Tier 3
academic.oup.com/jnci/article/110/1/121/4064136
Tiers are as graded in the research file; where the file left a source ungraded, the editor graded it against the four tiers. "Circulation only" sources document that a claim circulates and are never cited as evidence. Where a primary paper could not be opened, the page says so in the Honest note.
Reviewed by
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