"Acid" Water and Diabetes

Research published in the September 2002 issue of Diabetes Care found that children who regularly drank water with a pH between 6.2 and 6.9 were nearly 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. (A pH of 7 is neutral, so the lower the number the higher the acidity.)

The study?s authors say that the water itself is unlikely to be the cause, but it may be a marker for some other factor. They suggest that perhaps the acidity level leaches minerals out of the soil or plumbing fixtures. Alternatively, the water may provide an environment for bacteria or viruses to grow, which could in turn trigger diabetes. The only conclusion is that more research needs to be done on this intriguing finding.