LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Almost everyone understands that it is important to drink plenty of water.
Almost 20% of the human body is actually water and its important to remain hydrated to help fuel cells and keep the brain and body functioning property.
Enhanced water has become popular in recent years.
Enhanced water is a category of water that have added ingredients such as natural or artificial sweeteners, vitamins and minerals.
According to Time.com, sales of bottled water in the U.S. increased more than 6% to $15 billion in 2015 and much of that interest came from water that had been enhanced.
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But none of the claims that these types of water are better for you have been substantiated with serious research, according to HealthDay.
One of the most popular things to be added to water is electrolytes. However, unless you are a serious athlete, it is unlikely you need to replenish your electrolytes after a workout, according to health experts.
The latest fad is water with a higher pH. That means the water has more alkaline, pH balance is important for the body and some companies claim their products can help keep the body’s pH balanced.
Most health experts seem to disagree for the need to worry. Doctors say that it is highly unlikely that a person could consume enough food or beverage to alter the pH of the body.
Vitamin D is another nutrient that is often unnecessarily added to drink. But, the average American isn’t lacking in vitamins and getting to much of certain nutrients can result in negative effects.
Health experts have also pointed out that enhanced waters can contain just as much sugar or more than a soft drink.
For example, Vitaminwater has 32 grams of sugar in one bottle. That is more than the daily recommendation for women, which is 25 grams of sugar (37.5 grams are recommended for men).
Another dangerous ingredient is Erythritol, which has been linked to anxiety, depression, short-term memory loss, weight gain, brain tumors and more.
Ascorbic Acid is another addition that can cause problems. Some makers claim that it is Vitamin C. However, it is created in a laboratory and is not pure Vitamin C. It has been linked to arterial plaque buildup.
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