Photo from fda.gov.ph
MANILA, Philippines—If anyone offers you a sip from the fabled wellspring of youth, beware.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned the public against falling prey to “false, deceptive and misleading” claims about unregistered alkaline water and water purification devices being sold in the market.
The FDA particularly pointed to an advertisement that appeared in the March 31 issue of the Inquirer, which referred to Izumi antioxidant alkaline water ionizer as a device that used the same Japanese technology to produce water that supposedly sustained Shigechiyo Izumi, a Japanese centenarian who was earlier named by the Guinness World Records the “oldest living person.”
It stated that a British journalist for Guinness supposedly discovered that Izumi drank from a preserved water resource “with unique characteristics,” such as containing “many essential minerals” and “very alkaline with a pH level between 7 and 8.5.”
The ad, titled “The Secret to a Healthier, Longer Life,” said Izumi was 115 years old, although records show that the Japanese centenarian, who died in February 1986, lived until he was 120 years old.
On its website, Guinness World Records stated that the birth certificate submitted as evidence on Izumi’s longevity record may actually belong to his older brother who died at a young age and that his final age was 105 years old, not 120.
‘False therapeutic claims’
“Consumers are strongly advised not to fall prey to these types of misleading, deceptive advertisements and are forewarned against buying and using unregistered Izumi alkaline water ionizer since it is not an FDA-approved water purification device,” said Dr. Kenneth Go, FDA acting director general.
In the advisory dated April 30, Go also said the product’s website, https://izumilifestyle.com, was also being used to advertise “deceitful health and therapeutic claims,” such as the product claiming to be beneficial to overly acidic bodies, especially those with cancer and diabetes and that can be used for cooking and drinking coffee and tea.
Go also said Izumi alkaline water ionizer was not registered with the FDA Center for Device Regulation, Radiation Health and Research, a direct violation of Republic Act No. 9711, or the FDA Act of 2009.
“Drinking alkaline water or ionized water does not change the blood pH level or remove every known chronic disease condition,” he said, adding that there were no scientific and clinical studies available that would back up its health and therapeutic claims.
Go also noted that the ad was published in several newspapers despite an advisory the FDA issued in January this year warning consumers against dishonest claims regarding alkaline water and water purification devices.
Originally posted: 10:47 pm | Friday, May 2nd, 2014
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