Kangen and Enagic®

Misunderstandings and Answers

In the past few years there has been talk about the unique and health-giving benefits of a type of treated water being described as kangen and the MLM company Enagic®.

The Enagic® Corporation of Japan is the owner of US registered trademarks KANGEN WATER® and ENAGIC®. This interest in kangen, in the USA, coincided with a push into the alkaline water market by the MLM (Multi Level Marketing) company Enagic®. Enagic® corporation has been doing a fantastic job of introducing the concept of alkaline and acid water to many people who otherwise would not know about the wonderful, healthful benefits of such treated water.

This article is written with the intention to address some of what is been said on other web sites and in public meetings regarding the treated water known as KANGEN, so that customers wanting the best value for their money, are able to make an informed opinion about Kangen and Enagic® water ionizers models, without the misunderstanding.

Misunderstanding Issue One: Kangen produced by Enagic® Corporation's water ionizers is different from alkaline, ionized water produced from other manufacturers' water ionizers.

Answer: Enagic® water ionizers produce the same type of alkaline and acidic water in that their machines contain a filter and ionizing chamber just like all other alkaline water ionizers.

The ionizing chamber in an Enagic® brand basically uses the same technology as do all other water ionizers to split the water into acid and alkaline streams. Kangen is used as simply another name for ionized, alkaline water. No where will you be able to find a definition of kangen that is different than alkaline water made from a typical ionizer because there is not any.

In trying to make a difference where there is none, one Enagic® representative's web site described Kangen by saying, "technically, in order to be classified as Kangen Water®, it needs to show a negative ORP (-ORP) in the range of -200mV to -450mV, while typical Ionized Alkaline Water shows anywhere between +100mV and -100mV, depending on the quality of the machine". Even most water ionizers from China can get at least a -250mV ORP reading (and it should be noted that AlkaViva ionizers can get over -800mV ORP.)

That been said, Enagic® through its MLM is doing a fantastic job of introducing the concept of alkaline and acid water to people who otherwise would not know about it.

Misunderstanding Issue Two: Kangen is better than alkaline, ionized water.

Answer: No, they are basically the same thing as discussed above. There are three ways the quality of kangen or alkaline water is measured - by how acid or alkaline the water becomes (pH), by how much ionization occurs (-ORP) and the amount of diatomic hydrogen (H₂) in the water.
See Why Bigger is NOT Better Here

For example, independent tests carried out by ex Enagic® representatives (concerned about the high prices been charged), showed that the Athena H₂ ionizer produced as high an ORP (negative ionization) and pH as did the tested Enagic® models. Also when salt was added to the calcium port in the Melody, it produced a stronger acidic water than that achieved by the tested Enagic® machine.

Unfortunately when there are very high prices there can also be a need to justify the difference - such as in the following comment from an independent representative's website:

"This water technology is practically non-existent outside Japan. ... Even worse, there are some people who are trying to sell (the) cheaper Ionized Alkaline Water machines as if they were at the same or a similar level as with the Kangen Water® machines, only cheaper."

Misunderstanding Issue Three: Some Enagic® representatives' websites claim that their Enagic® units and kangen are recognized and approved by the Japanese Health Department, unlike all other ionizers.

Answer: In the 1980s the Japanese Health Department recognized that ionized alkaline water from water ionizers had proven health benefits and described water ionizers as health devices.

Major Korean corporations who also manufacture in Japan use parts from our manufacturers for their own ionizers and all have approval from the Japan Ministry of Health.

We challenge anyone to be able to produce a document or page from any government web site that say specifically that their water ionizers were the only ones approved as Health Devices by the Japanese Government.

Below are examples of comments from an Enagic®web site and ones that are often voiced.
"The Enagic® is approved by The Japan Ministry of Health, as a top quality medical device" or "Enagic® units and kangen water® are recognized and approved by the Japanese Health Department".

Misunderstanding Issue Four: The well known authorities on ionized water endorse or recommend Enagic® ionizers rather than other ionizers.

Answer: The best known authorities in the USA such as Dr. Robert Young (author of The pH Miracle), Dr. Theodore Baroody (author of Alkalize or Die), and Sang Whang (author of Reverse Aging) all recommend and sell AlkaViva water ionizers because they want to give their customers high quality kangen or alkaline water ionizers at an honest price. Other well know alkaline authorities that endorse and use AlkaViva water ionizers include Daniel Reed (author of The Tao of Detox), Harald Tietze (author of Youthing) and Ian Hamilton (author of The Untold Truth...).

Misunderstanding Five: Kangen or Enagic® ionizers cost more than AlkaViva water ionizers because they are better.

Answer: No, expensive is not necessarily better.
The Melody, for example, is priced at less than $1,700 and offers important user friendly features that are missing in Enagic® ionizers, such as auto cleaning in the background. The Melody also has an outstanding track record over 5 years and we challenge anyone to show how or why AlkaViva ionizer plates would not last as well as those from Enagic® that are bigger, use more voltage, have salt solution going through them and are cleaned more infrequently and less efficiently.

Please look Here at a report and video from an independent and USA government certified testing laboratory. Check out the Comparison Sheet before perhaps spending too much money on your ionizer.

Certain alkaline water ionizers are better and stronger than others and the Enagic® range of ionizers are decent, good models. Our models offer certain features not found in competing water ionizers but when you have a MLM company that pays certain Reps who do not make the sale a high percentage of the sale price you have to create an artificially high price because Enagic® and up to eight representatives need to make money from every single sale. It is estimated that Enagic® pays out well over $2000 on an average ionizer sale to its downline (and this does not include the profit made by the company itself). The highest retail price you pay for an AlkaViva water ionizer through Ionlife is around $3,200 and that is for a dedicated under counter ionizer. You do the math.

MLM "reps" typically do not have a thorough technical understanding of the properties of kangen, ionization and how the two together produce health benefits. In Multi Level Marketing (MLM) or Network Marketing, there are exceptions; reps who have really rolled up their sleeves and educated themselves, but the fact remains there can be a lot of "bogus" information fed to people who have been to MLM presentations. Going to a few MLM presentations does not make one an expert in something, especially something as complex and technical as ionization.

MLM "reps" can be innocently fed misinformation and led to believe in half truths. Then these misinformed "reps", who are motivated by the MLM dream, go forth and perpetrate these inaccuracies and mislead naive customers into falsely thinking they are getting something of great value. The price of Enagic® models has more to do with compensating the Enagic® MLM reps than the actual cost or the comparative technology inherent in their ionizers. To verify that, simply ask Enagic® about their compensation plan and see how much money is paid to the various levels of the network organization when one machine is sold.

Misunderstanding Six: Enagic® Corporation of Japan has been marketing "Kangen Water®" ionizers for 30 years.

Answer: Our research has led us to believe that what became the Enagic® brand was initially manufactured by Toyo Metal a/k/a Toyo Aitex who sold marketing rights to Enagic® (also called the Thohan Kiden organization). Toyo Metal water ionizer were called the Apex, Pure Porte 11 or Protec units and these early models were manufactured by and sold for less than $1000 in the USA. For a while the Pure Porte brand was also sold by IonLife before IonLife decided to only sell other manufacturers ionizers.

A company called HydroAnalytics previously imported, distributed and did hands-on repairs on this unit from Japan for the US, Western Hemisphere and European market before it was withdrawn from the US market, presumably due to lack of market penetration. In Japan the Thohan Kiden organization manufactures units, that are not sold through the Enagic®Corporation of Japan for similar prices to other alkaline water ionizer in the US market.

Here are some bullet points to consider in comparing Enagic® ionizers to AlkaViva ionizers:

Customer Satisfaction Level: We do not know how many ionizers are returned to Enagic® but in Ionlife we know that we have maintained the highest A+ ranking with the Better Business Bureau. Ionlife prides itself on a zero complaint customer policy.
Filtration: AlkaViva's UltraWater filtration system has been proven in independent, government-certified laboratory tests, to remove 99.9% of virtually all contaminants. Enagic® does not have a filter that is capable of such contaminant removal. The replacement filter for the UltraWater filter is set at an honest retail price and is also manufactured in the USA.
Hydrogen Production: AlkaViva's H₂ series produced higher levels of H₂ in our USA warehouse, than any other brand or model.
Installation: our ionizers can be installed three ways including undersink and directly to the cold water line.
Functionality: our ionizers have increased functionality in terms of a flow control valve that operates independently of the tap (Enagic® flow is controlled by tap). AlkaViva's two latest models (better quality than the Melody) have a fully automatic valve system. The more advanced AlkaViva models also have an LCD control panel screen which has various readouts and alarms.
Cleaning: All our models have a patented reversible chamber so you can ALWAYS get alkaline or kangen water® even while the machine is cleaning (with Enagic® models you have to wait while the unit is cleaning).
Performance: in side by side comparisons our models has been proven to be at least equal to the Enagic® Levelluk DX II. AlkaViva's Athena model, outperforms Enagic in tests done in-house - and sells for less than $2,000!. All ionization plates of our ionizers are made in Japan. Our manufacturers' research laboratories continue to led the way in technological innovation. Our manufacturers also produce, in Japan, large commercial water ionizers (up to $500,000) that are sent to companies around the world.
Cutting Edge Technology:AlkaViva's latest models have new patented features to further distinguish them in value and capability. Features like:

1) the new mesh plating (increases surface area of electrode creating a stronger water). This means that AlkaViva ionizers are able to achieve a higher ORP and pH output without having to increase the size of the plates. Larger and more plates means more electricity and more wear. As in all advanced electronic technologies - the size of the components decrease over time, not increase. There are a number of new ionizer companies (especially from China) who boast that their plate sizes are larger - in electronics larger is not necessarily better.

2) a new patented SOL automatic valve system to optimize ORP at lower levels of pH (Enagic® doesn't have a valve other than the tap!)

3) the new patented DARC cleaning system which eliminates mineral deposits ensuring more power and longer plate life.
Manufacturing Standards: AlkaViva's parent company makes Medical Equipment and has been manufacturing ionizers since 1982. Our manufacturers have state of the art, ISO 9001 certified and ionizer-dedicated plants (they do not make anything else). ISO is the world-recognized certification for quality standards in manufacturing (see: www.iso.org). Certification is very expensive and time consuming. AlkaViva ionizers are additionally CE, UL and RoK2 certified.
Reliability: AlkaViva ionizers have the lowest return rate for service in the industry (less than 1%).
Good Looks:AlkaViva ionizers (particularly the latest models) are sophisticated, stylish and contemporary looking.
Support:Our models come with a DVD that shows how to install and get the best alkaline or kangen water® out of your ionizer. Professional, trained staff are available to answer any questions. AlkaViva also carries a full range of pre-treatment options if needed with poor quality water.
Value: When you buy an AlkaViva ionizer from Ionlife, you buy top quality at an honest, retail price.
For our latest model please Click Here

End article on kangen and Enagic®