Penta Water
Encyclopedia
Penta Water is a brand of bottled water
that claims to be structurally different from 'normal' water, and advertised as "ultra-purified
" water. The company was founded in 1999 in San Diego, California
. Penta's name derives from its association with supposed five-molecule clusters of water.
Bio Hydration Research Labs claims that their 'Penta process' of subjecting water to high energy sound waves, creating sonoluminescence
, reduces the average size of the water clusters present in liquid water. This supposedly makes it easier for water molecules to pass through cell membranes. It is further claimed that water so treated improves the 'survivability' of cells. In 2003, Penta became the best selling bottled water in American health food stores.
The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld complaints from the 2nd of March 2005 against claims made by Penta Water in a leaflet that:
1. the leaflet misleadingly implied the product had health benefits over and above those of ordinary water and
2. the claims "restructured" and "it might be just H2O, but it's no ordinary water" were misleading, because they believed that water could not be restructured.
Quoting from the ASA website:
"The advertisers asserted that Penta was a new form of water that was restructured. They submitted research papers that they believed showed scientific evidence of restructuring and several works in preparation, including studies from UK universities, that they believed showed increased performance and recovery levels after exercise with Penta when compared with ordinary water. The advertisers argued that, because Penta could hydrate more efficiently than tap water, it was better for health; they said they had not, however, made any medicinal claims for the product. They said their local Trading Standards department had checked all their literature; they also sent a revised copy of their advertisement that they believed complied with the CAP Code.
The Authority considered that readers would be likely to interpret the claims made in the original leaflet and the revised leaflet to mean the molecular structure of water had been altered in the advertised product for improved hydration and physical performance. The Authority took expert advice and understood that the scientific evidence submitted did not prove that Penta had health benefits over and above those of ordinary water or had been restructured to form stable smaller clusters. It also understood that hydrogen-bonds in ordinary water were a weak type of chemical bonding that allowed the formation and reformation of temporary clusters of water molecules in liquid phase water many times per second. The Authority concluded that the information submitted was not sufficient to prove Penta water had health benefits over and above those of ordinary water or was structured differently from ordinary water. The Authority told the advertisers not to repeat claims that implied the product was chemically unique, had been restructured or molecularly redesigned, or hydrated cells and improved physical performance better than tap water. "
on Pentawater's website. (http://www.pentawater.com/team.shtml, http://www.pentawater.com/team.shtml) There are no independent verifications of these endorsements.
Donald MacLaren, in the physiology department of Liverpool John Moores University
in Britain is doing research for Penta and was quoted on their now defunct website as stating
These studies have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal.
Jorge Cruise, author of The 3-Hour Diet has recommended Penta water as "one of the keys to weight loss" http://www.pentawater.com/news.shtml#040105, even though there have been no peer-reviewed studies in any academic journal that show this.
Sites critical of Penta Water
Sites favorable to Penta Water
Bottled water
Bottled water is drinking water packaged in plastic or glass water bottles. Bottled water may be carbonated or not...
that claims to be structurally different from 'normal' water, and advertised as "ultra-purified
Purified water
Purified water is water from any source that is physically processed to remove impurities. Distilled water and deionized water have been the most common forms of purified water, but water can also be purified by other processes including reverse osmosis, carbon filtration, microfiltration,...
" water. The company was founded in 1999 in San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Penta's name derives from its association with supposed five-molecule clusters of water.
Bio Hydration Research Labs claims that their 'Penta process' of subjecting water to high energy sound waves, creating sonoluminescence
Sonoluminescence
Sonoluminescence is the emission of short bursts of light from imploding bubbles in a liquid when excited by sound.-History:The effect was first discovered at the University of Cologne in 1934 as a result of work on sonar. H. Frenzel and H. Schultes put an ultrasound transducer in a tank of...
, reduces the average size of the water clusters present in liquid water. This supposedly makes it easier for water molecules to pass through cell membranes. It is further claimed that water so treated improves the 'survivability' of cells. In 2003, Penta became the best selling bottled water in American health food stores.
Controversy
Advertising in the UK:The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld complaints from the 2nd of March 2005 against claims made by Penta Water in a leaflet that:
1. the leaflet misleadingly implied the product had health benefits over and above those of ordinary water and
2. the claims "restructured" and "it might be just H2O, but it's no ordinary water" were misleading, because they believed that water could not be restructured.
Quoting from the ASA website:
"The advertisers asserted that Penta was a new form of water that was restructured. They submitted research papers that they believed showed scientific evidence of restructuring and several works in preparation, including studies from UK universities, that they believed showed increased performance and recovery levels after exercise with Penta when compared with ordinary water. The advertisers argued that, because Penta could hydrate more efficiently than tap water, it was better for health; they said they had not, however, made any medicinal claims for the product. They said their local Trading Standards department had checked all their literature; they also sent a revised copy of their advertisement that they believed complied with the CAP Code.
The Authority considered that readers would be likely to interpret the claims made in the original leaflet and the revised leaflet to mean the molecular structure of water had been altered in the advertised product for improved hydration and physical performance. The Authority took expert advice and understood that the scientific evidence submitted did not prove that Penta had health benefits over and above those of ordinary water or had been restructured to form stable smaller clusters. It also understood that hydrogen-bonds in ordinary water were a weak type of chemical bonding that allowed the formation and reformation of temporary clusters of water molecules in liquid phase water many times per second. The Authority concluded that the information submitted was not sufficient to prove Penta water had health benefits over and above those of ordinary water or was structured differently from ordinary water. The Authority told the advertisers not to repeat claims that implied the product was chemically unique, had been restructured or molecularly redesigned, or hydrated cells and improved physical performance better than tap water. "
Broadly Unsubstantiated Claims made by Penta
- Penta Water contains water clusters of fewer molecules than normal water.
- Penta Water has a 30% reduction in cluster size. *
- Penta Water enters cells 14% faster than normal water. *
- Cells cultured in Penta Water survive 266% longer than in normal water.
- Cells cultured in Penta Water have a 3× decrease in acidity compared to cells cultured in distilled water.
- Athletic performance measurably improves after consumption of Penta Water.
- Penta Water has a higher boiling point than normal water and this is not due to dissolved impurities. *
- Penta is easier to drink than normal water.
- Penta aids in weight loss. *
- Penta is the purest bottled water on the market.
- In vitro, Penta dissolves kidney stones faster than lab water.
- DNA mutation is 271% greater in distilled water than in Penta Water.*
- Penta is 16.7× faster water. *
- "..healthier skin, hair, and joints; stronger immune system; faster recovery from surgery or physical activity; and reduced hypertension and cholesterol." Bill Holloway, Penta CEO.
- Increased energy and mental alertness.
- Helps houseplants grow. *
- Penta has helped clear up skin problems. *
- Protein crystals grown in Penta have a different structure.
- Featured testimonial on Penta website claims Penta can help with fibromyalgiaFibromyalgiaFibromyalgia is a medical disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain and allodynia, a heightened and painful response to pressure. It is an example of a diagnosis of exclusion...
, lupusLupus erythematosusLupus erythematosus is a category for a collection of diseases with similar underlying problems with immunity . Symptoms of these diseases can affect many different body systems, including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart, and lungs...
, arthritisArthritisArthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
, or chronic fatigue syndromeChronic fatigue syndromeChronic fatigue syndrome is the most common name used to designate a significantly debilitating medical disorder or group of disorders generally defined by persistent fatigue accompanied by other specific symptoms for a minimum of six months, not due to ongoing exertion, not substantially...
. - Featured testimonial on Penta website claims Penta can help with diabetes.
- Penta acts like an energy drink. *
- It has helped to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy treatment for cancerCancerCancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. * - Adding Penta to Pap smearPap smearThe Papanicolaou test is a screening test used in to detect pre-cancerous and cancerous processes in the endocervical canal of the female reproductive system. Changes can be treated, thus preventing cervical cancer...
test samples increases the accuracy of cervical cancerCervical cancerCervical cancer is malignant neoplasm of the cervix uteri or cervical area. One of the most common symptoms is abnormal vaginal bleeding, but in some cases there may be no obvious symptoms until the cancer is in its advanced stages...
screenings. - Scavenges free radicals.
- Enhances absorption of moisturiser cream onto skin. *
Hydration
In the past, the official Penta website made specific claims on its What makes Penta unique? page, section heading Proven More Effective Hydration, that the altered structure speeded cell hydration via aquaporin transport. For instance, the page for Jun 04, 2003 http://web.archive.org/web/20030604074537/http://pentawater.com/what.shtml features a diagram showing stylised pentamers entering a cell and states- "Penta’s small clusters of H2O molecules have been proven by scientists at major universities to be able to more effectively hydrate cells, which is why so many people report that Penta helps them feel great!"
- "Cells have two ways of hydrating. First, cells become hydrated when water molecules pass through a tiny channel called aquaporin protein channels. These channels only allow one molecule to pass at a time, therefore, as far as we know, the cluster size doesn't have any direct correlation to improved hydration."
Associated organizations
- United Packaging Group (UPG) manufactures Penta water. Penta is located in ColtonColton, CaliforniaColton is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The city is located in the Inland Empire region of the state and is approximately 57 miles east of Los Angeles. The population of Colton is 52,154 according to the 2010 census, up from 47,662 at the 2000 census.Colton is the...
in San Bernardino County CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The CEO is Bill Holloway. G. R. Holloway, wife of Bill Holloway is the President and co-founder. Their son, Michael Holloway is also a co-founder and sits on the board of directors. Others on the board include Dr Nikolai I. Tankovich and David Cheatham. http://www.pentawater.com/bios.shtml - AquaPhotonics is a biotechnologyBiotechnologyBiotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
company in CarlsbadCarlsbad, California-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Carlsbad had a population of 105,328. The population density was 2,693.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Carlsbad was 87,205 White, 1,379 African American, 514 Native American, 7,460 Asian, 198 Pacific Islander, 4,189 from other...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
that makes extensive use of Penta in their products and appears to be a sister company to Bio Hydration Research Labs. Dr Nikolai I. Tankovich is the CEO and David Cheatham is the president. Bill Holloway, G. R. Holloway and Tommy ThompsonTommy ThompsonThomas George "Tommy" Thompson , a United States Republican politician, was the 42nd Governor of Wisconsin, after which he served as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Thompson was a candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, but dropped out early after a poor performance in polls...
(who was the Secretary for Health and Human ServicesUnited States Secretary of Health and Human ServicesThe United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, concerned with health matters. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet...
for President George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
) sit on the board of directors. - Diamics is a company dealing in medical diagnostics technology that has distribution rights for AquaRX (or Penta) water in diagnostic markets, claiming that its properties give cell samples "longer shelf life, better maintenance of cellular structure and improved performance in molecular assays". http://www.diamics.com/services.html
Positive reviews
Penta Water has received testimonials from the public and endorsements from celebrities such as Sting, Olympic contestants, Olympic medalists and Farrah FawcettFarrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett was an American actress and artist. A multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she first appeared as private investigator Jill Munroe in the first season of the television series Charlie's Angels, in 1976...
on Pentawater's website. (http://www.pentawater.com/team.shtml, http://www.pentawater.com/team.shtml) There are no independent verifications of these endorsements.
Donald MacLaren, in the physiology department of Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University is a British 'modern' university located in the city of Liverpool, England. The university is named after John Moores and was previously called Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts and later Liverpool Polytechnic before gaining university status in 1992, thus...
in Britain is doing research for Penta and was quoted on their now defunct website as stating
- "Having looked at Penta from a sceptical point of view, our studies show that Penta has an effective hydration effect compared to bottled mineral water."
These studies have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal.
Jorge Cruise, author of The 3-Hour Diet has recommended Penta water as "one of the keys to weight loss" http://www.pentawater.com/news.shtml#040105, even though there have been no peer-reviewed studies in any academic journal that show this.
External links
Official Penta sitesSites critical of Penta Water
- James Randi discussion of clustered water
- James Randi discussion of Penta Water (part 1)
- James Randi discussion of Penta Water (part 2)
- James Randi: Penta may reapply for the Randi Prize
- Guardian article critical of Penta Water
- Another Guardian article critical of Penta Water
- Guardian article discussing Advertising Standards Authority adjudication on Penta water
- Guardian article discussing problems with boiling point of Penta experiment
- Article in The Times critical of Penta and other bottled waters
- Page discussing water cluster pseudoscience
- Page discussing 'Penta Water Pseudoscience'
- British Advertising Standards Authority adjudication upholding complaint against Penta's advertising
Sites favorable to Penta Water