You want to know everything about the acid-base balance of the human body and regulate it specifically? Then you've come to the right place. Most people have probably heard about it once or twice - but only very few know exactly what is meant by the acid-base balance and how it affects their own health.
In this article, I would therefore like to explain to you how the acid-base balance works, how it affects your health and how you can balance it with an alkaline diet or other alkaline-forming measures.
In advance you can find here a short overview of the article:
- Definition
- Basics
- Function of the acid-base balance
- Advantages of a balanced acid-base balance
- Alkaline diet
- Other base-forming measures
- Questions and answers
- Closing words
Notice: This article is not a substitute for medical advice, but only provides general information about acid-base balance. Please see your doctor if you feel unwell or want to prevent health problems with medical care.
Definition
The acid-base balance is a Regulatory mechanism in the human bodywhich aims to maintain the pH of the blood in a constant range of 7.40.
Only very small deviations of ± 0.05 are usual, because fluctuations affect the function of many physiological processes in the body. Deviations that exceed the usual level are called either acidosis or alkalosis.
A Acidosis is an overacidification, a Alkalosis is under-acidification.
Acids, bases and pH value
Our body needs acids and bases in different parts of the body. In healthy people, the acid-base balance is in equilibrium. However, there can also be disturbances in the acid-base balance, which are mainly caused by a excessive supply of acids arises. Then the body tries through Buffer systems to compensate for the increased acid intake.
Acids are substances that release protons in aqueous solution, while Bases Pick up protons. With the pH value is used to indicate whether something is acidic, neutral or basic. The scale of the pH value goes from 0-14, where 0 means acidic, 7 neutral and 14 basic. Human blood, for example, is relatively neutral with a pH of 7.4. Another important measurement for the acid-base balance is the PRAL value (potential renal acid load), this measures the effect of food on acid-base balance.
A Acidification is a condition in which there is too much acid in the organism and the body can no longer adequately compensate for the acid with its buffer systems. This condition can also be called latent acidosis and mainly occurs in the following cases due to excessive consumption of animal products before.
How does the acid-base balance work?
In order for our body to function, the pH value must always remain the same in certain areas. That is why the body uses the buffer systems already mentioned to balance out excess acids or bases. The main buffer systems are bicarbonate, phosphate, proteinate, respiration, kidney function and liver metabolism.
Furthermore, the body uses the Connective tissue as temporary storage for acids as soon as they are released by the body's cells. You can think of it as the body temporarily storing excess acids in connective tissue until it can break them down.
However, the transport capacity from the connective tissue to the kidney and the excretory capacity of the kidney are limited; for example, at most a urinary pH of 4.5 can be achieved.
If there is a permanent excess of acid that cannot be reduced, the connective tissue becomes increasingly acidic, which then leads to latent acidosis. This hyperacidity is also called Connective Tissue Acidosis called. When acids are excreted by the kidneys, buffers such as ammonia are needed, but this puts a strain on the liver and kidneys.
Advantages of a balanced acid-base balance
Many Naturopath see a connection between Diseases of civilizationsuch as osteoporosis, rheumatism or coronary heart disease and latent acidosis. Often, fatigue, lack of energy and tiredness are already interpreted as the first symptoms of an overload of the acid-base balance.
In the School medicine the connection is still often ignored, although here, too, studies already confirm that a balanced acid-base equilibrium has a positive effect on the Bone Health effects.1,2,3
Furthermore, a connection to the kidney has also been researched. Through a too high supply of acids, it comes to a increased kidney load. This effect is particularly enhanced by a diet rich in animal proteins.4
Since for the decomposition of acids the body's own minerals such as Calcium or Magnesium are needed, a permanently high acid intake can also lead to mineral deficiencies if these minerals are not sufficiently supplied.
For example, hyperacidity can also lead to Gout lead to painful swelling or inflammation due to the deposition of uric acid crystals on the joints.
Accordingly, a balanced acid-base balance brings countless, health benefits.
How does the alkaline diet work?
A diet with a high proportion of bases can support your acid-base balance. For this, it is of course particularly good to know which Food alkaline and which Food acidifying have an effect. Usually, foods are divided into strong base-forming, weak base-forming, weak acid-forming and strong acid-forming foods.
The following table provides you with a small Overview of the effect of different foods on the acid-base balance:
| strongly base-forming | weakly base-forming | weakly acidifying | highly acidifying |
| Lamb's lettuce | Eggplant | Buckwheat | Cornflakes |
| Kale | Carrots | Corn | Peanuts |
| Arugula | Zucchini | Lenses | Sausage |
| Spinach | Apples | Cream cheese | Cheese |
| Bananas | Apricots | Milk | Meat |
| Dried figs | Hazelnuts | Almonds | Fish |
The effect of a food can be measured on the basis of the potential renal acid load (PRAL). For example, a particularly low PRAL value has Fruit and vegetablesfats and oils, and dairy products. Somewhat higher are the values of bread and pasta. The highest values are found in fish, meat and cheese. The greatest acid producers therefore come from the animal food groups.
Vegetarian and vegan diet
That especially the excessive consumption of animal proteins leads to hyperacidity, could also be found in a study5, in which different dietary styles were investigated, was confirmed. An average diet with a PRAL value of 82 mEg/day had a significantly lower, i.e. more acidic, pH value than a balanced mixed diet with a PRAL value of 32 mEg/day.
The highest and thus most base-forming pH value is achieved by a vegetarian diet to a PRAL value of 10 mEg/day.
Also a vegan diet can positively influence the acid-base balance and reduce the acid load in the kidneys.6 To reduce the effect of a wholesome, vegan diet to optimize your acid-base balance, you should Without substitute products nourish
How to balance the acid-base balance?
You can support your acid-alkaline balance by consciously eating an alkaline diet. I can warmly recommend the book "Alkaline Nutrition" by Daike Rothbach* recommend. It is the ideal guide for the alkaline diet including nutrition plan and effective recipes. In particular, the renunciation of animal proteins plays a major role.
Besides the alkaline diet, there are other measures you can take to keep your acids and bases in balance. Here I give you a few more of them to hand:
- Base teas (you get here*)
- Sango Sea Coral Powder (is available here*)
- Alkaline baths (you can find here*)
- Reduce stress (see article "Lowering Stress Levels in Everyday Life")
- Sufficient exercise
- Special alkaline cures
- …
Questions and answers
Wie kann ich den Säure-Basen-Haushalt ausgleichen?
Es gibt verschiedene Maßnahmen, um deinen Säure-Basen-Haushalt ins Gleichgewicht zu bringen. Besonders eignet sich eine basische Ernährung mit viel frischem Obst und Gemüse. Ansonsten kannst du Basen-Tees trinken, Sango-Meeres–Koralle supplementieren oder spezielle Kuren machen.
Welche Lebensmittel sind basisch?
Für eine basische Ernährung eignen sich vor allem viele grüne Blattgemüse. Diese kannst du guten Gewissens mit Obst, anderem Gemüse und möglichst unverarbeiteten Weizenprodukten ergänzen. Den Konsum von Fleisch, Fisch und Käse solltest du stark reduzieren.
Was sind Symptome einer Übersäuerung?
Die Symptome für eine Übersäuerung sind oft ein wenig unspezifisch. Zu den Symptomen gehören beispielsweise Müdigkeit, Antriebslosigkeit, Appetitlosigkeit, Hautprobleme, Kopf-, Muskel- und Gelenksschmerzen.
Always balance acid-base balance
Our body needs a certain pH value in different regions and therefore has a sophisticated buffer system. When the buffer system reaches its limits, it can lead to connective tissue acidosis, which can negatively affect your bone health or kidney, among other things.
Through an alkaline diet, the renunciation of too many animal proteins and further measures such as alkaline teas, alkaline baths or alkaline cures, you can improve your Strengthen health and do something good for yourself.
With the book "Alkaline Nutrition" by Daike Rothbach* is an ideal guide with suitable, alkaline recipes at your side. Do you have questions, tips or your own experiences with the acid-base balance that you would like to share? Then feel free to write me a comment.
All the best,
P.S: Watch my posts next with pleasure Vitamin B4, Influence of vegan diet on blood values and Tips for vegan muscle building an.
References:
1 S. Jehle et al (2006): Partial Neutralization of the Acidogenic Western Diet with Potassium Citrate Increases Bone Mass in Postmenopausal Women with Osteopenia, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28728684 [02.01.2023].
2 Nutrition Review (2007): DONALD study: dietary acid load affects bone stability in children and adolescents, https://www.uni-giessen.de/fbz/fb09/institute/VKE/nutr-ecol/forsch/forsch-epid/gi-vollw-studie. [02.01.2023]
3 H. Lambert (2015): Potassium salts aid bone health and limit osteoporosis risk, new research finds, University of Surrey, published in: Osteoporosis International, https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/potassium-salts-aid-bone-health-and-limit-osteoporosis-risk-new-research-finds. [02.01.2023]
4 H. Joo et al. (2017): Uric acid level and kidney function: a cross-sectional study of the Korean national health and nutrition examination survey (2016-2017), published in: scientific reports, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-77702-x. [02.01.2022]
5 R. Siener, A. Hesse (2003): The effect of a vegetarian and different omnivorous diets on urinary risk factors for uric acid stone formation, published in: Eur J Nutr 42(6), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14673606/. [02.01.2023]
6 K. Cosgrove, C. S. Johnston, et al. (2017): Examining the Impact of Adherence to a Vegan Diet on Acid-Base Balance in Healthy Adults, published in: Plant Foods Hum Nutr., https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11130-017-0620-7. [02.01.2023]
