Acid-Alkaline Balance and Your Health

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Acid-Alkaline Balance and Your Health

by Virginia Worthington, ScD Many healers are concerned with the level of

acidity or alkalinity of the body, from orthodox medical doctors to alternative

practitioners like cancer doctor Emanuel Revici, controversial test developer

Dr. Carey Reams or the sleeping prophet Edgar Cayce. When these different

healers speak about acid-alkaline balance in the body, what do they mean? Why is

this important? And how do nutrition and lifestyle affect acid/alkaline balance?

Our purpose here is to explore this topic and to answer some of these questions,

particularly as it relates to the research of Dr. Weston Price.

First, let us define the terms acidity and alkalinity and get familiar with

some basic chemistry. In terms of chemistry, when one talks about acidity or

alkalinity, one is talking about hydrogen. An acid is a substance that releases

hydrogen into a solution and an alkali or base is one that removes hydrogen from

a solution. The amount of free hydrogen is measured on a scale ranging from 1 to

14, called pH, that denotes the exact level of acidity or alkalinity. A pH value

below 7 is considered acid and above 7 alkaline.

TABLE 1. pH of Various Body Tissues (1) (12) TISSUE pH

Skeletal muscle 6.9 - 7.2 Heart 7.0 - 7.4 Liver 7.2 Brain 7.1

Blood 7.35 - 7.45 Saliva 6.0 - 7.4 Urine 4.5 - 8.0Inside the human

body, the acid-alkaline balance is important since many functions in the body

occur only at a certain level of acidity or alkalinity. Many enzymes and

chemical reactions in the body work best at a particular pH. A small change in

pH can have a profound effect on body function. For example, muscle

contractibility declines and hormones like adrenaline and aldosterone increase

as the body becomes slightly more acid. In addition, different parts of the body

have different levels of acidity and alkalinity. Some of these are shown in

Table 1. It should be noted that while there can be a wide range of pH values

for the saliva and urine, the value for the blood is maintained within narrow

bounds. REGULATION OF ACID-ALKALINE BALANCE

TABLE 2. Factors Regulating Acid-Alkaline Balance in the Body (1)

In the blood: Inside cells: Bicarbonate chemical reactions generating

or consuming hydrogen Amino acids Albumin entry or exit of

hydrogen from the cell via pumps or diffusion Globulin Hemoglobin

Because of the importance of the acid-alkaline balance in the blood and tissues,

the body has a number of mechanisms for regulating this balance (1) (2). These

mechanisms are shown in Table 2. Many body functions are involved in the

regulation of acid-alkaline balance including respiration, excretion, digestion

and cellular metabolism. In the blood stream, there are substances known as

buffers that act chemically to resist changes in pH. The most important of these

compounds in the blood are bicarbonate, albumin, globulin and hemoglobin. Other

regulation of blood pH is done chiefly by the lungs and kidneys.

The lungs aid in acid-alkaline regulation by removing carbon dioxide from the

blood. Carbon dioxide combines with water in the body to form carbonic acid, so

that removing carbon dioxide is equivalent to removing acid. Respiratory rates

can vary depending on the acidity of the body, speeding up under acid conditions

to remove carbon dioxide and reduce acidity and slowing down under alkaline

conditions to retain acids and reduce alkalinity.

The kidney also responds to the pH of the blood. If the blood is too acid, the

kidney excretes extra hydrogens into the urine and retains extra sodium.

Phosphorus in the form of phosphate is required for this exchange. The body

obtains this phosphorus from bone if it is otherwise unavailable. When the

bloodstream is extremely acid, the kidney uses a different method and excretes

ammonium ions, which contain four hydrogens, into the urine. When the body is

too alkaline, the process is reversed, and hydrogen is retained.

In the digestive process, acid-alkaline balance is affected by the secretions

of the stomach and the pancreas. These secretions are absorbed into the

bloodstream and affect the rest of the body. When food is eaten, the stomach

secretes hydrochloric acid. In response to this acid, the pancreas secretes

bicarbonate which neutralizes the stomach acid so that pancreatic enzymes can

work properly. Normally, after eating, there are transient changes in blood pH,

known as the acid and alkaline tides, that correspond to the stomach and

pancreatic secretions. Usually the pH of the blood quickly returns to normal.

However, if digestive secretions are out of balance, then the whole body can be

affected. Some physicians, like Dr. William Philpott, feel that insufficient

secretion of pancreatic bicarbonate is a major cause of over-acidity in the

body. Other digestive problems that affect the body’s pH are diarrhea, which

results in a loss of bicarbonate, and vomiting, which results in a loss of

acid.

Just as the pH of the bloodstream is kept under tight control, the

acid-alkaline environment inside the cells is also regulated so that it remains

within narrow bounds. One way that this regulation occurs is by pumps in the

cell membrane that cause hydrogen to enter or exit from the cell. Many of these

pumps require phosphorus and magnesium to function so that micronutrient

nutrition is a factor affecting acid-alkaline balance. Another way that cells

regulate the pH inside the cell is by changing the chemical reactions that occur

so that more or less hydrogen is produced (1).

SYMPTOMS OF OVER ACIDITY OR ALKALINITY

When the blood is too acid, symptoms include drowsiness, progressing to stupor

and coma. Acute acidosis can result from kidney or lung problems, dehydration,

ingestion of certain drugs, diabetes or diarrhea, and is treated by giving an

alkaline solution such as bicarbonate of soda. A particular form of acidosis is

ketosis that occurs in diets high in fat and lacking in carbohydrates, as well

as in conditions of diabetes or starvation, when the body burns fats rather than

carbohydrates. However, when normal quantities of fat are consumed in a diet

containing carbohydrate, the fats cause no problems in acid-alkaline balance for

the majority of people.

When the blood is too alkaline, symptoms include cramps, muscle spasms,

irritability and hyperexcitability. Acute alkalosis may be caused by impaired

kidney function, hyperventilation, use of diuretic or steroid drugs, vomiting or

gastric drainage. Acute alkalosis is treated by giving an acid solution such as

ammonium chloride or by breathing expired carbon dioxide from a paper bag (3).

HOW BODY pH IS MEASURED

Most of what is known and used clinically relates to the acidity and

alkalinity of the bloodstream, since it is possible to measure the pH of blood

and difficult and sometimes impossible to measure the pH of other tissues.

Medical doctors typically try to determine the acidity or alkalinity of the body

and its cells by analyzing the blood. Some of the elements in blood that are

measured are sodium, potassium, chloride, carbon dioxide and bicarbonate. A

number known as the anion gap can be calculated using the sodium, chloride and

bicarbonate measurement. The anion gap, along with the other values, are used to

assess the acidity or alkalinity of the body tissues (1).

Alternative practitioners may use systems developed by Carey Reams, Harold

Hawkins or Emanuel Revici. All three measure urine pH plus other factors to

assess metabolism. Drs. Reams and Hawkins also measured saliva pH. None of these

systems claims that internal pH can be determined by saliva or urine pH alone.

As we saw earlier, the kidney has several methods for disposing of excess acid,

and each has a different effect on the urine pH. Similarly, the saliva pH is

affected by bacteria and other microbes in the mouth so that saliva pH is not a

reliable indicator of the internal environment. Nonetheless, Dr. Reams felt that

saliva pH reflected the strength of digestive fluids (4) (5) (6).

NUTRITION AND ACID-ALKALINE BALANCE

TABLE 3. Acid, Alkaline and Neutral Ash Foods (8) Acid Ash Foods

Alkaline Ash Foods Neutral Ash Foods bread (grains) cheese arrowroot

cake cream butter cereal most fruit candy mayonnaise jam coffee

cranberries milk cornstarch plums almonds lard prunes chestnuts

margarine meat coconut vegetable oil Brazil nuts molasses postum

walnuts most vegetables white sugar peanuts syrup legumes tapioca

corn teaBefore World War II, there was considerable interest in how the food

we eat affects the acid-alkaline balance of the body. While today the subject is

not receiving much attention in orthodox circles, many alternative practitioners

place considerable stress on the acid-base balance characteristics of various

diets. In spite of a certain amount of ongoing debate, it is generally

acknowledged that the food that is eaten is a major source of acid and alkali

for the body (7). Some confusion in terminology has

resulted because of the way that the discussion evolved. In investigating how

different foods might affect the acid-alkaline balance, various foods were

burned to ash in the laboratory, and the pH of the resulting ash was measured.

These foods were then classified as acid, alkaline or neutral ash foods as shown

in Table 3 (8).

In addition, various alternative practitioners such as Edgar Cayce and Bernard

Jensen have referred to acid and alkaline-forming foods, based on the reaction

of foods in the body. These categories are shown in Table 4 (9).

TABLE 4. Acid and Alkaline Forming Foods (9) Acid Forming Foods Alkaline

Forming Foods All meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood All fruits except those

noted above All foods made from cereal grains including breads, breakfast

cereals, crackers, pasta and rice All vegetables except beans, peas and lentils

Fat including salad oil, butter, margarine, lard etc. Dairy products including

milk, buttermilk, cheeses and yoghurt Legumes including beans, peas, lentils

and peanuts Fruits containing benzoic or oxalic acid including prunes,

plums, cranberries, rhubarb and sour cherries Chocolate Coffee, tea

and most soft drinks Sugar, syrup All true nuts The terms acid or

alkaline ash and acid and alkaline forming are often

used interchangeably, but as can be seen from these tables, the terms are not

always synonymous. Using the more scientific definitions, alkaline ash foods

are those that contain large quantities of magnesium, calcium, potassium and/or

sodium, minerals that form alkaline compounds. Most fruits and vegetables are

considered alkaline. Acid ash foods are those that contain chloride, phosphorus,

or sulphur, minerals that form acid compounds. These acid ash foods include

meat, fish, poultry, legumes and grains, which all contain high levels of

phosphorus, and mustard and eggs, which contain sulphur. In addition, the

fruits, plums, prunes, cranberries, rhubarb and sour cherries are also

acid-forming since they contain either oxalic or benzoic acid, organic acids

which are not completely broken down in the body (5) (7) (8).

Individual digestion and metabolism also plays a role in determining whether a

food leaves an acid or alkaline residue. For example, certain foods containing

organic acids, such as citrus fruits and tomatoes, which normally leave no acid

residues, may be incompletely metabolized in some people and are acid-forming

for these individuals. This is quite frequently the case where stomach acid is

low or thyroid activity is subnormal (5).

There are other metabolic and life style factors which affect the acidity of

the body and the reactions of foods. Infection, smoking and alcohol consumption

tend to make the body more acid (5) (10). Conversely, exercise will tend to make

the body more alkaline, but if continued beyond a comfortable level it can

become acid forming, as lactic acid levels build up (1) (5). Furthermore, the

dietary content of trace elements also affects acid-alkaline balance. Adequate

magnesium and phosphorus are necessary for cellular pumps. Zinc is necessary

both for secretion of acid in the stomach and for excretion or retention of acid

by the kidney. In addition, many other nutrients, the B vitamins as an example,

are necessary to completely oxidize carbohydrates and fats.

It has been recommended by Edgar Cayce and others that the diet be comprised

of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid-forming ones. In more practical

terms, the recommendation was four vegetables and two fruits to one starchy food

and one protein food (9). It is not clear whether these proportions apply for

all people. By contrast, Dr. Weston Price found that the traditional diets of

the healthy primitives he studied were higher in acid ash foods than in alkaline

ash foods. (See From the Archives, page 10.) The traditional diets were higher

in minerals than the more processed modern diets. (11). Dr. Price’s research

confirms the importance of nutrient-dense, unrefined, properly prepared foods.

Moreover, genetic differences may play a role in what constitutes an

appropriate balance in the diet. For example, it is known that Eskimos handle

fats far more efficiently than other populations and do not suffer from ketosis

from very high fat consumption as other groups do (12). The fact that Cayce’s

recommendations seem at odds with those of Dr. Price can be explained by the

fact they were aimed at a different population group, living in a different

climate with a different level of activity.

In people of European descent in the U.S., manipulation of the acid or

alkaline nature of the diet has been used along with other measures to treat

disease conditions, particularly dental caries. Dr. Harold Hawkins, a professor

of dentistry at the University of Southern California in the 1940s, studied the

effects of foods on the pH and mineral content of the saliva, urine and

bloodstream. Dr. Hawkins found that the pH and mineral composition of the saliva

and urine were affected by diet, but that the pH of the bloodstream was more

influenced by digestion and other metabolic and lifestyle factors.

As a result of his studies over many years, Dr. Hawkins was able to construct

a diet that was adequate for most people and to treat those with dental problems

and other disease conditions using primarily diets adjusted to balance saliva

and urine chemistry. Like Dr. Price, Dr. Hawkins stressed the importance of

animal protein and whole grains along with adequate fat and vegetable intake

(5).

CONCLUSION

The acid-alkaline balance is an important factor in the health and functioning

of the body. Diet is one factor that influences acid-alkaline balance both

through the acid or alkaline forming nature of the foods that are eaten and

through the nutrient content which affects metabolism. Nutrient rich traditional

diets provide the essential factors necessary for excellent metabolism, good

acid-alkaline regulation and optimal health.

Editor’s Note: A number of alternative practitioners today advocate a diet

based primarily on fruits and vegetables, one that minimizes “acid-forming”

foods such as meat, fish and grains. While the inclusion of fruits and

vegetables in the diet is important for many reasons, including the fact that

these foods provide alkalinizing minerals, for most people it is not necessary

to minimize acid ash foods such as meat and whole grains in order to maintain

acid-base balance. In fact, a diet in which these acid ash foods are absent can

lead to deficiencies which undermine the body’s ability to maintain the proper

blood pH. Meat and other animal foods provide protein, red meats provide zinc,

and meat and properly prepared whole grains provide phosphorus, all of which are

needed for the regulation of acid-base balance. Fat soluble vitamins found in

organ meats, shellfish and good quality butter help maintain the health of the

lungs and kidneys, the two prime organs involved in acid-base

regulation. Weston Price’s research indicates a nutrient-dense diet that

supplies both alkaline-ash and acid-ash minerals in liberal amounts is key to

the health of the entire organism, including the complex systems that regulate

acid-base balance.

REFERENCES

 

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Fluid, Electrolyte and Acid Base Disorders (Arieff, AI and DeFronzo, RA, eds.).

Churchill Livingstone. New York. p. 69-103.

Narins RC, Kupi W, Faber MD, Goodkin DA, Dunfee TD (1995). Pathophysiology,

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Disorders (Arieff, AI and DeFronzo, RA, eds.). Churchill Livingstone. New York.

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Berkow R, ed. (1982). Merck Manual (14th edition). Merck, Sharp & Dohme

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Nutrition. La Habra, California.

Shenker GR (1997). The Nutri-Spec Letter 8(7):1-6.

Rector FC (1973). Acidification of the urine. Handbook of Physiology Section

8: Renal Physiology (Orloff J, Berliner RW and Fieger S, eds.) American

Physiological Society. Washington D.C. p. 431-54.

Ensminger AH, Ensminger ME, Konlande JE, Robsin JRK (1994). Foods and

Nutrition Encyclopedia (2nd edition). CRC Press. Boca Raton, Florida. p. 6-7,

41.

Read A, Ilstrup C (1967). A Diet/Recipe Guide Based on the Edgar Cayce

Readings. A.R.E. Press. Virginia Beach, Va..

Beisel WR (1990). Nutrition and infection. IN: Nutritional Biochemistry and

Metabolism (Linder M, ed.). Elsevier. New York. p. 507-42.

Price WA (1935). Acid-base balance of diets which produce immunity to dental

caries among the south sea islanders and other primitive races. Dental Cosmos

1935:842-46.

Guyton AC (1980). Textbook of Medical Physiology (2nd edition). W.B. Saunders

Co.. Philadelphia. p. 457, 803, 853.

Dr. Worthington has a Master of Science degree in nutritional sciences from

the University of Maryland and a doctorate in International Health with a

specialty in nutrition from Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health.

In addition, she has studied herbal and nutritional medicine with several

herbalists and traditional healers.

Dr. Worthington has 13 years of experience in various aspects of nutrition

including research, community nutrition, nutrition education and clinical work

with individual patients using nutritional and herbal therapies. She is

currently in private practice in Washington, DC and writes on health related

subjects.

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