Guest guest Posted April 10, 2005 Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 http://www.askbillsardi.com/sdm.asp?pg=cal_cancer Calcium Doesn't Cure Cancer The Real Story About pH and Cancer By Bill Sardi Copyright 2003 Widely promoted on the internet and elsewhere is a simple test of salivary acidity or alkalinity which is said to " measure your susceptibility to cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis and many other degenerative diseases. " At the www.stopcancer.com website, web viewers are invited to test the pH of their saliva. If pH is 7.5 the website says " you are healthy. " If your pH is below 6.0, then " you have contracted at least one degenerative disease. " (pH of 7.0 is neutral, not acid nor alkaline.) The website claims that salivary pH reflects cellular pH and the state of health. The website goes on to say that " cancer needs an acid and low oxygen environment to survive and flourish within. Terminal cancer victims are around 1000 times more acidic than normal healthy people. " Also, it states that " cancer victims have extremely low alkaline reserves. " How did this craze for alkalinity and saliva testing start? It started decades ago with a German biochemist named Otto Warberg. According to one website, " the underlying cause of all cancer, no matter what type, may have been discovered by Otto Warberg, over 50 years ago. Summarized in a few words, the prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar. " While Warberg published in scientific journals [biochem Z 152: 309-44, 1924; Science, 123: 309-314., 1956 ], it was Dr. William Hay in 1933 who published a book entitled A New Health Era, which introduced to the public the idea that all disease is caused by acid accumulation in the body. In more recent times, Dr. Theodore Baroody, ND, DC, PhD, in his book Alkalize or Die, also maintained that " countless diseases…come from the same root cause…too much tissue acid waste in the body. " The barefoot doctor The latest promoter of the alkaline theory of health is Robert Barefoot, author of The Calcium Factor and Death by Diet. Barefoot's theory of alkalinity and cancer is widely transmitted to the public via television infomercials that hype calcium obtained from coral formations off of Okinawa as a superior way of promoting alkalinity in the body. Robert R. Barefoot cites Warberg, who won two Nobel prizes for his groundbreaking work on cancer. Barefoot claims cancer cells go into a dormant state if their pH is around 7.4. (7.0 is neutral pH and 7.4 is slightly alkaline.) He claims acidity prevents the production of A, C, G and T nucleotides, the steps on the spiral-shaped DNA ladder, that allow for normal DNA synthesis. Is all this true? Is calcium the cure for cancer? Barefoot goes on to cite other " authorities " with data that may appear impressive to the unwary consumer. Says Barefoot: " Researchers such as Dr. K. Brewer (The Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis, 1979, Journal of IAPM, Vol., V, No.2) and Dr. H. Sartori found that, by not only addressing the calcium deficiency, but by also using these minerals to raise the pH to above the 7.4 range to a pH of 8.5, the cancer cells would die, while the healthy cells would live. Both Brewer and Sartori would treat their cancer patients with the salts of both rubidium and cesium. Thus, under these oxygen-rich, alkaline conditions, cancer cells die quickly, with no damage to the healthy cells, and therefore no serious side effects. " However, cesium can initiate an irregular heart rhythm and is used in scientific experiments to induce an abnormal heart beat. Side effects have been reported. Cesium is not without complication. [Ther Drug Monitor 25: 114-16, 2003] The appearance of science Barefoot goes on to back up his theory with more scientific evidence. " In his publication, Cesium Therapy in Cancer Patients, Sartori describes the 2-week treatment of 50 last stage, metastasized, terminal cancer patients (13 comatose), with cesium chloride salts. All were expected to die within weeks, with the survival rate being less than one in ten million. After 2 weeks, 13 died with autopsies showing no presence of cancer. After 12 months, 12 more had died, but 25, or an astounding 50 percent survived. Unfortunately, both cries of `quackery' and persecution from the medical establishment have driven this caustic cancer therapy research, started by Nobel Prize winner Dr. Otto Warberg, underground. " [Audio tape, Dr. Barefoot; Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1984;21 Suppl 1:7-10; Pharmacol Biochem Behav 21: 11-13, 1984] However, Sartori's research, conducted nearly two decades ago, also included vitamins, chelating (mineral removing) agents, selenium and a special diet. So his results cannot solely be attributed to the effects of cesium. Another widely cited source is A. Keith Brewer, PhD, inventor of what is called " High pH Therapy for Cancer. " [ " The High pH Therapy for Cancer, Tests on Mice and Humans, " Pharmacology Biochemistry & Behavior, Supplement Q, v. 21: 1-5, 1984] Here is an abstract of Dr. Brewer's research study. " Mass spectrographic and isotope studies have shown that potassium, rubidium, and especially cesium are most efficiently taken up by cancer cells. This uptake was enhanced by vitamins A and C as well as salts of zinc and selenium. The quantity of cesium taken up was sufficient to raise the cell to the 8 pH range… Tests on mice fed cesium and rubidium showed marked shrinkage in the tumor masses within 2 weeks. In addition, the mice showed none of the side effects of cancer. Tests have been carried out on over 30 humans. In each case the tumor masses disappeared. Also all pains and effects associated with cancer disappeared within 12 to 36 hr; the more chemotherapy and morphine the patient had taken, the longer the withdrawal period. " Again, vitamins and selenium were employed, so it is difficult to attribute the effects in Brewer's work to cesium therapy alone. And the science doesn't stop with Warberg, Sartori or Brewer. A report published in Nutrition Research claims coral calcium is superior to calcium carbonate in the treatment of experimental colon cancer in a laboratory dish and in mice. However, the pH of the laboratory dish was artificially controlled at 7.5 while in live cancer cases it is more like 6.4-6.8. [Nutrition Research, 20: 1557-1567, 2000] This study was conducted using mouse colon cancer cells, not human cancer cells. Well, Barefoot has cited Nobel Prize winning scientists, and PhDs who have tested their alkalizing cures on mice and humans, and despite the drawbacks of their research, the popularity of high pH therapy for cancer continues. It sounds like cancer has been cured. Are Barefoot's claims true? 1. Barefoot's claim that pH therapy has been driven underground is unfounded. Oncologists, doctors who treat cancer, are experimenting with altered pH carriers to aid in the delivery of various cancer drugs. [J Pharm Pharmacol 53: 155-66, 2001] In fact, drugs like hydralazine, captopril, nifedipine slightly alkalize the tumor area and have been shown to delay, but not prevent, tumor growth. [Oncology Res 11: 179085, 1999] The low pH environment surrounding cancer cells inhibits the action of cancer drugs such as adriamycin, vincristine, mitoxantrone and cisplatin. If these drugs are administered when the pH is not as acidic, the life span of animals is increased. [sel Cancer Therapy 7: 1-7, 1991] Cancer researchers have found that alkalizing agents such as sodium bicarbonate and the diuretic furosemide--which are known to induce metabolic alkalosis in humans--may be useful in enhancing the efficacy of certain cancer drug regimens in humans. [Novartis Found Symp 240:199-211, 2001] The drug resistance experienced in cancer therapy may be due in part to the acid environment surrounding tumor cells and the relatively alkaline state inside the cell. [Neoplasia 3:227-35, 2001] 2. Barefoot also cites other corroborative information. His claim that " cancer is virtually unknown among the Hopi Indians of Arizona and the Hunzas of northern Pakistan, " is also unsubstantiated. Barefoot claims these people maintain protection from cancer as long as they live in their native environment and drink water that is naturally high in alkaline minerals such as cesium. But Hopi Indian women who live on their reservation are known to develop breast cancer. [Prev Med. 27:135-43, 1998] 3. If true, then calcium would universally reduce the risk of all cancers everywhere in the body. A couple of studies begin to back up Barefoot's claims. One study showed that intake of dietary calcium, above 1068 mg per day versus below 698 mg per day, significantly reduces the occurrence of adenoma in the colon. [Cancer Causes Control 13: 213-20, 2002] Another study showed that 900 mg of calcium from the diet or supplements decreases the risk of colon cancer. [Nutrition Cancer 41: 150-55, 2001] That calcium may help prevent colon cancer is now widely accepted, but not necessarily because of the creation of an alkaline state in gastric tissue. The loss of an acidic gastric tract permits the colonization by unfriendly bacteria and the formation of cancer-causing chemicals. [Eur J Gastro Hep 12: 165-73, 2000] An increase in pH towards alkalinity in the gastric tract is associated with increasing severity of gastric lesions. [J Natl Cancer Inst 76: 621-27, 1986] Gastric cancer begins with hypochlorhydria, a state of low stomach acid. [Curr Gastroenterol Rep 4:463-70, 2002] The acid-forming bacteria (Acidophilus, Bifidus) protect the gastric tract from invasion and colonization by H. pylori, the germ that causes stomach cancer. Furthermore, an acidic stomach (about pH 4.0) is required for the proper absorption of many essential nutrients like folic acid, which is involved in cancer prevention. While alkalizing calcium may prevent colon cancer, this is not true for all other types of tumors. In animals subjected to a tumor-promoting chemical in their bladder, the administration of an alkalizer was demonstrated to enhance tumor growth. [Food Chem Toxicol 25: 359-62, 1987] Recently the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a report showing that high calcium intake among 21,000 men, more than 600 mg per day from dairy products, resulted in a 32 percent higher risk of prostate cancer than men who consumed no more than 150 mg per day over an 11-year period. [American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 74:549-554, 2001] To be fair, Barefoot does make distinctions between dairy calcium and his widely promoted calcium carbonate obtained from coral reefs off Okinawa. However, another study showed that the provision of 3000 mg of supplemental calcium carbonate, providing 1200 mg of elemental calcium, produced a moderate reduction in the occurrence of adenomas in the colon and rectum. [N Eng J Med 340: 101-07, 1999] So apparently any calcium supplement affords some protection from colon cancer. 4. If the claim is true that the body continually pulls calcium from the bones to maintain a state of alkalinity in order to prevent an acidic environment that is conducive to cancer cell growth, then why do drugs that impair the release of bone calcium into the blood circulation exhibit anti-tumor activity? About 10 to 20 percent of cancer cases result in hypercalcemia. Hypercalcemia is characterized by high blood serum calcium levels. This condition affects about 10-20 percent of cancer patients and generally occurs in the late stage of cancer. This condition is a marker of early mortality. [J Pakistan Med Assoc 52: 361-64, 2002] At first glance this information would seem to back up Barefoot's claims. The cells are attempting to release calcium in order to alkalize tissues, they just overdo it a bit. Drugs that inhibit the loss of calcium into the blood circulation (biophosphonates) are utilized to treat hypercalcemia in cases of cancer. [Expert Opin Pharmacotherapy 3: 521-27, 2002; Seminars Oncology 29: 12-18, 2002] But oddly, not only do biophosphonates slow down the release of calcium and other bone minerals into bone, but they also exhibit anti-tumor activity. [seminars Oncology 29: 33-42, 2002] Biophosphonates induce tumor cells to mature and die off and prevent the spread (metastasis) of tumors. [seminars Oncology 29: 43-49, 2002] Barefoot's theory is going out the window. Furthermore, there appears to be an undesirable buildup of calcium inside tumor cells as well as in the blood circulation. As cell energy declines in tumor cells, the sodium/calcium pump is weakened which normally maintains an alkaline balance of these minerals inside the cell. Thus calcium begins to accumulate. [Novartis Found Symp 240: 169-81, 2001] Without sufficient energy, the calcium cannot be pumped out of the tumor cell. Calcification is a common feature of tumor cells. Tumor calcification forms the basis of many diagnostic tests for cancer, most notably mammography. [Mol Med Today 6: 15-19, 2000] Cancer is a state where there is excessive calcium in the tumor cell, not a shortage of calcium! 5. If the body continually draws from its large pool of calcium in the bones to maintain an alkaline state, assuming the provision of calcium from the diet is insufficient, then it would be anticipated that the skeleton would collapse and fractures would result before tumors would appear. All that supplemental calcium would do is protect against loss of bone mineralization, since calcium and other alkaline minerals are relatively abundant in bones. Furthermore, one would expect cancer rates to be lower in countries where calcium consumption is higher. The Japanese have lower cancer rates than the USA but consume only about 400 mg of calcium daily compared to 800 mg by Americans. 6. The effectiveness of various cancer treatments such as hyperthermia (heat treatment) and drugs may be enhanced by decreasing tumor cell pH, not by alkalizing tumor cells. [Radiotherapy Oncology 2: 343-66, 1984] Hyperthermia treatment of tumors is more effective when cells are low pH (6.8). [int J Radiation Oncol Biol Phys 49: 1391-98, 2001] 7. Another expected finding, if the high pH treatment of cancer were true, would be that women with cancer should be more prone to osteoporosis given that the body has been dumping calcium from the bone to prevent acidity and the spread of cancer. But to the contrary, women with cancer tend to have higher bone density. A study of 8203 postmenopausal women for 3.7 years revealed an increased risk for breast cancer among women with higher bone mineral density. Women with the highest bone mineral density were almost twice as likely to develop breast cancer. [J Clin Epidemiol 54: 417-22, 2001] This is corroborated by other studies. Another study showed that bone mineral density was positively associated with uterine but not colorectal cancer. [bMC Cancer 2: 22, 2002] Yet another study of 6854 women over age 65 years, the risk of breast cancer was about 30 to 50 percent higher for every measured increase in bone mineral density. [J Am Med Assoc 276: 1404-08, 1996] 8. While Brewer and others cite experiments which appear to show the remission of tumors in animals and humans with " high pH therapy, " a more recent study casts doubt on these early reports. The use of high pH therapy to treat cancer has already undergone more recent experimentation. Researchers hypothesized that an acid state in the body enhances the formation and growth of tumors, whereas an alkaline state may control tumor growth and induce regression. So researchers instilled a cancer-inducing chemical into the bladder of rats and tested alkaline or acid diets on the rate of tumor progression. Ammonium chloride was introduced into test animals to induce an acidic state. Other animals were given sodium chloride to maintain an alkaline state in their body. During the provision of salt the urinary pH increased towards an alkaline state whereas ammonium chloride produced acidic urine. Treatment with sodium chloride caused a high incidence of papillomas and carcinomas of the bladder. Yet a tumor protective effect with urinary acidification was not found. In fact, both acidification and alkalization tended to aggravate bladder tumors. [Food Chem Toxicol 37:1159-66, 1999] Believe it or not, cancer cells aren't acidic To reiterate, it's not like conventional medicine has completely ignored Warberg. In fact there are a number of published reports which review Warberg's work and theorize how it can be utilized to treat cancer. Obviously Barefoot and the other advocates of the alkaline cures haven't read the latest science. Cancer cells exhibit a neutral pH. Cancer cells aren't acidic at all! Researchers now have more precise tools to measure pH of cancer cells. It's the environment surrounding cancer cells that is acidic, not the tumor cell itself. In fact, the pH inside tumor cells is more alkaline than normal, about pH 7.1 to 7.2. [J Theoretical Biology 196: 237-50, 1999] The fluid in the surrounding area of the tumor is more acidic, 6.5 to 6.8 pH. [Novartis Found Symposium 240: 46-62, 2001; Molecular Medicine Today 61: 15-19, 2000] Metastasis, the spread of tumors, appears to be accelerated when the lactic acid levels surrounding tumors are elevated. [Cancer Research 21: 4757-59, 1995] In other words, those who espouse the alkaline cure for cancer simply haven't fully investigated the scientific literature and don't have a proper understanding of tumor dynamics. All this makes sense. The tumor cell begins to utilize sugar instead of oxygen to produce energy, just as Warberg hypothesized, and the enzymatic breakdown of sugar (called glycolysis) produces lactic acid which is expelled outside the cell. Cancer cells produce about 40 times more lactic acid than healthy cells. What happens when tumor cells are infused with sugar (glucose)? The provision of more glucose to tumor cells produces more lactic acid which further reduces the pH in the area surrounding tumor cells. [Cancer Research 49: 4373-84, 1989] In another study researchers grew tumor cells in rats and infused glucose. At normal sugar levels the pH ranged from 6.72 to 7.01. When glucose was instilled, the pH shifted to the acidic side, to pH 6.43 in the area around the tumor cells. [br J Cancer 68:492-500, 1993] Lactic acid is not the only acidifier. Recently it has been found that CO2 also produces some of the acid surrounding tumor cells. [Clin Cancer Res 8: 1284-91, 2002] Hence the area surrounding the tumor cell becomes acidic and the tumor cell becomes immortal, that is, it is alkaline and has a distinct advantage over other cells and doesn't die off normally in a process called apoptosis. High intracellular pH (an alkaline state) gives a tumor cell an advantage over normal cells for growth. [Mol Med Today 6: 15-19, 2000] What did Warberg really say? Cancer Research recently published a lengthy report confirming Otto Warberg's findings and noted that in 1956 Warberg talked about the mitochondria being impaired in cancer cells. The mitochondria are cell bodies that produce ATP, cellular energy. Hundreds of mitochondria can be viewed within live cells under a microscope. [Cancer Research 62: 6674-81, 2002] Barefoot and other alkalinity advocates don't talk about the mitochondria. It has been mistakenly believed that oxygen insufficiency causes cancer cells to produce large amounts of lactic acid. Actually, a defective mechanism in the mitochondria is the problem. [Mol Cancer 1:9, 2002] This has also been hypothesized and published by Angelo John. [Medical Hypotheses 57: 429-31, 2001] Acidity surrounding the tumor cell is caused by metabolism within the cell, and not the lack of oxygen. [Neoplasia 5:135-45, 2003] Mitochondria produce up to 80 percent of the energy needs of a cell. Mitochondrial dysfunction is related to a diverse number of adult-onset diseases including cancer, diabetes, deafness, stroke and other maladies. The DNA in mitochondria is more vulnerable to mutations than DNA in the nucleus of the cell. [Mutation Research 488: 119-33, 2001] Mitochondrial DNA mutations " can initiate a cascade of events leading to a continuous increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (rusting agents), a condition that probably favors tumor development. " [Cancer Investigation 20: 557-69, 2002] Most of the rusting (oxidation) in the body occurs inside the mitochondria of cells, which are very small cell bodies next to the cell nucleus that can be observed through a microscope. The mitochondria are the steam engines or atomic power plants of living cells, where cell energy is produced in the form of adenotriphosphate, or ATP. The production of ATP is repressed in human cancer cells (carcinomas). [Cancer Research 62: 6674-81, 2002] Think of how much cell energy is needed for all the cellular functions of the body. Why just the energy need to replace old cells with new ones (about 2 trillion cell divisions in an adult human every 24 hours or about 25 million a second) requires lots of ATP cell energy. In a state of low cell energy the cells cannot perform normal housekeeping functions. Cellular debris accumulates and DNA mutations may result, leading to precancerous and cancerous cells. Mitochondria bodies shown inside a living cell as dark spots. Says Donald J. Reed, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry,, Environmental Health Sciences Center, of the Linus Pauling Institute, " ATP carries chemical energy in cells. In diseased mitochondria ATP energy is not put to useful work but is released instead as heat. Examples of adverse heat production in biological systems are inflammation associated with arthritis and fever stimulated by infection. Antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, lipoic acid, carnitine and coenzyme Q10 work inside the mitochondria to help maintain its proper function. " Dietary supplementation with antioxidants may protect the mitochondria against respiration-linked oxygen stress, with preservation of the genetic and structural integrity of these energy-producing cell bodies. To quote another recent report: " Mitochondrial damage caused by reactive oxygen species and concomitant decline in ATP synthesis seem to play a key role not only in aging, but also in the fundamental cellular process of apoptosis (cell death). Although dietary supplementation with antioxidants has not been able to increase consistently the species-characteristic maximum life span, it results in significant extension of the mean life span of laboratory animals. Presently, the focus of age-related antioxidant research is on compounds, such as coenzyme Q10, alpha-lipoic acid, and the glutathione-precursors like N-acetylcysteine, which may be able to neutralize undesirable reactive oxygen species at their sites of production in the mitochondria. " [Ann NY Acad Sci 959:508-16, 2002] The Mitochondria and coenzyme Q10 get overlooked A key mitochondrial antioxidant produced naturally in the body which can be taken in supplemental form is coenzyme Q10. CoQ10 is essential for the transport of electrons inside the mitochondria. [Clin Investig 71: S55-9, 1993] CoQ10 increases mitochondrial respiration and production of ATP cell energy. [Cell Mol Biol 43:741-9, 1997] Mutations in mitochondrial DNA may lead to reduced ATP energy levels in living cells which can sometimes be corrected with supplemental coenzyme Q10. [Ann Clin Lab Sci 31:25-67, 2001] When living cells are deprived of oxygen, as seen in tumor cells (called hypoxia), then ATP cell energy levels decline rapidly. The provision of supplemental CoQ10 has been shown to facilitate resynthesis of ATP in functionally impaired mitochondria. [Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther 287: 96-108, 1987; Surgery 91:631-7, 1982] A deficiency of coenzyme Q10 has been described in aging, cancer and when statin cholesterol-lowering drugs are employed. [J Am Coll Nutr 20: 591-98, 2001] For example, CoQ10 levels in tissue of breast cancer patients are significantly decreased compared to surrounding tissues. [Clin Biochem 33: 279-84, 2000] Breast cancer patients are more likely to exhibit low CoQ10 levels than healthy people. [biochem Biophys Rres Commun 234: 296-99, 1997] The provision of supplemental CoQ10 (390 mg) to breast cancer patients has been shown to induce complete regression in some cases. [biochem Biophys Res Comm 199: 1504-08, 1994; 212: 172-77, 1995] Though only a small group study, the provision of an array of antioxidant supplements including coenzyme Q10 to high risk breast cancer patients has been demonstrated to be beneficial in reducing mortality, spread of cancer and quality of life. [Mol Aspects Med 15: 231-40S, 1994] Statin cholesterol-lowering drugs are known to deplete the body of coenzyme Q10. Thus, it would be of interest to investigate whether cancer rates are higher among statin drug users. Surprisingly, some studies champion statin drugs as novel anti-cancer agents. [Clin Cancer Res 7:2067-75, 2001] Over a five-year period, one study did not confirm any association between statin drugs and the risk of cancer. [Am J Med 15;110: 716-23, 2001] But other disturbing studies do confirm a relationship between statin drug use and breast and prostate cancer. [Epidemiology 13: 262-67, 2002] More studies are underway. Summary German chemist Otto Warberg was awarded two Nobel prizes for his achievements in cancer cell metabolism. Warberg accurately described how cancer cells begin to utilize sugar (glucose) for metabolism and energy production rather than oxygen. Warberg pointed out that an acid state develops in tumor cells, but he did not have the precision instruments at the time to make the more recent discovery that cancer cells are actually alkaline due to the lack of cellular energy to pump out alkaline minerals like calcium. The elimination of acidic byproducts (lactic acid) from the breakdown of glucose (sugar) produces an acidic state in the connective tissue outside cancer cells. This acidic state may be responsible for the observed resistance by cancer cells to the toxicity of certain cancer drugs. Warberg also correctly noted that there is a disruption of normal cell metabolism in cancer cells. Researchers now understand that low antioxidant levels in the mitochondria of tumor cells reduce cellular energy levels (ATP) and the cell begins to utilize sugar instead of oxygen, a change that is facilitated by low coenzyme Q10 levels. Those parties who continue to mistakenly aggrandize the health benefits of coral calcium and other alkalizing agents have failed to fully investigate the work of Otto Warberg. Cancer cells are more alkaline than surrounding tissues which results in their immortality. Furthermore, tumor cells are overloaded with calcium, which is why they are so alkaline. High pH therapy is a false cure which distracts many who suffer with cancer, or who wish to prevent cancer. Millions of dollars of coral calcium continue to be sold as a cure all for cancers and other diseases when credible evidence points in the direction of antioxidants such as coenzyme Q10, acetyl L-carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, selenium, IP6 rice bran extract, vitamin C, vitamin D and vitamin E. Copyright 2003 Bill Sardi Knowledge of Health, Inc. Not for commercial use Please do not reproduce or electronically transmit without permission of the author. Permission is granted for individuals to print out copies for personal health education. Addendum Understanding pH Acid Neutral Alkaline 1 7 14 Ph is a measure of the degree of the acidity or the alkalinity of a solution as measured on a scale of 0 to 14. The midpoint of 7.0 on the pH scale represents neutrality. A " neutral " solution is neither acid nor alkaline. pH below 7.0 indicate acidity; pH above 7.0 indicates alkalinity. pH stands for " potential for hydrogen. " Actually hydrogen is responsible for acidity and alkalinity. The neutral point of 7.0 actually indicates the presence of equal concentrations of free hydrogen and hydroxide ions. pH numbers are exponents of ten. The difference between 1.0 and 2.0 in pH is ten times. The body rids itself of acid daily to maintain pH balance. The normal pH varies in tissues throughout the body. Living cells produce acidic waste products constantly. The body makes a massive and system wide effort to control acidity. The urine and perspiration rid the body of excessive acid. Alkalosis (too alkaline) is less common than acidosis (too acidic). The lungs and kidneys also help maintain pH but organic minerals are the main alkalizing agents. Since carbon dioxide (CO2) has been found to contribute to acid states, it is now known that the expelling of CO2 via the lungs helps control acidity. As the body's cells produce acidic waste products, alkaline buffers must be acquired from the diet or elsewhere from mineral pools to control pH. Normal blood pH is 7.4 (slightly alkaline). A change in blood pH of 0.2 units in either direction is considered serious. The blood must be maintained at pH 7.4 and below 7.2 is considered a mortal state. It is said that pH below 6.8 is incompatible with survival but low pH (as low as 6.5) has been recorded with little physiological disturbance and complete recovery. [Causes, Diagnosis and Effects of Abnormal pH Status, M J Bookallil] The ideal pH of the blood is 7.4 and if it drops below 6.8 or rises above 7.8 it may be lethal. Barefoot suggests his coral calcium therapy for cancer raises pH to 8.0-8.5 and selectively kills cancer cells without damaging healthy cells. There is no evidence of this. Most foods are on the acidic side, notable exceptions being bakery products, corn, eggs, and milk. As examples, lime has a pH of about 2 (very acidic), orange juice is about 4 (acidic), meats typically are about 6 (mildly acidic), and eggs about 7 to 8 (neutral to " base " ). Base is the opposite of acidic. Base foods tend to neutralize acidic foods. If consumption of alkaline foods is excessive, then appetite is suppressed. Baking soda has a pH of about 8 and milk of magnesia a pH of over 10, which is why they are used as antacids. You can refer to this FDA website for information on the acidity of several foods: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/app3a.html. Alternative medicine practitioners often disseminate lists of alkaline foods. But there is a misconception over which foods help to control cancer. Yes, alkaline foods may be desired, but the contrary is not true, that acidic foods promote cancer. For example, while an acidic state is said to contribute to tumor cell growth, citrus fruits are highly acidic but there is no indication in the medical literature they accelerate the growth of cancer cells, in fact, contrary evidence exists. [J Agric Food Chem 50: 7449-54, 2002] For example, one study ranked that fruits which inhibit liver cancer in this order: cranberry, lemon, apple, strawberry, red grape, banana, grapefruit, and peach. [J Agric Food Chem 50:7449-54, 2002] The more acidic fruits were more protective against cancer. The ash (material left over after digestion) from citrus fruit and vegetables is alkaline even though in raw food form these plant foods may have originally been acidic. Oddly, salt is alkaline yet it increases the risk of stomach cancer. [int J Cancer 10: 34-36, 1997] It's not whether a food is acidic or alkaline that determines its ability to control pH. It is its ash value. Ash is a chemical term referring to the inorganic portion of a food sample remaining after the sample is burned at 600°C for two hours. Ash is what's left over after digestion. Alkaline ash would be rich in alkaline minerals like calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium and manganese. The Acid-Ash Theory The alkaline approach to health goes beyond just cancer. If calcium is needed to maintain an alkaline state in the body, then it will be pulled from the bones, which is a mineral repository. Thus, the continued need to maintain an alkaline state could lead to premature thinning of the bones (osteoporosis). The " acid-ash " hypothesis holds that high animal protein intake increases urinary calcium loss which is compensated for by increased calcium absorption in the digestive tract, given that there is sufficient calcium provided in the diet. This is where Barefoot and others begin to develop a long list of diseases cured by calcium. But studies have even shown that low intake of meat protein can increase the rate of bone loss. [J Bone Mineral Res 15: 2504-12, 2000] Both deficient and excessive protein intakes have been shown to negatively affect bone health. [Canadian J Diet Pract Res 64: 5-11, 2003] Cornell researchers say that limitation on meat consumption may do more to reduce the risk of osteoporosis than to increase calcium intake. Americans consume high levels of dietary calcium but have higher rates of hip fracture than Asians who consume fewer dairy products. [Cornell University, News Release Nov. 6, 1996] While animal protein-rich diets have been associated with osteoporosis, it is the ratio of animal protein over vegetable consumption that is of concern, not necessarily the total amount of animal protein consumed. In other words, it may be better to increase vegetable consumption than to reduce meat intake. [Am J Clin Nut 74: 411-12, 2001] Furthermore, a very recent study casts more doubt on the idea that a high-calcium diet reduces osteoporotic hip fracture. A recent study showed calcium did not reduce hip fracture rates, whereas 800 IU of vitamin D did. [Am J Clin Nut 77: 504-11, 2003] Copyright 2003 Bill Sardi Knowledge of Health, Inc. Not for commercial use Please do not reproduce or electronically transmit without permission of the author. Permission is granted for individuals to print out copies for personal health education. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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