Acid-Alkaline Balance and Your Health

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Acid-Alkaline Balance and Your Health

_Virginia Worthington, ScD_

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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 - 8.0

Inside 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 tea

Before 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-formingâ€

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

1. Bedani A, DuBose TD (1995). Cellular and whole-body acid-base

regulation. IN: Fluid, Electrolyte and Acid Base Disorders (Arieff, AI and

DeFronzo, RA, eds.). Churchill Livingstone. New York. p. 69-103.

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

Pathophysiology, class and therapy of acid-base disorders. IN: Fluid,

Electrolyte and

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

Livingstone. New York. p. 104-198.

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

Dohme Research Labs, Rahwy, N.J. p. 945-52.

4. Beddoe AF (1984). Biological Ionization as Applied to Human

Nutrition, Principles and Techniques. Agro-Bio Systems, Fort Bragg, Ca.

5. Hawkins HF (1947). Applied Nutrition. International College of

Applied Nutrition. La Habra, California.

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

7. 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.

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

and Nutrition Encyclopedia (2nd edition). CRC Press. Boca Raton, Florida. p.

6-7, 41.

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

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

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

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

11. 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.

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

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

 

The late Dr. Worthington had 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 studied herbal and nutritional medicine with several

herbalists and traditional healers.

Dr. Worthington had 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 had a

private practice in Washington, DC and wrote about many health related

subjects.

PPNF recommended book: The Acid - Alkaline Balance Diet

by Felicia Drury Kliment

 

Modern agriculture and food-preservation methods have done serious damage to

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