Acid-base balance: Why an alkaline pH value is important and how to prevent acidification

This is how the acid-base balance works

In order to function smoothly, our body should have a specific pH value. A slightly alkaline pH value is considered optimal for this. Too much acid in our body can disrupt this pH value and burden metabolism and organs.

Acids are formed in the body on the one hand through metabolic processes, on the other hand we introduce them through food. Thus, every food we eat has either an acidic or alkaline effect in the body.

Normally, our body can easily neutralize and eliminate the acids produced. Alkaline foods that are consumed help in eliminating the acids produced in metabolism. In addition to alkaline foods, various organs are also significantly involved in the excretion of acids: the lungs excrete acids through the breath, the kidneys through urine, the skin through sweat. The liver is also an important organ in maintaining our acid-base balance. It regulates the pH level in the blood by keeping the ratio of acids and bases in balance. Excess acids are transported from the liver to the kidneys and excreted through urine.

How does acidification occur?

If we consume predominantly acid-forming foods over a longer period of time and do not eat enough alkaline-forming foods, an imbalance occurs in the body. Eventually, the acids cannot be excreted or neutralized: they accumulate in various parts of the body - especially in the connective tissue. This is referred to as "acidification".

The main cause of chronic acidification is primarily our common dietary habits. We consume too many protein-rich foods such as meat, dairy products, grain products, or processed foods. They contain large amounts of sulfur-containing amino acids (cysteine and methionine), which are metabolized as acids by the body. Phosphate-containing compounds, found in meat, sausages, and sweetened beverages, also negatively affect the acid-base balance.

The intake of alkaline foods can help normalize the acid-base balance. Especially fruits, vegetables, salad, and herbs have an alkalizing effect in the body. The mineral compounds contained in them such as calcium carbonate, zinc gluconate, iron fumarate, sodium, magnesium, potassium, or calcium citrate are responsible for the alkaline effect.

pH values of the body

The acidity levels of the body are measured in pH (potential of hydrogen). The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. A pH value of 7 is generally considered "neutral," meaning that acids and bases are roughly balanced. A pH value between 0 and 6.9 indicates an acidic solution, while a value between 7.1 and 14 indicates a basic solution.

However, our entire organism does not have a single pH value; on the contrary: while a pH value of 7.35 - 7.45 is ideal for the blood (slightly alkaline), the skin has a slightly acidic pH value (around 5.5). This acid mantle is the best protection against pathogens.

Issue: Urine test for determining acidosis

Numerous commercial providers advertise urine test strips that are supposed to detect the acidification of the body. However, caution is advised: a one-time measurement of the pH value using urine test strips is only a snapshot and far too imprecise for an accurate determination of the acid-base balance. This is because only 1 percent of the total acid excretion is done through free acids in the urine, which are the ones that can be detected by such pH measurement strips. The remaining 99 percent is excreted in a different form and cannot be detected by urine tests. Therefore, the pH value of urine reveals little about a possible acidification of tissues and organs.