Do you often feel tired for no apparent reason? Do you experience digestive discomfort, joint pain or a general drop in energy? These signs could be linked to an acid-base imbalance. This balance between acids and bases in the body plays a central role in many health mechanisms. Understanding how it works, and why it's so important to preserve it, can help you take better care of your vitality on a daily basis.
Let's delve into the heart of this essential but often misunderstood mechanism.
Acid-base balance is the regulation of blood and tissuepH (hydrogen potential) , essential to the body's proper functioning.
pH is defined on a scale from 1 to 14. The closer the pH is to 1, the more acidic it is; conversely, the closer it is to 14, the more alkaline (basic) it is. A neutral state is reached around value 7.
A balanced pH is essential for the proper functioning of our cells, enzymes and organs. The pH is not the same everywhere in our body, but it is essential that it is preserved.
Human blood, to function normally, must maintain a slightly alkaline pH, around 7.35 to 7.45. Below or above this range, even by a small amount, vital systems can become disorganized.
The acids produced in our bodies have several origins:
The body is not acidic "by nature", but it is constantly confronted with acidic inputs or outputs, which it must compensate for and neutralize.
Our modern diet is often unbalanced: too rich in acidifying products and processed foods (cold meats, cheese, soft drinks, refined cereals), and poor in alkalizing foods (fruit, vegetables, oilseeds, aromatic herbs...).
This acidic terrain requires the body to constantly compensate. Eventually, a state of latent metabolic acidosis may develop: discrete, not pathological in the short term, but weakening over the long term.
To maintain a good acid-base balance, we need to consume the right proportions of acidic and alkaline foods. The acid or base load of a food can be assessed by the PRAL (Potential Renal Acid Load) index.
💡Be careful not to confuse a food's "acidic" taste with its "acidifying" power. Lemon, for example, has a very acidic taste, but is a food with alkalizing power.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of acidifying and basifying foods:
When the balance between acidifying and alkalizing elements is unbalanced, our body has fairly effective regulatory mechanisms (lungs, kidneys, buffer systems).
They represent the first line of defense against pH variations. This chemical mechanism acts like a sponge, absorbing or releasing protons to prevent sudden changes in pH.
The kidneys function as filters: they excrete acidity in the form of protons (H⁺) and reabsorb bicarbonates (HCO₃⁻) into the blood in order to regulate pH over the long term. However, their action is slower, taking up to several days.
Carbon dioxide (CO₂), produced by metabolism, is acidic. It is a waste product of oxygen and nutrient processing constantly produced by cells. It circulates in the blood as carbonic acid; if it accumulates, acidity increases (pH decreases). When our blood pH becomes too acidic, our breathing speeds up to eliminate more CO₂ and thus regain in pH balance.
When the body can no longer neutralize excess acids, it dips into bone (calcium), muscle (magnesium) or connective tissue reserves. This can lead to :
An imbalance is not always easy to diagnose, but there are some warning signs:
These signals are not specific, but they deserve attention, especially if your lifestyle or diet is unbalanced. A biological check-up may include a plasma bicarbonate assay or urinary pH measurement to assess your situation.
It is possible to act naturally on your acid-base balance by adopting simple, effective measures. Here are a few recommendations for a healthy diet:
*Zinc contributes to the body's acid-base balance.