Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: whimsley on 27/04/2008 12:53:08

Title: Does consuming acidic foodstuffs lower body pH?
Post by: whimsley on 27/04/2008 12:53:08

Fay Webb asked the Naked Scientists:
Does consuming acidic foods and beverages alter our body's pH level? I have read that our body's ideal pH level is 7.4, which is alkaline. I have also read that consuming acidic foods is very good for our health.
What do you think?

Title: Does consuming acidic foodstuffs lower body pH?
Post by: bryan on 04/08/2008 14:06:06

It's unlikely yoy are going to drink anything with a pH lower than your own stomach acid, which doesn't seem to affect blood pH too much. Plus blood is quite good at buffering its pH. So I think no.

Title: Does consuming acidic foodstuffs lower body pH?
Post by: Bored chemist on 04/08/2008 19:26:47

It depends on the acid.
Imagine that I eat an apple- It has quite a lot of malic acid in it and also some potassium malate (among other things)
I metabolise the malic acid and the malate ions to CO2 and I breathe it out. The potassium gets left behind as the carbonate which is strongly alkaline. The kidneys will generally sort out this type of imbalance.