The Acid Test

Think diet is as simple as restricting carbohydrate or eating less?  Then think again.  To get lean and healthy, we also need to start considering the pH or acid base balance of what we are eating.

Let us start with the theory.  When you consume a food, each part of what you have just eaten will present itself to the kidneys as either acid or base (alkaline) forming.  If your diet contains more acid components, you will have a net acid load on the body or if it contains more alkaline components, you will have a net base load.

Every cell in our body functions optimally in a certain pH range.  Although different cells have different optimal pH ranges, the overall or net pH needs to be strictly controlled.  Our net pH in our blood should be slightly alkaline with normal pH levels between 7.35 to 7.45.  The idea behind balancing or making the diet more alkaline is that the diet should reflect this pH level.  Studies have shown that before agriculture, our diet actually did this and produced a net base load.  Unfortunately, the modern diet produces a large net acid load, which is what the experts call ‘low grade metabolic acidosis’.  This means that for most of us we are in a chronic state of high acidity.  Although this is a sub clinical elevation (your doctor will probably not notice this in your annual bloods), it does not mean you are as ‘right as roses’.     

Proponents of eating alkaline suggest that this ‘low grade metabolic acidosis’ has resulted in a host of modern health problems.  So what is wrong with a little bit of acid?  The body has to maintain a stable pH at all costs and in doing so, the dietary acid load will be neutralized by the body’s base producing machinery.  This neutralization will cause damage to your cells and body.  Here just are a few consequences:

• Hypercalciura.  This is a high concentration of calcium in the urine.  Why we (and especially females) are concerned about this is that calcium is a strong base and acts as a buffer in our body. So calcium that was stored in the bone is now lost in the urine in an effort to neutralize our body’s acidic environment.  This results in greater osteoclastic (bone degrading) activity occurring, which is definitely not good for anyone at risk of osteoporosis.  This means that calcium excretion is just as (if not more) important as calcium intake through the diet.  A great example of this is the United States. Their calcium intake is one of the highest in the world yet paradoxically, they also have some of the highest rates of osteoporosis.
• A negative nitrogen balance.  Just like calcium, glutamine acts as a buffer in our body.  In a state of acidosis, glutamine will be freed from muscle to neutralize this problem. Since skeletal muscle contains the largest stores of glutamine, this causes muscle breakdown.  From here, there is an impact on muscle mass and the associated decrease in metabolism.
• Acidosis has also been shown to increase cortisol (the stress hormone), decrease IGF-1 activity, develop mild hypothyroidism & GH resistance.

Ok so that is the bad news but now what can we do about it?

Well first we have to know how to assess whether we are in an acidic state or not.  The best way of measuring acid base balance in your diet is with a tool called the potential renal acid load (PRAL).  A positive PRAL gives you a net acid load and a negative PRAL obviously gives a net base load.  For an idea of how your diet stacks up, have a look at this food table from the Institute of Prevention & Nutrition in Germany -

Now to save you getting all anal with measuring the exact PRAL of everything you eat (we do have to live life here), I am going to give you ‘The Coyne Commandments’ when it comes to alkaline eating.  Because osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and muscle wasting are associated with aging, these commandments become even more important if you are approaching the retirement years.

1. Eat vegetables or low GI fruit at every meal.  If you had perused the PRAL tables, you will find that vegetables (and fruits) are brilliant for balancing out the acid load of grains, protein and fat sources.  Many bone specialists are finding that he most effective way to improve bone health is to eat more vegetables.  Spinach is the king here!
2. Take an organic greens supplement at breakfast.  A typical organic greens supplement will produce a PRAL of -3.5mEq/100g.  Compare this to two of the three best foods which are Raisins (-0.21mEq/100g) & Spinach (-0.14mEq/100g) and this is going to set you up perfectly for the rest of the day.  The first reason you want to take it at breakfast is that cortisol peaks in the morning – it is normally what wakes us up except when you have a construction crew start work next door at 530am.  The more alkaline you are, the less cortisol (and stress) will affect you.  The second reason is that we actually want to be slightly acidic when we go to sleep to aid digestion (and the associated detoxification) processes.
3. You can also consider supplementing with sodium bicarbonate, creatine, beta-alanine or glutamine as they all buffer the blood against acidosis.  This is one of the reasons why they are so popular with athletes – the delay the onset of fatigue by buffering lactic acid.  There are also other options including minerals bound with lactate like Dr. Tanelian’s Molecular Fitness range.
4. Again if you did have peruse the PRAL table, you will notice that even a diet consisting of clean whole grain carbohydrate and high quality protein sources are still suspect and will probably produce a net acid load.  If you are going to eat grains (e.g. breads, rices) in your diet, make sure to balance them out with alkaline producing foods.  This balancing out also goes for animal proteins & fats (more on this later).
5. It is not just the solid stuff you are putting in your mouth.  Water should be slightly alkaline too.  There are a number of products out there like water ionizers that if they fit in your budget, is a great idea
6. Squeeze lemon/lime juice on salads and in your water.
7. Do not stop eating animal protein at most meals.  Although protein from animal sources is acid forming, there is also evidence that a high protein diet counteracts some of it’s own acid loading.  Remer et al (2001) found that while protein produces an acid load, it also increases your body’s capacity for handling and expelling those acids.  No other acid forming foods (like grains) do this.  Another interesting quirk is that whey protein is actually the only protein source that has a net alkaline effect.  Try this after your next workout.
   
   The Alkaline Super Shake
   
   Ingredients
   40g Vanilla Flavored Whey Protein
   1 cup Frozen Mixed Berries
   2 Tbsp Raisins
   2 Tbsp Walnuts
   ½ cup Cottage Cheese
   1 cup Ice
   ½ cup water
   
   To Make
   
   - Combine ingredients in a blender
   - Process on medium/high blending speed until smooth and creamy
   - More ice may be added for a thicker texture
   NB: This shake has a PRAL of 7mEq base excess (that’s good!).
8. You also want to remember that it is a balancing act – you do not become too alkaline.  Although very rare, it is important to try to stay pH neutral or just slightly alkaline. Metabolic alkalosis results in the over excitability of the nervous system and can result in convulsions and even death from spasm of the respiratory muscles.
9. If do you want to make 100% sure you are ‘covering your bases’, I would suggest to use this – http://www.saeure-basen-forum.de/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=19
   
   Using these commandments will have a beneficial on a high acid producing diet and will also help with the associated bone loss, muscle wasting and hormonal function.  Enjoy.