Acidity in Human Body

It is believed that the body's pH level or acid-alkaline balance has a great impact on the overall well-being and health of a person. However, what is the normal pH level or acid alkaline balance in a body?

Well, pH or potential of hydrogen is basically the measure of acidity or alkalinity of the body fluid depending upon the amounts of positively charged or acid forming (H+) ions and negative charged or alkaline forming (H-) ions present in the fluid.

The standard pH range is from 0 to 14, where 7.0 is said to be as neutral and anything before or above it is considered to be acidic or alkalic in nature, respectively.

A normal and healthy person is considered to have a pH value somewhere between 7.35 to 7.45. Though it is slightly inclined towards the alkaline side, a person having pH value above or below this pH level is vulnerable to various health problems and ailments.

Hence, here we will discuss what happens when the body's pH value is slightly below the normal range, i.e., what are the symptoms and preventive measures.

As mentioned before, a body is said to be acidic if it has a pH value slightly lower than the normal range of 7.35 to 7.45. Also termed as acidosis, acidity can be an outcome of different factors right from the foods we eat to mental stress. Apart from our blood and other digestive juices which are acidic, the internal fluids in the body should be neutral.

However, when these fluids turn acidic they can affect the normal functioning of different body parts. Though the body has its own mechanism to cope with this, i.e., alkaline reserves to neutralize these acids, excess of acidity in human body can deplete these alkaline reserves and weaken the body's immune system.

When there is acidity in human body, it becomes a breeding ground for many viruses and bacteria who thrive and flourish and cause symptoms like weakness, illness, heartburn, chest pain, and inflammation and pain in different organs.

Moreover, acidosis affects the body's ability to absorb nutrients, which subsequently hampers the energy production in the cells and the ability to repair damage. Hence, a such a person becomes vulnerable to various health ailments like digestive disorders including sour tummy, bloating, acid reflux, etc.

Gout, common cold, obesity, diabetes, bladder and kidney infections, osteoporosis, heart diseases, cancer, and immune deficiency are other ailments that can affect such people.

Since one of the major causes of acidity in human body is the diet we consume, the best way to control acidosis is to limit the intake of high acid foods. However, the problem is that most of us ignorantly consume food which are high in acids or do not know which food is acidic or alkaline in nature.

The list mainly includes acidic food like sugar, artificial sweeteners, coffee, soft drinks, meat, eggs, dairy products, and all citrus fruits like oranges, lemon, berries, etc. An ideal diet for a person suffering from acidity is one which comprise 60% of alkaline foods and only 40% of foods that are acidic in nature.

Since acidity in human body can be a root cause for many other health problems, it is vital that we maintain the normal body pH level by monitoring the foods we eat and avoiding too much food that is high in acid.

Disclaimer: This is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.