Do I Need to Balance My Body’s pH Levels?

If you’ve roamed planet Earth chances are you’ve come across different products meant to balance your body’s pH. These products claim that your body might be out of whack due to your diet or lifestyle, often stating that your blood becomes too acidic due to coffee, alcohol or processed foods.

Blood and acid are two terms that I’d prefer to not have a problem with if I can avoid it. But, that begs the question “how do I keep my body’s pH levels in balance?”

First Off, What’s pH?

A pH level is a measure of how acidic or basic a substance is. The scale ranges from 0-14 with a lower score being more acidic and 7 considered neutral. Acidic substances include battery acid, lemon juice, vinegar and soda. Basic substances include sea water, baking soda, bleach and eggs. The human body’s pH level normally ranges between 7.35-7.45.

This pH level is necessary for many different biological processes and that means that the body tightly regulates pH levels. Both the lungs and the kidneys work together to respond to changes in pH to ensure that the body stays right where it needs to.

For example, your body may choose to breathe more or less to adjust the amounts of oxygen you consume or the carbon dioxide you exhale. Your kidneys may also adjust your urine to include more or less hydrogen ions which connect directly to pH levels.

Eating To Change Your pH Levels

There are a lot of products that have been created with the goal of adjusting your body’s pH including alkaline water or pH balancing supplements. There has also been a big uptick in food recommendations like the Alkaline Diet or eating certain foods with pH balancing properties like lemons. However, the research on these concepts leaves something to be desired. On the other hand, there is plenty of research that shows it is not possible to change the body’s pH through diet.

Balancing your body’s pH is best left to.. well.. your body. The foods you eat will not make an impact on your blood’s pH levels because the kidneys and lungs will react to changes as needed. This means that alkaline waters or pH supplements are more than likely just creating expensive urine.

On the brightside, following the Alkaline Diet may lead to other health benefits. Many “alkaline” foods tend to be healthy and are similar to the Mediterranean diet which includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes so incorporating these items into your diet might help you to feel better - even if your pH stays the same.

This article is for informational purposes only and it not intended to be used in place of professional advice, medical treatment, or professional care. This article is not intended to be and should not be a substitute for professional care, advice or treatment. Please consult with your healthcare provider before changing any health regimen. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent disease of any kind.