The pH of the human body is extremely important. A pH of 7 is neutral, below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is alkaline. The normal range for human blood pH is between 7.35 and 7.45, which is slightly on the alkaline side.1 This is not a very big range, and when the pH is higher or lower than this, health problems and diseases will occur. Bone weakness, weight problems, fatigue, heart problems, and allergies are just a few problems that can occur if the pH is not in the normal range. The more out of range the pH level is, the worse it gets. If the pH level drops to lower than 6.8 or higher than 7.8, a person is likely to die. The urine pH in the human body can vary between being acidic and alkaline depending on the need for equalizing the …show more content…
Metabolic acidosis is when there is an increase of keto acids in the blood, which reduces the body’s capability to neutralize acids. When the body is continuously using its base stores, it results in an increase of calcium in the urine, and loss of the body’s calcium. The consequences of net acid production, and the increase in body fluid acidity that goes along with it, may cause the development of osteoporosis, loss of muscle mass, renal stones, and renal failure related to age. The high intake of sodium, and low intake of potassium, adversely affects cardiovascular function, and can cause hypertension and stroke.
Acidic foods and beverages can also contribute to dental erosion. One study found that carbonated soft drinks and sports drinks, which are acidic, decreased the surface hardness of dentine, microfilled composite, and enamel.4 Another study done on athletes found that acidic foods and drinks contributed to dental erosion and tooth sensitivity.5 Another study also found that acidic foods and drinks were statistically significant to tooth wear.6 The conclusions of all of these studies agree that acidic food and drinks adversely effects the health of teeth.
Following a diet that is more on the alkaline side is better for overall health. One study looked at the effects of an alkaline diet on muscle mass.7 As we age, we
Both low pH levels and high pH levels produced a low amount of catalase activity.
“The pH of a solution is a measure of the molar concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution and as such is a measure of the acidity or basicity (sic) of the solution. The letters pH stand for power of hydrogen and the numerical value defined as the negative base 10 logarithm of the molar concentration of hydrogen ions.” (PH, 2002). The pH scale is from 0 to 14. When the pH is higher, the hydrogen ions are fewer and the substance considered alkaline. This means when a pH unit increases by one, there is a tenfold change in the hydrogen ion. For example, if a substance has a 7 pH, it has 10 times as many as hydrogen ions available as 8 pH. A lake having a water pH between 6.5 and 8.5 is considered to be neutral. Researchers tested Peckham Park lake water monthly from August 2015 to April 2016 for water pH levels. A water quality PH test strip taken from a jar and dipped into the lake. After a few minutes, the strip will turn a color and this color determines the pH. The jar the strips came in has a chart of the colors on the back which compared to the color on the strip. The lake tested monthly using the PH test strips, which show the pH level, hardness, toxic, etc. using color-change
In a 2003 paper, Maurer and others tested the effects of neutralization of endogenous acid production by bicarbonate ingestion on calcium balance, bone markers, and endocrine systems. An increase in calcium retention and a decrease in bone resorption followed neutralization of dietary acid load. Consequently, the trial provided evidence for the acid-ash hypothesis and the alkaline diet (reduced risk of osteoporosis). Alternatively,
pH is also known as a measure of hydrogen ions in a solution. A hydrogen ion is the nucleus of a hydrogen atom being split from its electron. Studying the pH of different types of soil being placed in a control group such as tap water will represent the acidity or alkalinity of the matter. The pH scale begins at 0 and goes all the way up to 14, pH 7 being its neutral point, which isn’t acidic or basic. A neutral point on the acidic scale is in the middle, anything lower than the neutral point (7), is acidic, and anything higher than the neutral point is considered basic or “alkaline”.
Grape juice increased tooth erosion rates. Fruit, particularly citrus, contains high levels of acid. Consuming high acid drinks on a regular basis means your teeth are under continual acid attack, a process that can lead to tooth erosion. Grapes have an acidic citrus in them that dies teeth black or purple in some cases. Coffee discolors your teeth by staining your enamel. Enamel is the hard shell on the outside of your tooth that protects the soft pulp on the inside, where the nerves and blood vessels are. Even though
the number of hydrogen ions in the blood, which decreases the pH of the blood. This is as a direct consequence
the secretion of hydrogen ions, which leads to the acidification of the urine, because of
For my science fair project I chose to measure the pH in three different common drinks, so people could find out what they were drinking on a day to day basis. The pH scale works like this: the lower the number the more acidic it is. The higher the number the more alkaline it has in it. The scale stretches from 0-14, with 14 being very basic, 0 being very acidic, and 7 being neutral, like water.
In this experiment different pH levels ranging from 3 to 11 were used to test the effects on daphnia heart rate. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. A pH ranging from 0 to 6 is acidic, a pH of 7 is neutral, and a pH higher than 7 ranging from 8 to 14 is basic. PH revolves around hydrogen ions (H+). The reason pH levels can be acidic, basic, or neutral is because acids give hydrogen ions away while bases accept hydrogen ions. (Decelles, 2002).
This is being done to provide the most comfortable conditions for a variety of biochemical reactions going on in these fluids, because "in order for a particular reaction to occur or to occur at an appropriate rate, the pH of the reaction medium must be controlled" (Biological buffers, n.d.). Human blood pH levels are kept in the narrow range from 7.35 to 7.45 to ensure that physiological processes go smoothly. When some acid is being added to the blood so that there are a lot of hydrogen ions available, then blood buffering systems start to work to maintain the pH level. Bicarbonate buffering system plays major role in regulating blood pH. In bicarbonate buffering system carbonic acid serves as hydrogen ion donor; when some base is added to blood plasma, carbonic acid dissolves into hydrogen cation and bicarbonate anion. When some acid is added to blood, bicarbonates take up hydrogen ions to become carbonic
Was the pH level always within the “normal” range for the human body? Yes it was.
The possible causes of this acid base imbalance are the vomiting and the overuse of antacids. As the name implies it is bicarbonate which has been added to the body. The vomiting reduces the extracellular fluid and this in turn leads to a release of angiotensin and aldersterone. This release then increases the bicarbonate absorption and increased hydrogen ion and potassium excreted. This patient may also have hypokalemia which is very common in metabolic alkalosis and would need to be replaced if it occurred ( Thomas, 2015). The respiratory rate would also slow to try and compensate for the alkalosis.
The normal pH value for the body fluids is between pH 7.35 and 7.45. When the pH value of body fluids is below 7.35, the condition is called acidosis, and when the pH is above 7.45, it is called alkalosis. (Tortora, G., Derrickson, B., 2014)
Acidosis is when the pH of one’s blood is below the normal level of 7.35. Alkalosis is when the pH of one’s blood is above 7.45. These can be broken down into two categories respiratory and metabolic. Normal oxygen (CO2) levels are 35-45 mmHg in systemic arterial blood. Normal levels for HCO3− 22-26mEq/liter in systemic arterial blood.