THE ROLE OF pH AND HEALTHY LIVING

Part II: What's normal pH

What's normal pH...
Each system of the body has its own specifically preferred pH. The body's internal chemical environment typically changes from a weak acid to a weak base within a 24-hour period.  It is usually more acid in the early morning and most alkaline in the early evening. In the early morning pH < 7.0 is preferable for neurotransmission function and endocrine and hormonal activity. The connective tissue that contains stored acidic waste does best in this pH so that the hyaluronidase may dissolve the acids into a liquid form for excretion as wastes.

 

pH LEVELS ARE CRUCIAL IN THE BLOODSTREAM
The bloodstream is the most critically buffered system of the entire body, far more sensitive than any other. Arterial and venous blood must maintain a slightly alkaline pH: arterial blood pH = 7.41 and venous blood pH = 7.36. Because the normal pH of arterial blood is 7.41, a person is considered to have acidosis when the pH of blood falls below this value and to have alkalosis when the pH rises above 7.41.

 

Figure 3. Range of Arterial pH Values

 

 

Interstitial fluids and connective tissue pH:

A normal pH in these areas is 7.34 and 7.40, a slightly more acid profile, because body cells dump as much free hydrogen (H+) as possible, buffering the blood as much as possible. However, pH in these areas can dangerously drop to concentrations of pH = 5.0.

 

Urine pH values:

In a pH balanced body. urine is slightly acid in the morning, (pH = 6.5 - 7.0) generally becoming more alkaline (pH = 7.5 - 8.0) by evening in healthy people primarily because no food or beverages are consumed while sleeping. Whereas, during the day the body buffers the pH of the food and beverages consumed by releasing electrolytes and the pH level goes up. This process allows the kidneys to begin the elimination process slowly.

 

Outside the range implies that cells are being burdened with caustic pH fluids within and without surroundings. Long term experience outside this range is unhealthy. However, the pH of urine can range from an extremely unhealthy low of 4.5 to a high if 8.5, which it tolerates a little easier, depending on the acid/base status of the extracellular fluids. A high pH value may indicate the body is over buffering to compensate for a physiological system that is too acidic.

Figure 4. Range of Urine pH Values.

 

Generally, when urine pH is 6.0 and below for extended periods of time, it is an indication that the body's fluids elsewhere are too acid, and it is working overtime to rid itself of an acid medium. Thus, when urine pH is normal, then the blood pH is normal, but when the urine pH is overly acid, the body releases too many electrolytes to keep the pH level normal and maintain life. Easy to take urine buffer test strips are available to indirectly determine the safety of all body fluids, including blood.

 

© JMH2007

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