Diet-induced acidosis and alkali supplementation

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Metabolic Health
• Dietary Medicine

Background:

• Western diets, characterized by high protein and low vegetable intake, are linked to moderate acid excess.
• This acid excess can disrupt metabolism and exacerbate chronic health conditions.
• Existing research suggests a connection between high protein/vegetable ratios and calcium lithiasis, particularly in susceptible individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of acid-generating diets in metabolic disorders.
• To explore the potential benefits of alkali supplementation in mitigating these effects.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of existing studies on diet-induced acidosis and metabolic disturbances.
• Analysis of evidence linking dietary acid load to specific conditions like lithiasis, bone loss, sarcopenia, and insulin resistance.

Main Results:

• Acid-genic diets may contribute to calcium lithiasis and potentially worsen bone metabolism, though direct evidence for pathological bone loss is limited.
• Diet-induced acidosis is implicated in accelerating muscle wasting (sarcopenia), especially in the elderly.
• Emerging findings connect dietary acid load to impaired glucose metabolism and insulin resistance.

Conclusions:

• Acid-generating diets are associated with several metabolic disturbances, including kidney stones, bone loss, sarcopenia, and insulin resistance.
• Alkali supplementation presents a potential therapeutic strategy for managing these diet-induced metabolic disorders.