Acidosis takes place within the body when your kidneys and lungs aren’t able to keep the body’s pH in balance. Acidosis is considered to be happening when the body’s pH level is 7.35 or below (the body’s pH should be at 7.4). * Although many functions that take place within the body produce acid, the lungs and kidneys can typically balance out the formation of acid while they occur can fail, causing a buildup of acid. We’ll discuss the types, treatments, and prevention of acidosis in further detail.
Types-There are two main forms of acidosis, respiratory and metabolic. Respiratory acidosis occurs when too much carbon dioxide builds up in the body. This can be due to several factors such as drinking too much, asthma, obesity, etc. * Metabolic acidosis occurs when the kidneys cant get rid of enough acid. There are several different subsets which include diabetic acidosis (insulin imbalance), hyperchloremic acidosis (loss of sodium bicarbonate), lactic acidosis (too much lactic acid), and renal tubular acidosis (inability of kidneys to excrete acids into the urine).*
Treatments-For metabolic acidosis, several different treatments exist. For hyperchloremic acidosis, oral sodium bicarbonate. For kidney failure acidosis, sodium citrate is used for treatment. For diabetics with ketoacidosis, treat get IV fluids and insulin to balance out their pH. * IV fluids can also be used for lactic acidosis. * For respiratory acidosis, a continuous positive airway pressure (cpap) device can help your breathing at night, especially if your airway is obstructed. *
Prevention-For respiratory acidosis, not smoking or quitting smoking in general as well as maintaining a healthy weight can help with prevention. * Staying hydrated, abstaining from alcohol and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels can greatly help prevent metabolic acidosis.*
Acidosis can happen in many forms. However, if you try to live a healthy lifestyle in general by attempting to incorporate the preventative measures stated above, you can help increase the likelihood that you will not have to experience acidosis. As always, please consult with your healthcare professional before making any changes to your dietary, medicinal and/or exercise regimen.
*Sources-https://www.healthline.com/health/acidosis#prevention