You Cannot Meaningfully Change Your Body's pH to Alkaline
Your body tightly regulates blood pH between 7.35-7.45, and attempting to "alkalinize" your body through diet or supplements is physiologically impossible and potentially harmful. 1 The kidneys and lungs maintain this narrow pH range regardless of dietary intake, and deviations outside this range indicate serious medical conditions requiring immediate treatment, not lifestyle interventions.
Why "Alkaline Body pH" Is a Misconception
Blood pH is non-negotiable: Your body maintains arterial pH at 7.35-7.45 through respiratory and renal compensation mechanisms. 1 Any pH below 7.35 is acidosis, and above 7.45 is alkalosis—both are pathological states, not wellness goals.
Different body compartments have different pH values: Urine pH (normally 5.0-6.0), stomach pH (highly acidic at 1.5-3.5), and blood pH are completely separate systems. 2 Changing urine pH does not change blood pH.
The body compensates immediately: Even when herbivores consume extremely high-alkali diets, their arterial blood pH remains normal through renal base excretion. 3 Your kidneys will simply excrete excess alkali to maintain homeostasis.
What Actually Happens With "Alkaline Diets"
Urine pH changes, not blood pH: Increasing fruit and vegetable intake raises urine pH by providing potassium citrate salts that buffer dietary acid load, but this does not alkalinize your blood. 1
Reduced net acid production: Western diets high in animal protein and low in fruits/vegetables create higher net endogenous acid production (NEAP), which the kidneys must buffer. 1 Increasing plant foods reduces this acid load but does not make your body "alkaline."
Potential kidney benefits in disease states: In patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD stage 4), increasing fruit and vegetable intake or taking sodium bicarbonate can slow GFR decline by reducing the metabolic burden on failing kidneys. 1 This is disease management, not wellness optimization for healthy individuals.
The Only Legitimate Medical Uses of Alkalinization
Uric acid kidney stone prevention: Potassium citrate therapy raises urine pH to 6.0 (not blood pH) to increase uric acid solubility and prevent stone formation. 4, 2
Cystine stone prevention: Target urine pH of 7.0-7.5 increases cystine solubility. 2
Specific poisonings: Sodium bicarbonate for tricyclic antidepressant overdose or salicylate poisoning to achieve blood pH >7.45-7.55 as emergency treatment. 1
Chronic kidney disease with metabolic acidosis: Sodium bicarbonate or increased fruits/vegetables when serum bicarbonate is low (<22 mmol/L) to slow disease progression. 1
Critical Warnings
Excessive alkalinization is harmful: Raising urine pH above 7.0 promotes calcium phosphate stone formation. 4, 2 Attempting to alkalinize beyond physiologic targets creates new problems.
Ignore commercial "alkaline water" claims: While some observational studies show associations between high-mineral water consumption and lower cardiovascular mortality, 5 this reflects mineral content (magnesium, calcium), not pH manipulation. The body immediately neutralizes any pH changes from ingested water.
Metabolic alkalosis is dangerous: If you somehow achieved systemic alkalosis (pH >7.45), you would experience cardiac arrhythmias, neuromuscular irritability, and potentially life-threatening complications. 1
What You Should Actually Do
Increase fruits and vegetables for general health: This reduces dietary acid load and provides potassium, fiber, and phytonutrients—benefits unrelated to "alkalinization." 1 Aim for 2+ servings of fruit and 3+ servings of vegetables daily.
Moderate animal protein intake: Excessive red meat consumption increases sulfur-containing amino acid metabolism, raising net acid production and potentially accelerating kidney function decline in susceptible individuals. 1
Ignore pH as a health metric: Unless you have kidney stones, chronic kidney disease, or a specific medical condition requiring pH monitoring, your body's pH regulation is functioning perfectly without intervention. 4, 2
Seek medical evaluation for actual acid-base disorders: If you have symptoms suggesting metabolic acidosis (confusion, rapid breathing, fatigue) or alkalosis (muscle twitching, hand tremor, nausea), this requires immediate medical assessment, not dietary changes. 1