The function of many different cells and proteins depends on the amount of acid in the blood being in a very narrow range. Anything that upsets the balance of acids and bases in the blood can cause problems throughout the body. In extreme cases,...
Respiratory alkalosis is the development of high pH, or basic, blood, as the result of breathing-related causes. Unlike metabolic alkalosis, respiratory alkalosis doesn't result from kidney problems or medications---unless those medications affect...
Respiratory alkalosis occurs when a person hyperventilates or breathes so fast that he depletes a majority of the carbon dioxide in his system causing an acid-base imbalance. In order to stay in balance, the body needs a certain amount of acid or...
The amount of acid and base in the body is carefully controlled because the right balance is essential for the function of many different tissues. Because carbon dioxide is mildly acidic, the lungs can play a role in the acid-base balance of the...
The most likely cause of respiratory alkalosis in newborns is illness or a congenital disorder that causes the newborn to experience respiratory difficulties resulting in rapid, shallow breathing, or hyperventilation. Some of these medical...
Respiratory alkalosis occurs when the blood becomes less acidic. One process the body uses to regulate the acidity and alkalinity of blood is respiration. When carbon dioxide is dissolved in the blood, it becomes carbonic acid, which makes the...
Respiratory alkalosis is a condition in which carbon dioxide is expelled from the body faster than produced due to excessive respiration. This causes an increase in blood pH, making it more alkaline and exciting the nervous system. If extreme,...
Breathing, an anatomical and physiological process, occurs without a thought until something goes wrong. Respiratory acidosis or alkalosis indicate two such occasions. Inadequate ventilation leads to acidosis, and excessive ventilation causes...
A low-protein diet is often prescribed by physicians for individuals with kidney or liver disease and some metabolic disorders. It is not a diet that is commonly used for weight loss. Sufficient dietary protein is important to every tissue, cell...
Metabolic acidosis is a general term used to describe abnormal increases in the relative acidity, or acid content, of your bodily fluids. You can develop several forms of this condition, each of which has its specific underlying causes. Use of the...
Your body needs to maintain a pH level between 7.35 to 7.45 in order remain properly balanced, the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library says. Acidosis occurs when your pH level drops below 7.35. This condition causes the fluids in your body to be...
The body needs to maintain an optimum acid-base balance, or pH level, to ensure the various processes within the body occur without problems, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. When the body's pH level becomes high, the...
All chemicals, natural and otherwise, have a pH level, which is a measurement of hydrogen. The pH scale ranges from zero to 14, with zero being purely acidic, 14 being purely alkaline and seven being neutral. According to "The Complete Book of...
It's important for the body to maintain a pH balance. pH is measured on a scale of 1 to 14, with low numbers being acidic and high numbers being alkaline. For the most part, your body stays balanced with a pH of about 7.4. A higher pH can indicate...
Your body's pH level -- an indicator of acidity and alkalinity -- depends on the amount of certain substances in your body, such as carbon dioxide, an acid, and bicarbonate, a base. Your body requires a specific pH level to function properly, and...
The dangers of alkaline arise when your body reaches a state known as alkalosis. This occurs when fluids in your body have excess base or alkali. Lower carbon dioxide or higher bicarbonate levels make your body too alkaline. Low carbon dioxide...
Nearly all biological functions are dependent upon the acidity or alkalinity of the liquid environment. pH is a measure of the relative acidity or alkalinity of a solution where a pH of 7 is neutral, less than 7 is acidic and greater than 7 is...
One of the most important aspects of human physiology is homeostasis, which is the drive to keep the internal makeup of the body in a stable state. Part of this involves controlling the relative amounts of acidic and alkaline chemicals, also known...
Potassium is a major mineral that is a necessary part of your diet. According to the Institute of Medicine, the average American adult should consume 4,700 mg of potassium each day. Your intake of potassium may need to be increased if you are...
A correct acid-base balance is essential for many metabolic processes, and thus the pH balance in your body is strictly regulated. A major determinant of your body's pH balance is the carbon dioxide concentration. CO2 is a byproduct of cellular...
The balance of acids and bases in the blood must remain within a very narrow range. The body has a variety of mechanisms to maintain the proper blood pH. These mechanisms respond quickly to make alkaline blood more acidic and acidic blood more...
The balance of acid and bases in the body can be measured by a number called pH. A pH of 7.4 is normal for the blood. A pH below this level is a measure of excess acid, while a pH above is a measure of excess base. Problems of the acid and base...
PH is the measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is. In the human body, the pH levels must be maintained within a narrow range. Acids are a product of normal metabolic processes, and, when the body is functioning properly, they are buffered...
Alkaline is referred to as a base, which is significant for neutralizing body acidity levels and maintaining consistent pH balance. Potential of hydrogen, or pH, level reflects the amount of hydrogen in your blood, which is important for...
The balance between acidity and alkalinity in your body is referred to as pH, or potential of hydrogen. Different factors can influence whether your blood has too much or too little acid, including food and the health of your organs to filter...
Breathing and the regulation of oxygen and carbon dioxide would not be possible without our lungs. The lungs also aid white blood cells in fighting against infectious agents; mucus, a substance produced in the lungs, traps infectious agents and...
A food is classified as either acid- or alkaline-forming based on the pH of the compounds it produces when metabolized. Acid-forming foods generate acidic waste products that a complex set of buffering systems must remove to preserve your...
Sodium citrate is used to treat a condition called metabolic acidosis. In metabolic acidosis, the acidity of the blood, urine and other bodily fluids becomes too high; it occurs when the kidney is excreting too little acid, or the body is...
Arterial Blood Gases, or ABGs, measure the amounts of oxygen, carbon dioxide and acid/base level in the blood, according to Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. ABGs are ordered if the patient has difficulty breathing,...