| Login | Register
LIVESTRONG.COM Blog: 10 Mistakes People Make in the Gym with DietTribe's Jessie Pavelka
  • Food & Fitness
  • Members

Acidosis

Text size:  |  Print  |   | 
Add to my favorites

What is Acidosis?

Acidosis is excessive acid in the body fluids.



Alternative names



Causes

The kidneys and lungs maintain the body's acid/base (pH) balance. Acidosis occurs when acid builds up or bicarbonate (a base) is lost. The major categories of acidosis are respiratory acidosis and metabolic acidosis . Respiratory acidosis develops when there is too much carbon dioxide (an acid) in the body, primarily caused by decreased breathing. Other names for this include hypercapnic acidosis and carbon dioxide acidosis. There are several types of metabolic acidosis: Diabetic aci...



Add to my favorites

What is Acidosis?

Acidosis is excessive acid in the body fluids.

Add to my favorites

Causes

The kidneys and lungs maintain the body's acid/base (pH) balance. Acidosis occurs when acid builds up or bicarbonate (a base) is lost. The major categories of acidosis are respiratory acidosis and metabolic acidosis.

Respiratory acidosis develops when there is too much carbon dioxide (an acid) in the body, primarily caused by decreased breathing. Other names for this include hypercapnic acidosis and carbon dioxide acidosis.

There are several types of metabolic acidosis:

  • Diabetic acidosis (also called diabetic ketoacidosis and DKA) develops when ketone bodies build up during uncontrolled diabetes.
  • Hyperchloremic acidosis results from excessive loss of sodium bicarbonate from the body, as in severe diarrhea.
  • Lactic acidosis is a buildup of lactic acid. This can be caused by:
    • Alcohol
    • Cancer
    • Liver failure
    • Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
    • Medications such as salicylates
    • Prolonged exercise
    • Prolonged lack of oxygen from shock, heart failure, or severe anemia
    • Seizures

Other causes of metabolic acidosis include:

Add to my favorites

Symptoms & Signs

See the specific types of acidosis.

Add to my favorites

Exams and Tests

An arterial blood gas analysis or a blood chemistry, such as a Chem-20, will confirm acidosis in most cases. Other tests may be needed to determine the cause of the acidosis.

Add to my favorites

Treatments

Treatment depends on the cause. See the specific types of acidosis.

Add to my favorites

Prognosis

Acidosis can be dangerous if untreated. Many cases respond well to treatment.

Add to my favorites

Possible Complications

See the specific types of acidosis.

Add to my favorites

When to contact a medical professional

Although there are several types of acidosis, all will cause symptoms that require treatment by your health care provider.

Add to my favorites

Prevention

Preventing or treating the underlying causes may prevent some cases of acidosis.

Content provided by:

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch). The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2008 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Review Date: 11/12/2007

Reviewed By: Charles Silberberg, D.O., Private Practice specializing in Nephrology, Affiliated with NY Medical College, Division of Nephrology, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.11/12/2007

Acidosis Articles

  • Side Effects of Metformin

    Metformin is an oral drug that decreases insulin resistance and lowers blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetics; the drug is also used for treatment of polycystic ovary disease. Like any drug, metf...

  • List of Acid and Base Foods

    Eating too many acidic foods can cause nausea, exhaustion and abdominal pain. Eating too many basic foods can cause confusion, tremors and numbness. It is important to know which foods are acidic a...

  • How Do I Alkalize My Diet?

    Increase the amount alkalizing foods in your diet. Fruits and vegetables are at the top of the alkalizing food list. You can find an acid/alkaline food list on line. This list will help you know wh...

  • What Is Alkaline Food?

    The pH scale describes the acidity of a substance, from 1 (most acidic) to 14 (most alkaline). The human body must maintain a pH between 6.8 and 7.8 to survive, settling for an ideal pH at or sligh...

Show More

Images provided by Google

Related Drugs

  • Glyburide and Metformin

    The combination of glyburide and metformin is used to treat type 2 diabetes (condition in which the body does not use...

  • Tenofovir

    Tenofovir is used in combination with other antiviral medications to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in pati...

  • Zidovudine Oral

    This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

  • Metformin

    Metformin is used alone or with other medications, including insulin, to treat type 2 diabetes (condition in which th...

Show More

Related Diseases

  • Acidosis

    Acidosis is excessive acid in the body fluids.

  • Metabolic acidosis

    Metabolic acidosis is a disturbance in the body's acid-base balance that results in excessive acidity of the blood.

  • Lactic acidosis

    Lactic acidosis is when lactic acid builds ups in the blood stream faster than it can be removed. Lactic acid is prod...

  • Respiratory acidosis

    Respiratory acidosis is a condition that occurs when the lungs cannot remove all of the carbon dioxide the body produ...

  • Distal renal tubular acidosis

    Distal renal tubular acidosis is a disease that occurs when the kidneys don't remove acid properly into the urine, le...

  • Proximal renal tubular acidosis

    Proximal renal tubular acidosis is a condition that occurs when the kidneys don't properly remove acids in the urine,...

Show More

Vitamins

  • Lathyrus

    Lathyrus is a genus in the pea family and contains species such as Lathyrus savitus (grass pea) and Lathyrus odorata...

  • Ignatia

    Ignatia amara is a homeopathic remedy that comes from the seeds of the St. Ignatius bean, a tree found in the Philip...

  • Caprylic acid

    Caprylic acid is an eight-carbon fatty acid naturally found in palm and coconut oil, and in the milk of humans and bo...

  • Boron

    Boron is an element, which is found around the world. It has elements that border between metals and non-metals. Boro...

Show More

Related Tests

  • Citric acid urine test

    This is a test to measure the amount of citric acid in urine.

  • CO2 blood test

    CO2 is carbon dioxide. This article discusses the laboratory test to measures the amount of carbon dioxide in the liq...

  • Potassium test

    This test measures the amount of potassium in the blood. Potassium (K+) helps nerves and muscles communicate. It also...

  • Urinalysis

    Urinalysis is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine. It involves a number of tests to detect a...

Show More

Conversations On Acidosis

  • needing to gain weight for health reasons


    • Posted On May 10, 2008 10:37:58 AM

      I have acidosis and am trying to gain weight back ,,right now I am only 113 and allergic to wheat products and lactose intolerant...help me to find the right thisngs to eat and gain weight Read More

    • Posted On May 10, 2008 10:55:19 AM

      It shouldn't matter what you eat to gain weight as long as you keep your fat below 33% of your calorie intake and your protein about .36 time your ideal weight in grams. Try not to gain more than 1... Read More

  • Too much protein?


    • Posted On March 19, 2009 03:48:03 PM

      ...prompted that article, called metabolic acidosis, at a very low yet chronic level. Certain foods cause shifts in the Ph balance of the body. Meats and grains are strongly acidic, whereas most ... Read More

    • Posted On March 19, 2009 11:34:10 AM

      I was reading in this article http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=50900 that too much protein can be harmful to the body because it can cause the kidneys to h... Read More

  • Increase Alkaline Food in Your Diet


    • Posted On June 11, 2008 08:03:35 AM

      ...p://www.balance-ph-diet.com/acidosis_symptom.html http://alkalizeandlive.com/lowpHandcancer.html http://www.care2.com/greenliving/try-alkaline-foods-to-fe... Read More

    • Posted On June 11, 2008 07:01:49 PM

      ... body. When they speak of alkalosis or acidosis, this is measured in the blood. One body fluid that can be either alkalinized or made more acidic by diet is the urine. One post mentioned incr... Read More

  • Rest & Recovery (need expert advice)


    • Posted On February 7, 2008 11:09:15 PM

      ... to tire. Lack of oxygen and consequent acidosis (too much cO2) causes them to tire. The soreness is caused because every time you work a muscle, you're creating microscopic tears in the muscle ... Read More

    • Posted On February 6, 2008 09:23:42 AM

      I know that rest & recovery are extremely important in order to get the most benefit from weight training. I have been reading conflicting information from sources in regards to what muscle ... Read More

  • Can you lose weight by not exercising?


    • Posted On February 21, 2008 09:57:09 AM

      ...izures, visual/hearing problems, lactic acidosis, developmental delays and susceptibility to infection. -taken from [url=http://www.umdf.org:334wahb8]United Mitochondrial Disease Fou... Read More

    • Posted On February 15, 2008 06:21:48 PM

      So if I ate my calorie goal could I lose weight without exercising Read More

  • Good sources of protine without.... side effects.


    • Posted On September 29, 2008 04:42:14 PM

      ...s made of overconsuming it. It creates acidosis in the body, can cause loss of calcium to the skeleton, scar kidneys and maybe you'll see foamy or bubbly urine as a symptom of all that protein ... Read More

    • Posted On September 26, 2008 02:46:39 PM

      Just wondering if anyone knows any real good sources of protine without.... I'll just say "negative" side effects. I am attempting to increase my goal protine range to between 160 and 200... Read More

Show More

Acidosis Blogs

Taser: Novel trial theme nearly causes Taser investors cardiac arrest

The Court Argument: Prolonged or repeated Tasering causes acidosis, an excess of acid in the bloodstream. The acidosis, in turn, can cause cardiac arrest. That argument coupled with a failure to warn law enforcement by the manufacturer caused Taser...

Indications for intubating neonates

The following are the indications for intubating a neonate: PaO2 less than 45mmHg while Breathing 80 – 100% FiO2 PaCO2 greater than 65mmHg Intractable metabolic Acidosis(B.E. less than -10 meq.) Marked retractions on CPAP Frequent episodes of apnea...

Does Your Food Eat the Right Things?

Lately I've been reading about the differences between regular meat and poultry that we buy at the supermarket and the harder-to-find pasture-fed beef and chicken, which is also more expensive. Since there seems to be a growing trend toward a more...

Alkaline Versus Acidic Foods

Most people eat too many acidic foods these days. This creates a real imbalance in our bodies. When the body becomes imbalanced and overly acidic the condition is called acidosis. According to the bible of nutritional information, Prescription for...

Show More

Write for LIVESTRONG.COM

Write for us

Do you work in health, fitness or nutrition? Share your expertise by writing for LIVESTRONG.COM

Learn More

Acidosis Topic Guide

Advisor

Name Your name here

Profession What do you do?

What makes this topic important to you: Did you train for this? Do you work in this profession? Are you affected by this topic?

Is this topic important to you?

Do you know a lot about it? Become a guide and lead the conversation on this topic. Be a Guide

advertisement

Related Topics

more

Acidosis Images

Members Who Dare

More Members Who Dare

Write for LIVESTRONG.COM

Write for us

Do you work in health, fitness or nutrition? Share your expertise by writing for LIVESTRONG.COM

Learn More

Talk

fullyexplained: Acidosis Tips With Alkaline Drinking Water: Author : Mike McCoyMost people aren't aware of the signs and symptoms o... http://bit.ly/5261Z8

usmleforum: Acidosis Q can any one explain http://bit.ly/6xyViS A 30-year-old woman with t

bhawkesRN: RT @RoRod101: RT @NursingCenter Tip metabolic acidosis you are most likely to see in hospitalized pts: lactic acidosis & ketoacidosis

RoRod101: RT @NursingCenter Tip The 2 causes of metabolic acidosis you are most likely to see in hospitalized pts: lactic acidosis & ketoacidosis

NursingCenter: Today's #Nursing Tip: The 2 causes of metabolic acidosis you are most likely to see in hospitalized pts: lactic acidosis and ketoacidosis

Additional Reading



Tools

The Daily Plate

Track your daily calories. See how many calories you burn and consume.

Body Mass Index

BMI is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight.

LIVESTRONG Loops

Map your local running, cycling, walking and hiking routes and track your calorie burn.

Stay Motivated

Find us on the web, receive emails and use our mobile app to keep you motivated.

Symptom Checker

This tool will help you to decide whether to treat at home or see a doctor.