Acid Base Balance

1
Acid Base Balance

• A study in the chemical relations of the human
  body

2
What is an acid?

• Any substance that increases the H ion
  concentration of a solution.

3
What is a base?

• Any substance that decreases the amount of H in
  a solution, also called an alkaline.

4
What is pH?

• pH is a numerical symbol (0 to 14) used to
  represent the negative logarithm of the number of
  hydrogen ions present in one liter of a solution.
• If pH is lt 7 the solution is an acid.
• If pH is gt 7 the solution is a base.
• If pH is 7, the solution is neutral.

5
What are some common acids?

• Hydrochloric acid
• Stomach acid
• Lemon juice
• Vinegar
• Black coffee
• Urine
• Saliva

6
What are some common bases?

• Sodium hydroxide
• Oven cleaner
• Bicarbonate of soda
• Household ammonia
• Baking soda
• Sea water

7
How do acids and bases affect the body?

• They are continually entering the blood from
  absorbed food and from the metabolism of
  nutrients at the cellular level
• They are crucial to homeostasis within the body.
  

8
What are the five sources of hydrogen ions to the
blood?

• There are four acids that hydrogen ions come
  from
• carbonic
• lactic
• sulfuric
• phosphoric
• The other source is ketone bodies

9
What does all that mean?

• Carbonic acid are a result of aerobic
  respiration.
• Lactic acid are a result of anaerobic
  respiration.
• Sulfuric acid is produced when sulfur containing
  amino acids are oxidized.
• Phosphoric acid accumulates when phosphoproteins
  are broken down for energy.

10
Really, what does it mean?

• It means that when your body breaks down stuff
  for energy, it produces lots of acids and bases.

11
Can foods affect acid/base formation?

• All foods are classified into base-forming or
  acid-forming categories.
• As you can assume, base-forming foods are those
  that produce a basic residue.
• Acid-forming foods contribute to the acidity of
  the bodys system.

12
What are some base-forming foods?

• Base-forming foods are primarily fruits and
  vegetables.
• They contain the alkaline (basic) elements of
• potassium
• calcium
• sodium
• magnesium

13
What are some acid-forming foods?

• Acid-forming foods are primarily high protein
  foods such as meat, fish, poultry, and eggs.
• They contain acidic elements such as
• chlorine
• sulfur
• phosphorus

14
An example of an acid/base reaction within the
body

• When the acid contact of the stomach is high, it
  often begins to cause a sensation known as
  heartburn.
• The cure for this condition is an antacid.
  Antacids are nothing more than base chemicals
  used to neutralize the acids in the stomach.

15
Buffers and pH control

• A buffer is a substance that prevents marked
  changes in the pH of a solution when an acid or
  base is added to it.
• Buffers allow acids to mix with bases without a
  large change in pH.

16
Respiration and pH

• When the concentration of Hydrogen ions in the
  blood rises or falls the body changes the amount
  of respirations that the body performs in order
  to return the concentration to normal.

17
Urine and pH

• When there needs to be an adjustment made in the
  pH of the body, the kidneys can change the rate
  of reabsorption so that normal pH can be reached.
• The extra ions are released through the urine.

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What fun would an Anatomy presentation be if
there were no diseases?

• Disease 1 - Metabolic Acidosis - Bicarbonate
  Deficit - Blood pH drastically lowers which
  stimulates the respiratory center and causes
  hyperventilation.
• This condition can cause disorientation and coma.

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More life-threatening conditions

• Disease 2 - Metabolic Alkalosis - Bicarbonate
  Excess - A large buildup of alkali, most often
  plain baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Improper
  use of antacids and excessive vomiting are
  causes. If breathing is suppressed and the
  kidneys work overtime to excrete bicarbonate
  ions, you just might live through this one.

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Still more deadly conditions!

• Disease 3 - Respiratory Acidosis - Carbonic Acid
  Excess - pneumonia, emphysema, and drug overdoses
  cause suppressed breathing that will result in
  this condition. Body compensation must be
  successful in order to return blood pH to normal
  levels.

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One more

• Disease 4 - Respiratory Alkalosis - Carbonic
  Acid Deficit - Hyperventilation caused by fever
  or mental disease can lead to this condition.
  You better hope that your compensatory mechanisms
  kick in or this one can get you too.

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What have we learned today?

• pH is ion concentration
• Foods greatly affect acid/base balance
• Your body has several ways that it deals with
  acid/base imbalance
• If you puke a lot or take too many TUMS, you
  might die.
• Acid/base relations ALWAYS take place at the
  cellular level.