Bodybuilding: why and how to maintain the acid-base balance?

A little-known phenomenon among body-building enthusiasts, theacid-base balance of the body is however an indissociable element of the muscular development. But very often, the dietary habits of athletes promote an excess of acidity that is harmful to health. Discover the consequences of such an imbalance and how to restore it.

What is the acid-base balance?

Acid-base balance: definition

The acid-base balance, or acid-base balance, consists in measuring the difference between the acidity level and the alkalinity level of the human body. It is directly linked to your diet. This ratio is fundamental because it contributes to the proper functioning of the metabolism.

This balance is assessed by the Blood pH (or hydrogen potential), an index between 1 and 14. For a good balance, the pH of your body should be around 7.4.

If the acid side outweighs the basicity, your pH will be between 1 and 7: this is theacidosis. In the opposite case, it will be between 7 and 14. This is called alkalosis. In either of these situations, it is essential to re-establish a balance quickly in order to remain in good health.

But how to measure your pH ?

All you need to do is perform a urine pH test, available in pharmacies. A few drops of urine on a strip will give you an immediate result.

Acidic and basic foods

Acid-base balance is largely the result of your diet. It is the difference between your consumption of acidic foods and basic foods.

Contrary to what its name may suggest, the acidity of a food is not related to its taste. Here is the list of acidifying foods :

• products rich in fat (oils, butter, etc.)
• most meat and fish, as these are foods rich in animal protein
• cereals and derived products (bread, pasta, etc.)
• eggs
• dairy products and cheeses
• alcoholic beverages and sodas high in sugar

On the other hand, the alkaline foods are :

• most fruits and vegetables (as well as non-industrial fruit and vegetable juices)
• dried fruits (nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc.)
• legumes and most products rich in vegetable proteins (beans, soybeans, etc.)
• Alkaline water (Abatilles, Hepar, Jolival, etc.)

To know if a food is acidic or alkaline, you can refer to the PRAL index (Potential Renal Acid Load):

• foods with a high index have a significant acidification
• foods with an index close to 0 are considered neutral
• foods with a negative index are alkalizing

What are the risks of an imbalance?

If you engage in a physical activity such as strength trainingyou will certainly have to consume a significant amount of protein. A protein diet will acidify your body and upset the overall balance.

An acid-base imbalance can have harmful effects on your sports practice, but also on your health in general.

Less muscle mass gain

An excess of acid can therefore upset the body's balance.

The first effect of acidosis is to slow down muscle anabolismfor the benefit of the catabolism. In other words, it will slow down your muscle gains considerably.

It is therefore essential to rebalance your pH to continue your progression.

An increase in the risk of injury

Another consequence of acidosis in athletes is the risk of injury increased.

Ligaments, tendons and bones become more fragile. This can lead to tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons) and even more serious injuries such as partial or complete rupture of the ligaments.

Over the long term, acidification can be responsible for a loss of bone density, a condition known as osteoporosis.

Greater metabolic stress

A diet high in acidity can finally increase the metabolic stress and train :

• kidney problems (kidney failure, stones, etc.)
• the onset of diseases such as hypertension or diabetes
• sleep disorders

How to get the right balance?

Adopt a balanced diet

Fortunately, it is possible to balance the acidity of the body by adopting a healthy diet.

To do this, make sure to compensate for foods with a high alkalizing power with basic foods. This will neutralize your pH and regulate the acid-base balance.

In concrete terms, you must eat a significant amount of fruits and vegetables at each meal to obtain a good ratio and counterbalance the protein intake.

Consuming food supplements

In addition to your diet rebalancing, some food supplements can help you remedy metabolic acidosis.

This is particularly the case for the potassiumThis is because it is an alkalizing mineral that will reduce your acidity level. Other minerals such as magnesium and calcium can be effective in maintaining your acid-base balance.

Beta Alanine and glutamine can also act as a buffer to neutralize acidity and rebalance your pH level.

Conclusion

A diet too acidic can slow down your performance in bodybuilding and limit your muscle mass gain. Fortunately, simply adopting a healthy lifestyle, especially a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, can restore the acid-base balance.