in the blood, pH is everything

pH rules!

pH level influences every metabolic function in the human body from processes within each cell, to the electrical system and to how enzymes, minerals and vitamins are used.  It is hard to overstate its significance.

Each area of the human body has an optimal pH range, especially the blood which has numerous buffers to regulate its pH within tight limits: 7.34 to 7.43.  Blood pH falling below 7.32 is called acidosis (too much acidity in the blood and other tissues and depletion of buffering alkalis). Blood pH rising above 7.47 is called alkalosis.

Outside 6.9 and 7.8 you are dead!

Buffering mechanisms in the blood go to enormous lengths to maintain this required range – stashing or robbing minerals from bones and soft tissues – potentially wreaking havoc on them in the process!

pH (power of hydrogen) Definition

pH is the negative log of the concentration of hydrogen ions (H⁺).  At pH 7 the number of H⁺ ions equals the number of OH^– ions and the solution is neutral.  Below 7 is acidic and above 7 is alkaline / basic.

A decrease of 1 in pH indicates 10 times greater H⁺ concentration.  For example, normal rainfall, pH 6, is 10 (10¹) times more acidic than normal rainfall pH 7.  Tomato juice pH 4 is 1,000,000 (10⁶) times more acidic than soap pH 10.