Dietary Acid Load and Relationship with Diseases

Abstract

The acid-base balance of the human body is influenced by the nutritional intake and dietary composition of individuals. It is of paramount importance to maintain this equilibrium for the optimal health of humans. The body receives acid or alkaline precursors from dietary intake. In general, the consumption of animal-based foods results in an acid load, whereas the consumption of plant-based foods contributes to an alkaline load. Diets high in dietary acid load cause a state of diet-induced metabolic acidosis, which is associated with the development of cardiometabolic diseases. The significance of dietary acid-base balance in the context of cardiometabolic diseases, which have emerged as a significant contributor to global morbidity, is now being acknowledged in the literature. The objective of this review is to examine the existing evidence concerning the relationship between dietary acid load and chronic diseases and metabolic disorders, as well as the potential mechanisms underlying their development. Keywords: Dietary acid load, non-communicable diseases, potential renal acid load, net endogenous acid production