Short reports
Plant based dietary supplement increases urinary pH
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* Corresponding author: John M Berardi info@precisionnutrition.com
1 Precision Nutrition Inc, 1665 Gregory Road, St Catharines, ON L2R 6P9, Canada
2 Integrative Care Centre of Toronto, 3600 Ellesmere Road, Unit 4, Toronto, ON M1C 4Y8, Canada
3 Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, 50 College Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3E2, Canada
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2008, 5:20 doi:10.1186/1550-2783-5-20
Published: 6 November 2008Abstract
Background
Research has demonstrated that the net acid load of the typical Western diet has the potential to influence many aspects of human health, including osteoporosis risk/progression; obesity; cardiovascular disease risk/progression; and overall well-being. As urinary pH provides a reliable surrogate measure for dietary acid load, this study examined whether a plant-based dietary supplement, one marketed to increase alkalinity, impacts urinary pH as advertised.
Methods
Using pH test strips, the urinary pH of 34 healthy men and women (33.9 +/- 1.57 y, 79.3 +/- 3.1 kg) was measured for seven days to establish a baseline urinary pH without supplementation. After this initial baseline period, urinary pH was measured for an additional 14 days while participants ingested the plant-based nutritional supplement. At the end of the investigation, pH values at baseline and during the treatment period were compared to determine the efficacy of the supplement.
Results
Mean urinary pH statistically increased (p = 0.03) with the plant-based dietary supplement. Mean urinary pH was 6.07 +/- 0.04 during the baseline period and increased to 6.21 +/- 0.03 during the first week of treatment and to 6.27 +/- 0.06 during the second week of treatment.
Conclusion
Supplementation with a plant-based dietary product for at least seven days increases urinary pH, potentially increasing the alkalinity of the body.