pH ADJUST ALKALINIZING FORMULA – NEW PRODUCT!

Today HPDI launches a new product: pH Adjust. The new formula was created by Dr. Hank Liers, PhD. As its name implies, its primary application is to help balance pH levels in the body. That is, to support the creation of alkaline conditions — or alkalinization.

Because pH Adjust alkalinizes the body, it thereby may effectively counteract overly acidic conditions (acidosis), including acidic conditions in the digestive tract, blood, kidneys, and other organ systems.

Given the fact that acidosis—including chronic, low-grade acidosis—is common among individuals living in industrialized nations consuming high-levels of processed foods and other acid-forming foods, pH Adjust represents a simple, yet powerful means for achieving a healthy acid-base balance in the body.

HPDI specializes in the formulation of nutritional supplements, including vitamin formulas such as multivitamins and other foundational supplements, advanced antioxidant formulas, high-RNA superfoods, and various mineral products, including magnesium. pH Adjust may be considered a mineral product. Yet, it is different than any other HPDI formula.

That is, pH Adjust is not primarily formulated to provide nutrients to meet nutritional needs. Rather, the formula supports optimal health by facilitating improved acid-alkaline balance in the body. It may be used to effectively neutralize acidic conditions, and help counteract the tendency toward acidosis that persists among many individuals.

THE IMPORTANCE OF pH BALANCE

Health experts know that pH balance is extremely important, and that acidosis in the body contributes to various states of less than optimal health. It is known that acidic conditions can lead to adverse effects in many bodily systems, including the circulatory system, immune system, skeletal system, excretory system, muscular system, and reproductive system.

Chemically, pH stands for hydrogen ion concentration. The pH scale runs from 7 to 14, and pH 7 is considered neutral. A pH value of less than 7 is considered acidic whereas a pH value of greater than 7 is considered basic or alkaline. In the body, the ideal pH is somewhat alkaline: 7.30 to 7.5.

For therapeutic purposes, individuals can for short periods of time (from a few days to a couple weeks) raise their pH levels to 8.0. That is, short-term increases in pH (to 8.0) can be useful for rapidly changing conditions in the body from acidic to basic (alkaline).

DIET AND pH (ACID-BASE) BALANCE

Herman Aihara (author of Acid & Alkaline) and others have contributed to our understanding of acid and alkaline states in the body, and the roles played by foods in creating either conditions of acidity or alkalinity. In general, protein foods are “acid-forming” foods whereas most vegetables are “alkaline-forming” foods. A table of acid and alkaline forming foods are on our website at Effect of Food on Body Chemistry.

Thus, proteins (containing more nitrogen) tend to form acids in the body whether or not they themselves are acid, and vegetables (containing more potassium) tend for form bases in the body whether or not they themselves are basic. This fact supports the importance of vegetables in the diet not only for nutrients, but also as a means for ensuring acid-base balance.

An excellent food that provides a high potassium content is Dr. Hank’s Vegetable Soup. This soup tastes great and can help to keep a healthy acid-base balance in the body.

An excellent article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1998 looked at the key factors that determine acid-base balance in the body. Their conclusion was: “In summary, the results of this study indicate that in normal humans eating ordinary whole-food diets, the major determinants of differences in NEAP rate (net endogenous acid production) among subjects are differences in the protein and potassium content of the diet and that the absolute rate of net endogenous acid production for a given diet can be predicted simply from knowledge of the diet’s protein and potassium content.”

Potassium-containing foods provide the body with potassium that it can use to create alkaline conditions. Sodium can also support alkaline conditions in the body. In fact, potassium and sodium work together in the sodium-potassium pump that pumps sodium ions out of cells and potassium ions into cells using ATP, and that performs many essential functions, including nutrient transport, cell-volume regulation, and nerve conduction.

Danish chemist Jens Christian Skou shared the 1997 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for having discovered this pump, i.e., the ion-transporting enzyme, Na+, K+ -ATPase in 1957 while at the University of Aarhus in Denmark.

It is notable that most individuals in Western societies obtain more than sufficient sodium and often less than sufficient potassium. Excessive sodium intake is associated with adverse effects on cardiovascular health.

In an interview with Dr. Richard Passwater in 2001, Dr. Richard Moore said: “When I looked at all the published data for both potassium and sodium in the diet—or in the urine which reflects the diet-and then looked at the incidence of hypertension, I could see that, as the K Factor (ratio of potassium to sodium in the diet) got above one or two, there was significantly less hypertension (high blood pressure). Actually a diet with a K Factor of three or above is not bad, but, for practical purposes, I think a K Factor above four is a better goal. Of course, even higher than that would be better in terms of general health. I say this based upon the fact that our ancestors had a K Factor of about 16 to 1 and we evolved having a K Factor something like that.”

Based upon this information, we have chosen a 3:1 ratio of potassium to sodium in the pH Adjust formula so that it consistent with a heart-healthy diet.

MEASURING pH LEVELS

The best way to measure pH levels is to use litmus paper. HPDI offers litmus paper in rolls (Hydrion brand) for this purpose providing about 100 tests per roll. You can test salivary or urinary pH. In order to test salivary pH, simply use a small strip of pH paper to dip into a small amount of saliva. Advantages of pH paper include rapid results, ease of use, and cost effectiveness.

The color of the litmus paper indicates the pH level in saliva. Most litmus paper comes with an indicator chart showing colors corresponding to various pH levels. Alkaline states will generally produce a dark green, blue or purple color (most basic). Acidic states will range from yellow (most acidic) to light green.

Salivary pH and urinary pH are significantly affected by recent food consumption and other factors, so it it best to test pH hours after meals. We prefer to measure urinary pH since results are more consistent. Measuring urinary pH is a simple as placing a few drops of urine on the paper or dipping the paper into a sample cup.

It is best to measure your pH in the morning before consuming foods or drinks. Salivary and urinary pH are affected by recent food consumption, so re-test several hours after eating, and additionally throughout the day.

A consistent pH measurement of less than 7.0 indicates that you are too acidic (values less than 6.2 show extreme acidity). This indicates that you should consume more alkaline forming foods and/or take pH Adjust. A single dose of pH Adjust can change conditions in the body from acidic to alkaline within a few hours.

MINERALS: POTASSIUM, MAGNESIUM, AND SODIUM

As we mentioned, pH Adjust is not primarily formulated to provide minerals or other essential nutrients. HPDI has other products (like multivitamins and single-nutrient formulas) for that purpose.

However, pH Adjust is a mineral providing formula. That is, it provides potassium (in the forms of bicarbonate and glycinate), magnesium (in the form of carbonate), and sodium (in the form of bicarbonate).

And while the levels of potassium (141.6 mg or 4% daily value) and sodium (47.8 mg or 2% daily value) per dose of pH Adjust are relatively small, the level of magnesium is significant (105 mg or 26.3% daily value).

Moreover, the levels of these minerals in pH Adjust are balanced, so that sufficient potassium is obtained relative to sodium, and that sodium remains low in the formula (for reasons previously considered).

Note that the amounts of minerals listed (above) are obtained per dose, so additional doses will correspondingly increase the amounts of minerals. However, multiple doses should not significantly increase sodium levels. For example, more sodium may be obtained from a single salty snack than one or two doses of pH Adjust.

DOSE INFORMATION

One dose is 1/4 teaspoon. For extremely acidic conditions, you can take 4–10 doses per day, depending on the level of acidity and using pH paper as a guide to ensure that pH levels remain balanced. That is, the goal is to balance pH and to not become too alkaline (a condition of alkalosis may occur above pH 8.2).

INFORMATION FROM THE PRODUCT PAGE (INTEGRATEDHEALTH.COM)

pH ADJUST may be used to increase salivary and urinary pH; counteract overly acidic conditions in the digestive tract, blood, and kidneys; and to supplement the body with the minerals potassium, magnesium, and sodium.  The product contains (in powder form) potassium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate, potassium glycinate, and sodium bicarbonate. Each serving (about ¼ tsp) contains about 300 mg of bicarbonate, 260 mg of carbonate, 142 mg of potassium, 105 mg of magnesium, 48 mg of sodium, and 100 mg of glycine.

NUTRITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

The minerals potassium, sodium, and magnesium are key substances that are involved in many important functions in the body. When combined in bicarbonates (potassium & sodium), carbonates (magnesium), and glycinate (potassium) these chemicals can help to adjust and balance pH that are crucial to body function.

The processed food diets with a high protein content consumed by many people in the US and elsewhere produce conditions in the body of acidity. This in turn leads to decreased oxygenation of our cells and a greater use of anaerobic processes in metabolism. This, in turn, leads in inadequate ATP (energy) production and the presence of unwelcome anaerobic cells and organisms.

BICARBONATE

Bicarbonate is a major element in our body. Secreted by the stomach, it is necessary for digestion. When ingested, for example, with mineral water, it helps buffer lactic acid generated during exercise and additionally reduces the acidity of dietary components. Additionally, it has a prevention effect on dental cavities. Each ¼ tsp of pH ADJUST contains about 300 mg of bicarbonate.

Bicarbonate is present in all body fluids and organs and plays a major role in the acid-base balances in the human body. The first organ where food, beverages and water stay in our body is the stomach. The mucus membrane of the human stomach has 30 million glands which produce gastric juice containing not only acids, but also bicarbonate.

The flow of bicarbonate in the stomach amounts from 24.4 mg/hr for a basal output to 73.2 mg/hr for a maximal output. Thus at least 500 mg of bicarbonate is secreted daily in our stomach. This rate of gastric bicarbonate secretion is 2-10% of the maximum rate of acid secretion. In the stomach, bicarbonate participates in a mucus-bicarbonate barrier regarded as the first line of the protective and repair mechanisms. On neutralization by acid, carbon dioxide is produced from bicarbonate.

Effects of ingested bicarbonate: For digestion, bicarbonate is naturally produced by the gastric membrane in the stomach. This production will be low in alkaline conditions and will rise in response to acidity. In healthy individuals this adaptive mechanism will control the pH perfectly. To modify this pH with exogenous doses of bicarbonate, some clinical experiments have been conducted with sodium bicarbonate loads as high as 6 g. Only a transient effect on pH has been obtained. It is quite possible that bicarbonate in water may play a buffering role in the case of people sensitive to gastric acidity. Thus bicarbonate may be helpful for digestion.

The most important effect of bicarbonate ingestion is the change in acid-base balance as well as blood pH and bicarbonate concentration in biological fluids. It has been studied particularly in physically active people. Among the types of acid produced, lactic acid generated during exercise is buffered by bicarbonate. In a study on sports, a dose of 0.3 g per kg of body weight of sodium bicarbonate was given (15.25 g bicarbonate for a man of 70 kg) to subjects before performing 30 minutes cycling. While blood pH was increased and then maintained constant with this bicarbonate load due to the changes in blood bicarbonate concentrations, increased acidity and decreased bicarbonate blood concentration were observed in controlled subjects.

Prevention of renal stones: Bicarbonate also reduces the acidity of dietary components such as proteins. As an example, adding sodium or potassium bicarbonate to subjects on a high protein diet known to acidify urine and leading to hypercalciuria (high level of calcium in urine) has been shown to greatly reduce calcium urinary excretion. The effect has been observed with 5.5 g of bicarbonate supplement received daily for two weeks. A recent study highlights that a bicarbonate-rich mineral water could be useful in the prevention of the recurrence of calcium oxalate and uric acid renal stones.

Controls water absorption: many oral hydration solutions contain bicarbonate showing the usefulness of bicarbonate to control water absorption in patients at risk of dehydration.

Maintains blood pressure: Sodium intake is restricted in patients with hypertension, but it is demonstrated that the accompanying anion, such as bicarbonate, plays an important role. It is now well established that sodium bicarbonate does not raise blood pressure to the same extent as do the corresponding amounts of sodium chloride.

Decreases dental plaque: Bicarbonate has been shown to decrease dental plaque acidity induced by sucrose and its buffering capacity is important to prevent dental cavities. Other studies have shown that bicarbonate inhibits plaque formation on teeth and, in addition, increases calcium uptake by dental enamel.

CARBONATE

pH ADJUST contains about 260 mg of carbonate (and 105 mg of Mg) in the form of magnesium carbonate. Magnesium carbonate is used as an antacid that gets converted to Magnesium Chloride (MgCl) and CO2 by stomach acid. MgCl is a well absorbed form of magnesium.

MINERALS

The functions of the key minerals in pH ADJUST are described below. Each serving (about ¼ tsp) of pH ADJUST contains 142 mg of potassium, 105 mg of magnesium, and 48 mg of sodium.

POTASSIUM BENEFITS

Potassium levels influence multiple physiological processes, including:

• Resting cellular-membrane potential and the propagation of action potentials in neuronal, muscular, and cardiac tissue. Due to the electrostatic and chemical properties, K+ions are larger than Na+ions, and ion channels and pumps in cell membranes can differentiate between the two ions, actively pumping or passively passing one of the two ions while blocking the other.
• Supports hormone secretion and action
• Improves vascular tone
• Regulates systemic blood pressure
• Increases gastrointestinal motility
• Required for acid–base homeostasis
• Supports glucose and insulin metabolism
• Plays role in mineralocorticoid action
• Supports renal concentrating ability
• Regulates fluid and electrolyte balance

MAGNESIUM BENEFITS

Magnesium levels influence many physiological processes and functions. These include:

• Increases energy by greater production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in cells
• Supports production and function of over 300 enzyme systems in the body
• Relaxes muscles / reduces muscle tension
• Boosts vitality, endurance, and strength
• Improves cardiovascular / heart health (relaxes cardiac muscle)
• Relieves pain, including chronic pain
• Ideal for arthritis / fibromyalgia / joint pain
• Improves health of skin and mucous membranes
• Eases headaches and migraine headaches
• In sports medicine — replenishes Mg levels for energy (combats fatigue, and
  soothes pain and sore muscles)
• Improves mood and reduces stress
• Increases memory and cognitive functions
• Boosts immune system
• Improves assimilation of calcium / builds stronger bones
• Balances calcium and magnesium levels in cells
• Proven antimicrobial and antiseptic
• Raises DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) levels naturally
• Eases menopause and premenstrual syndrome (pms)
• Supports healthy libido (and endocrine system)
• Anti-aging, rejuvenating, revitalizing
• Keeps cell membranes flexible
• Controls cholesterol production in the body
• Regulates blood sugar levels / needed for insulin production, transport, and
  function in cells
• Supports antioxidant systems

SODIUM BENEFITS

Sodium levels influence many physiological processes and functions. These include:

• Helps to regulate fluid levels in the human body.
• Preventing sun stroke or heat exhaustion by replacing the loss of essential electrolytes.
• Supports brain function – the brain is very sensitive to change in sodium levels of the body; deficiency of sodium often manifests as confusion and lethargy.
• Along with properly hydrating the body, it is also important to supplement one’s body with mineral-rich juices (including potassium, magnesium and sodium) to prevent muscle cramps.
• Is an important hydrating product that defends against the free radicals that accelerate the aging process.
• Helps to eliminates excess carbon dioxide in the body.
• Helps to facilitate the absorption of glucose by cells, resulting in the smooth transportation of nutrients in the body’s cell membranes.
• Supports acid/base balance by altering the proportions of acid-base alkali phosphates in the body.
• Regulates fluids by balancing the osmotic pressure in the human body
• Shares an association with chlorides and bicarbonates in maintaining a sound balance between positively charged and negatively charged ions.

pH ADJUST PRODUCT DETAILS

COMPOSITION: One gram (about 1/4 tsp) of pH ADJUST provides the following percentages of the Daily Value

Other ingredients:  None

INGREDIENTS: Potassium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate, potassium glycinate, and sodium bicarbonate.

DIRECTIONS: As a dietary supplement, take ¼ tsp in 4–8 ounces of purified water preferably away from food, or as directed by a health care professional.

For extremely acidic conditions (pH consistently less than 6.2), try 4–10 doses per day, depending on acidity level. you may take multiple 1/4 tsp doses at once—we ourselves often take 1 tsp in a single dose. Use pH paper to ensure pH levels remain balanced, and do not become too alkaline (alkalosis may occur above pH 8.2).

DOES NOT CONTAIN: wheat, gluten, rye, barley, oats, corn, yeast, egg, dairy, soy, GMOs, sugar, wax, artificial preservatives, flavorings, or colorings.

SOURCES & RESOURCES

Acid & Alkaline by Herman Aihara

pH Adjust

Litmus Paper (Hydrion)