All important metabolic processes – enzymatic reactions, transport mechanisms, membrane potential changes, etc. – in our body are dependent on an optimal pH value, which lies between 7.38 and 7.42. To ensure that the pH is permanently in this range, our body has a special regulatory mechanism, the acid-base balance. The goal is homeostasis – the balance between acids and bases – so that all processes in the body can run optimally. It is not uncommon for the acid-base balance to be disturbed, which has a negative effect on all metabolic processes in the body. Acids are produced daily in the various metabolic pathways of the body, and these must be excreted via the lungs, i.e. respiratory, and kidneys, i.e. metabolic, in order to maintain the balance between acids and bases.
The pH of the blood provides information about the current state of the acid-base balance. If the pH is below 7.37, too many acids are present – this is called acidosis. If the pH rises to ranges above 7.43, the bases predominate, which is referred to as alkalosis.
Disorders of the acid-base balance can be divided into five groups
- Metabolic alkalosis
- Metabolic acidosis
- Latent metabolic acidosis*
- Respiratory alkalosis
- Respiratory acidosis
* A special form is latent metabolic acidosis: here the homeostasis – the balance – of pH is still preserved in its narrow limits of 7.38 and 7.42.
To some extent, the body has compensatory mechanisms. Respiratory (breathing-related) disturbances are compensated metabolically, that is, by metabolic processes; metabolic disturbances, that is, metabolic disturbances, are compensated respiratorily, that is, by breathing. However, it is always important to recognize and treat the disease underlying the acid-base disorder, because this is the only way to stabilize the acid-base balance in the long term.
A stable balance between acids and bases guarantees that all important processes in the body can run optimally.
