What lowers the pH value?

Also a lowering of the pH value, called acidosis, i.e. hyperacidity, can be caused by changes in breathing and metabolism.

Altered respiration: In the case of acidosis caused by a change in breathing (respiratory acidosis), there is a reduced exhalation of carbon dioxide. Disturbance of the gas exchange in the lungs or a disturbance of the respiration itself, i.e. a reduced respiratory frequency or depth of breath can be the cause.
A complete respiratory arrest, in which oxygen is consumed in the tissue by cellular respiration and carbon dioxide is produced but not removed, has a particularly strong effect.
Metabolic changes: In acidosis caused by metabolism, the so-called metabolic acidosis, a particularly frequent cause is strong muscular strain. In this case, increased acidic lactate is produced by the sugar metabolism, resulting in lactate acidosis.
Diabetes mellitus type 1: In diabetes mellitus type 1, i.e. an absolute lack of insulin, the body can no longer use sugar for energy production if insulin substitution is inadequate. The metabolism helps itself by making use of the fat reserves.
Acidic ketone bodies are formed as a metabolic product and this results in ketoacidosis.
Chamfered: When chamfered the metabolic situation is similar, no carbohydrates are supplied and the body falls back also here to the fat reserves.
Diarrhea: Another relatively common cause of an acidic metabolic condition is a long-lasting or severe diarrhea. In diarrhea, more alkaline substances are excreted from the small intestine and the body becomes more acidic.

If the blood pH is elevated, the body also tries to compensate for this. If the increase results from hyperventilation, metabolic processes are activated in the body to counteract this increase.

The main mechanism of this compensation lies in the increased excretion of bicarbonate, the salt of carbonic acid. Carbonic acid is formed when carbon dioxide is dissolved in water and is, as the name suggests, acidic. The salt of an acid is basic and the increased excretion of a base then leads to a decrease in the pH value.

In summary, a healthy person does not need to lower or increase his or her pH value. The body’s control mechanisms ensure a constant pH value. In case of diseases and derailments that are accompanied by a threatening change in the pH value, a therapy to correct the pH value is necessary to maintain the functions of the body.

A lowered pH value in the blood promotes the release of oxygen to the tissue, but at the same time the oxygen is also less well bound to the blood in the lungs, which can lead to an undersupply. A lowered pH leads to an increase in the potassium concentration in the blood; this change can also lead to cardiac arrhythmia. An increase in potassium also leads to muscle weakness, but through a permanent excitation of the muscles. In the long term this can lead to paralysis.