pH Testing
Alkalinity vs Acidity Through Blood Testing
At Wellness Perth Natural Medicine, we utilise validated and accurate blood testing markers to
assess systemic blood pH.
It has been long confirmed saliva pH testing strips are not a medically reliable pH assessment, and urinary pH testing is a dynamic marker reflective of immediate dietary intake rather than systemic pH.
We utilise reliable blood test pathology markers of Fasting Anion Gap and Fasting Bicarbonate to assess medium term blood pH and the effect on our patients’ health, alongside the shorter-term urinary pH for dietary intake assessment.
Anion gap is a blood test known as an immediate reflection of the overall acidity of the body’s blood pH.
Bicarbonate is a blood test utilised as one of the body’s last buffer reserves of blood pH, and hence reflects how much “buffering” the patient’s body has “left” to deal with acidity load and exposure.
We find many patients initially have an elevated anion gap and reduced bicarbonate levels indicating chronic mild metabolic acidosis. These markers together provide a clear and reliable reference to be able to improve, alkalise, and accurately retest our patients’ pH for long-term health.
What is pH important for?
The body’s acid-alkaline balance is vital for overall health. Although the stomach needs to be highly acidic to be able to break down foods, the rest of the body functions best when in a slightly alkaline state.
The body has protective mechanisms in place to maintain the correct pH. One of these methods is to draw calcium out of the bones and into the blood stream. Calcium is an alkalising mineral and alkalises the blood back to where it needs to be in an acidic situation, however this may leave the bones susceptible to excessive calcium loss and osteoporosis.
Balancing the pH of the body may help support a healthy immune response and modulate systemic inflammation. Reducing acidity also relieves pressure on kidney health and supports healthy detoxification pathways.
pH impacts almost every area of health!
Acidic pH may play a role in:
- Loss of calcium from bones and osteoporosis.
- Difficulty losing weight.
- Insulin resistance, hypoglycaemia, and blood sugar issues.
- Unhealthy cholesterol levels.
- Poor electrolyte balance and poor heart function.
- Adrenal stress and elevated cortisol.
- Hypertension (high blood pressure).
- Poor oxygenation levels.
- Premature Aging.
- Kidney function decline.
- Fatigue and lack of energy.
- Poor detoxification ability.
- Poor digestive function.
- Chronic kidney disease.
- Poor immunity.
- Metabolic acidosis.