How Minerals are Responsible for pH Balance

See our full line of External pH Balancing products

See our full line of Internal pH Balancing products

A recent seven-year study conducted at the University of California, San Francisco, on 9,000 women showed that those who have chronic acidosis are at greater risk for bone loss than those who have normal pH levels. The scientists who carried out this experiment believe that many of the hip fractures (prevalent among middle-aged women) are connected to high acidity, caused by a diet rich in animal foods and low in vegetables. This is because the body borrows calcium from the bones in order to balance pH.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

To keep your pH in balance, your body has natural buffering systems that require adequate mineral reserves. Because our society is starving for minerals that are lacking in our food chain, the buffering systems are under-performing. Without adequate mineral supplies, your body cannot compensate for excess acids. The buffering systems use primarily calcium and magnesium, plus sodium and potassium. Sulfur and phosphorus are involved in large amounts in metabolic processes. Trace minerals are referred to as such because they are required in smaller amounts, not because they are of lesser importance.

When your body is low on mineral reserves (most of us are), acidic events such as ingesting refined foods, cigarettes & alcohol, environmental toxins, lack of sleep, and stress will take your body out of balance for extended periods. With this continual exposure to acidic conditions, caused by low mineral reserves, your body’s buffering systems are unable to correct your pH balance.

When your body is unable to excrete all the acidic compounds, it accumulates and stores them inside cells, causing an acidic cellular pH. To compensate and balance your overall ionic content, your blood becomes more alkaline, because for every molecule of stored cellular acid, an alkaline molecule needs to be put into the blood, to later escort the acid from your body. This is the body's amazing compensatory mechanism at work.

When your blood is overly alkaline, it becomes saturated with oxygen. Overly alkaline blood holds onto oxygen, unable to release it, thus depriving your cells. This cellular oxygen deficiency is the perfect environment for many serious diseases to thrive. With overloaded buffering systems, more acid accumulates in your bodily fluids. In its initial attempt to compensate, your body will use easily reacting potassium, magnesium and sodium to normalize pH levels. In later stages, calcium (the most alkaline mineral) is drawn out of your bones into your blood, in an effort to restore normal pH. This is called free calcium excess, brought about by an increasing acidic cellular environment throughout the body. This is the cause of osteoporosis (calcium taken out), and arthritis (calcium settling in wrong places).

The body will always seek to balance its pH, even at the expense of its own long term health. The door is open to a host of serious diseases, including faster aging.

Four Minerals that Control Your Autonomic Nervous System

Calcium and Magnesium regulate the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) which controls our “fight or flight” reaction.
SNS is stimulated by calcium, and inhibited by magnesium. Imbalance causes SNS dominance, an uptight nervous, jittery person. Magnesium will calm you down and bring back your sunny personality.

Potassium and Sodium regulate the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), which controls our "rest & digest" reaction.
PSNS is stimulated by potassium, and inhibited by sodium. Imbalance causes PSNS dominance (quite rare) a lethargic, tired, slow moving person. Supplementing potassium will revive you out of the evening fatigue.

The Result of Mineral Imbalance on Your Autonomic Nervous System

Free excess calcium will over-stimulate your SNS, because there’s insufficient magnesium to balance. Potassium is depleted, so the PSNS cannot be properly stimulated to offset the SNS. If you have an acidic cellular environment and free excess calcium, you’ll have an imbalance between the SNS and the PSNS of your autonomic nervous system. This can cause you to be hyperactive, quick to anger, nervous & jittery, and burnt out (like many people in our fast paced society). If pushed to the extreme, a person may appear to be PSNS dominant (lethargic, tired & slow), but this is very rare. This person is past SNS dominance into utter exhaustion.

Magnesium to Calcium Ratio

This ratio between calcium and magnesium is very important in dealing with the cause and prevention of a number of disorders, including cardiovascular, heart and blood pressure illnesses. The absorption and metabolism of magnesium depends upon calcium intake, and vice versa. The balance between these two minerals is extremely important. In view of the overwhelming benefits of magnesium, the traditional ratio of approximately 2 parts calcium to 1 part magnesium needs to be revised. The ideal ratio for most people's needs is equal amounts of calcium and magnesium. If calcium consumption is high, then magnesium intake also needs to be high.

Note: The trace mineral boron plays a part in preventing the urinary loss of magnesium and calcium. Also, silicon aids in calcium absorption.

Drinking Water’s Contribution to Your Magnesium Levels

Drinking water can significantly contribute to magnesium intake. Hard water can supply 9% to 29% of your daily magnesium intake, but the ratio between magnesium and calcium in drinking water is of considerable significance. The ideal ratio for most people's needs is an equal ratio of calcium and magnesium.

In a survey of 25 cities in the U.S., the lowest death rates from heart disease were found in areas where the drinking water supplied above average levels of magnesium. Part of Texas has the highest levels of magnesium in drinking water, and also the lowest cardiovascular mortality rates in the U.S. Australia has some of the lowest drinking water magnesium levels, and also the highest cardiovascular death rate in the world.

Misconceptions Regarding Calcium and Magnesium Supplementation

A common misunderstanding is that your daily requirement of calcium should be taken in supplemental form. Many doctors suggest calcium supplementation of 1200mg a day. This creates a risk: too much total calcium from your diet and supplements together can lead to dangerous plaque on your arteries & kidneys, and gallstones. A supplement’s purpose should be to increase your total intake of calcium (diet + supplements) to the optimum.

The problem with the most common forms of calcium supplementation is the lack of absorption. This depends on many factors such as the type of calcium used (carbonate, citrate or chelate), amount of protein in your diet, and co-factors such as magnesium, boron, silica and vitamin D. Ideally, your intake of calcium and magnesium should be equal. This allows proper absorption of both minerals, leading you to far better health. The majority of North Americans get enough calcium from diet, but their intake of magnesium and silicon is often inadequate, causing calcium malabsorption.

Don’t Use Calcium Supplements from an Antacid

The New England Journal of Medicine reported a study in which postmenopausal women were given an antacid to neutralize the acid that is produced by a high protein diet. Researchers saw significant improvements in the bone retention of calcium & phosphorus, in less than 3 weeks. Unfortunately, many of the women had digestive problems resulting from this therapy. Antacids have been shown to seriously reduce nutrient bioavailability. A more sensible conclusion would have us eat less protein, and more fruits & vegetables.