• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Click here to download the  free ebook of Alberto Juantorena’s  detailed training workouts leading up to the 1976 Montreal Olympics

SpeedEndurance.com

Success in Track & Field ... and Life

  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Track & Field
    • 400 meters
    • 800m & Mile
    • 1/2 & Full Marathons
    • Long & Triple Jump
    • Hurdles
  • Training
    • Weight Training
    • Abs & Core
    • Injury Prevention
    • Shoes & Spikes
    • Masters
  • Coaching
    • Freelap Friday Five
    • Interviews
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Sport Psychology
  • Archives
  • Shop
    • My account
    • Checkout
    • Basket

Acidosis, Acidic and Alkaline Diets

You are here: Home / Health & Wellness / Acidosis, Acidic and Alkaline Diets
2
SHARES
FacebookTwitter

March 31, 2010 by Jimson Lee Leave a Comment

Last Updated on November 30, 2011 by Jimson Lee

Being a 400m sprinter, I know a lot about lactic acid.

Actually, acidosis or the increase of hydrogen H+ ions is the proper term.

Luckily, a good aerobic base and cool down after the workout will flush the lactic acid out.  The better your circulation, red blood cells, and oxygen uptake, the better you clear it out.  And you wonder why some World Class sprinters take EPO?

But acidosis has nothing to do with an acidic diet, which may confuse people.

Let’s change the topic.

The past year has been flooded with Green Tea, Alkaline diets, and ionized water promotions. If you don’t believe me, check your SPAM folder!

Why?

Because the average North American diet is high in coffee, protein, dairy products, and grains… all of which attribute to an acidic diet.

Read Never Be Sick Again by Raymond Francis… in a way, I think he’s onto something with reducing and eliminating certain food groups.  But giving up white bread and white flour pasta in Italy?  I’ll be so unpopular.

The result from a long term acidic diet is low grade chronic metabolic acidosis, and it gets worse with age, probably from aging kidneys, as well as the other aging organs in your body… including that one!

The 2 big side effects from metabolic acidosis are:

  1. Osteoporosis from hypercalciuria (high concentrations of calcium in the urine).  You guessed it, the calcium loss is coming from the bones!
  2. Proteolysis from negative nitrogen balance.  You guessed it again, the glutamine loss is coming from the muscles!
See also  Buying Vitamins - All are not Created Equal

What can you do about it?

  1. Add Glutamine.  You could add 5 grams to your protein shakes or post recovery workout as an insurance policy.
  2. Add Baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) or simply take Tums or Rolaids after “acidic” meals.  When you make Sunday morning pancakes, add an extra heaping of Cow Brand or Arm and Hammer to the mix.
  3. Add Salt (for sodium).  Being in Rome, I am shocked to see how much salt they put in the water to boil pasta.  Yes, pasta!  But a diet high in sodium has its ill effects too, so it’s not recommended.
  4. Add more Fruits and Vegetables… they are the best acid-neutralizers foods out there!  Make your Mother proud… eat more veggies.  It will be better than any pill or powder out there!

I’m not saying the alkaline diet is the answer to long life or personal bests when to you reach the M65 age group, but an acidic diet can potentially cause more harm than good.  The effects will vary from person to person.

As always, when in doubt, consult your physician first.

Category iconHealth & Wellness,  Recovery,  Sports Nutrition,  Supplements Tag iconAcidic Diet,  Acidosis,  Alkaline Diet

About Jimson Lee

I am a Masters Athlete and Coach currently based in London UK. My other projects include the Bud Winter Foundation, writer for the IAAF New Studies in Athletics Journal (NSA) and a member of the Track & Field Writers of America.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Recommended

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xbs-aWxyLk

Shop Our Store

  • Bud Winter (9)
  • Championship Productions (6)
  • Clyde Hart (2)
  • Derek Hansen (1)
  • Electrical Muscle Stimulation (2)
  • Jim Hiserman (6)
  • Jimson Lee (4)
  • Uncategorised (0)

Articles by Category

Products

  • Jim Hiserman - Developing 800m Runners: Identifying, Categorizing and Developing 400m-800m Type Athletes $42.99 $39.99
  • Private Coaching - Monthly Plan $600.00 $525.00
  • Jim Hiserman-Developing-Distance-Runnersv2 Jim Hiserman - Developing Distance Runners Volume 2: A Systematic Approach to Developing Individual Success within a Dynamic Team Culture $34.95 $29.95
  • Feed-the-Cats-Clinic-3-Pack-701 'Feed the Cats' Clinic 3-Pack $64.99
  • Tony Holler's Feed the Cats": A Complete Sprint Training Program Tony Holler's "Feed the Cats" Complete Sprint Training Program $49.99
  • Bud Winter and Speed City presents Arthur Lydiard 509x716 Bud Winter & Arthur Lydiard MP3 [Download only] $9.99

RECENT POSTS

  • Oregon22 Coaches Club now Online
  • IFAC 2022: The Return of In-Person Conferences (with Virtual option)
  • Here is our 400m Discussion Recording… over 2 Hours Long
  • The Best Free Coaching Book – post Beijing 2022 Olympics
  • The Ultimate 400m Track Webinar for Coaches & Athletes
  • NACAC Athletics Coaching Science Series 2022
  • Top Six 400m Predictor Workouts (Number 4 is my Favourite)
  • Best 6 Podcasts for 2021 (and Beyond)
  • Why Karsten Warholm’s 45.94 400mH WR is my Highlight of 2021
  • Sprinting: 10 Research Articles for Effective Sprint Training [Part 23]

Copyright © 2023. SpeedEndurance.com is owned and operated by Aryta Ltd. Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}