is maintaining fluid balance in our body and maintaining pH balance in our body the same?
Answers
Answer:
Your body’s pH balance, also referred to as its acid-base balance, is the level of acids and bases in your blood at which your body functions best.
The human body is built to naturally maintain a healthy balance of acidity and alkalinity. The lungs and kidneys play a key role in this process. A normal blood pH level is 7.40 on a scale of 0 to 14, where 0 is the most acidic and 14 is the most basic. This value can vary slightly in either direction.
Answer:
Although the pH of blood ranges from 7.35-7.45, the pH of other body fluids is different. pH indicates the level of H+ ions, where low pH indicates too many H+ ions and high pH indicates too many OH- ions. If the pH levels drop below 6.9, it can lead to coma. However, different body fluids have different pH values. The pH of saliva is ranges from 6.5 to 7.5. After swallowing, the food reaches the stomach where upper and lower parts of stomach have different pH values. The upper part has a pH of 4−6.5, while the lower part is highly acidic with a pH of 1.5−4.0. It then enters the intestine which is slightly alkaline, with a pH of 7−8.5. Maintaining the pH values of different regions is critical for their function.
pH of the gastrointestinal tract. Esophagus, stomach, duodenum, small intestine, colon. Image Credit: Timonina / Shutterstock
pH of the gastrointestinal tract. Esophagus, stomach, duodenum, small intestine, colon. Image Credit: Timonina / Shutterstock
Impact of Altering the pH Balance
Different organs function at their optimal level of pH. For example, the enzyme pepsin requires low pH to act and break down food, while the enzymes in intestine require high pH or alkaline environment to function. Similarly, any increase or decrease in the blood pH can lead to several disorders.
Maintaining the Body pH
pH is maintained in the body using primarily three mechanisms: buffer systems, respiratory control, and renal control.
Proteins form a part of the buffer system to regulate the pH levels. These proteins can act as H+ acceptors or donors because of the presence of basic or acidic groups. Similarly phosphate buffers also help in moderating the levels of pH. Buffers may help in regulating pH during minor physiological changes, such as during breath holding (which increases the CO2 in the blood), exercise (which increases lactic acid in the blood), or when gastric acid is secreted