Three Health Risks of a High Acidic Diet

Three Health Risks of a High Acidic Diet

riskfactors

There really aren’t many situations where the word “acid” has a positive connotation.  After all, most people are well aware of the negative effects of acid reflux and heartburn.  However, when it comes to a diet that is regularly high in acidic foods, there are actually several negative risks to the body.  Here are three examples:

Kidney Failure
A new study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology says that high levels of dietary acid were major factors in the progression of kidney failure.  Specifically they found that patients with high levels of acid in their diet were three times more likely to develop it.

Dr. Tanushree Banerjee (UC San Francisco) recommends people play close attention to the amount of high acidic foods in the diet in order to reduce the risks. “The high costs and suboptimal quality of life that dialysis treatments bring may be avoided by adopting a more healthy diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables,” she said.

Metabolic Syndrome
The Mayo Clinic describes Metabolic Syndrome as a cluster of conditions that includes high blood pressure, excess fat around the waistline, and abnormal levels of cholesterol.  These conditions are key contributors to two other major health problems – heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

New research conducted by the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis finds that uric acid can disrupt the normal flow of your metabolism.

Senior author, Kelle H. Moley, MD, also noted specific attention to the presence of fructose in a diet.  “There’s a growing feeling that uric acid is a cause, not a consequence, of metabolic syndrome. And now we know fructose directly makes uric acid in the liver,” she said.

Tooth Enamel Erosion
High acidic diets can also develop problems in your mouth.  High concentrations of carbonated drinks, wine, fruit juices and sweets can affect the health of your teeth structure.  In fact, acid reflux itself can cause significant damage.

Outside of controlling the amount of high acid food and drinks in your diet, there are several other things you can do to prevent tooth erosion.  One key strategy is simply not letting acidic foods linger in your mouth for long periods of time.

If you have additional concerns about the impacts of acidic foods or how they might be impacting your daily life, contact us at Houston Heartburn or 832-324-3200.