Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Many human metabolic functions only run smoothly if the acid level in the body remains neutral and stable. For humans, normal blood pH values lie between 7.35 and 7.45. By way of comparison, an empty stomach is extremely acidic, with a pH value of 1.5.
The body constantly monitors this narrow pH band and quickly restores the ideal pH values in the event of any deviations. This is because many proteins cease to function properly if fluids in the body become even slightly more acidic. These proteins become unstable and alter their structure or interactions with other proteins, causing entire metabolic pathways to break down.
People with type 1 diabetes are particularly at risk of high acid levels. Their bodies produce no insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, so their cells cannot absorb any glucose from the blood and have to tap into another energy source: fat reserves. In doing so, the liver produces beta-hydroxybutyrate, an acid which supplies the muscles and brain with energy via the bloodstream. If the body continues to use fat reserves for energy, however, this produces so much acid that the blood's pH value plummets while the sugar molecules circulate in the blood unused. If the lack of insulin is not noticed or treated in time, people with type 1 diabetes can die from ketoacidosis – metabolic shock resulting from an excess of beta-hydroxybutyrate.
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-08-sensitive-acid-sensor-insulin-production.html
Interesting 🙂
The body constantly monitors this narrow pH band and quickly restores the ideal pH values in the event of any deviations. This is because many proteins cease to function properly if fluids in the body become even slightly more acidic. These proteins become unstable and alter their structure or interactions with other proteins, causing entire metabolic pathways to break down.
People with type 1 diabetes are particularly at risk of high acid levels. Their bodies produce no insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, so their cells cannot absorb any glucose from the blood and have to tap into another energy source: fat reserves. In doing so, the liver produces beta-hydroxybutyrate, an acid which supplies the muscles and brain with energy via the bloodstream. If the body continues to use fat reserves for energy, however, this produces so much acid that the blood's pH value plummets while the sugar molecules circulate in the blood unused. If the lack of insulin is not noticed or treated in time, people with type 1 diabetes can die from ketoacidosis – metabolic shock resulting from an excess of beta-hydroxybutyrate.
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-08-sensitive-acid-sensor-insulin-production.html
Interesting 🙂
