Sports and de-acidification
(Top) athletes are familiar with the acidification process of the body and muscles after some time of their top performances. Even the less advanced athletes and recreationalists, such as cyclists, skaters and hikers know what muscle pain is. But are you aware that you can easily prevent acidification of the body and muscles so you can enjoy your favorite activity longer?
What causes muscle acidification?
During physical overload due to for example cycling, skating, walking and running, the muscles burn more nutrients than normal. The heart needs to pump faster to meet the demand for oxygen and nutrients.
Over time, due to the continuous physical overload, an insufficient supply of oxygen occurs whereby combustion can hardly take place anymore. During this phase, lactic acid is released as the body burns sugars (glucose) to provide for the increased energy requirement. The lactic acids accumulate in the body and muscles, causing them to acidify.
This is also the reason why top athletes sometimes get extra oxygen after a lot of physical effort to re-start the oxygen-based combustion and to prevent acidification.
Sodium bicarbonate dissolves acids in the body and muscles
Normally, the body-like substance sodium bicarbonate dissolves excess lactic acids in the body and muscles. Under normal body load, sufficient bicarbonates are present in the blood to balance the acid balance.
However, in case of physical overload, a surplus of lactic acids with respect to bicarbonates causes the acid balance to pass in the acidic direction. The surplus of acids causes muscle pain, fatigue, loss of orientation and coordination.
De-acidify by increasing the “bicarbonates” in the blood
An easy way to prevent acidification from physical overload is by increasing the amount of bicarbonates in the blood. The bicarbonates in the blood are also called the “alkaline buffers”. By increasing the alkaline buffers, they will neutralize and discharge the excess lactic acids.
You can effectively supply the body with sodium bicarbonate in 2 ways:
- Drinking alkaline water. Alkaline water is water with a high pH value. You can easily produce alkaline water by adding 3 drops of Alka® Drops to a glass of water. If you drink the alkaline water, the stomach will produce sodium bicarbonate through the stomach wall cells that is absorbed directly into the blood.
- Taking Alka® Tabs. You take the tablets after you ate something. Thanks to a unique coating that encases the tablet, it passes the stomach without being affected by gastric acid. The tablet will gradually dissolve in the intestines. The sodium bicarbonate is then released into the blood through the intestinal wall.
