Metabolic Acidosis: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment (original) (raw)

What is metabolic acidosis?

Metabolic acidosis is when acids build up in your body fluids.

Metabolic acidosis can develop if you have too many acids in your blood that wipe out bicarbonate (high anion gap metabolic acidosis) or if you lose too much bicarbonate in your blood as a result of kidney disease or kidney failure (normal anion gap metabolic acidosis).

Bicarbonate is a base. It’s a form of carbon dioxide — a waste byproduct after your body converts food to energy.

An anion gap is the difference between the positive and negative electric charges in the electrolytes in your blood. Electrolytes are ions that help regulate many metabolic processes in your body, such as bringing nutrients into your cells and taking waste products out of your cells. Examples of electrolytes include sodium, calcium, potassium, chloride and phosphate.

Who does metabolic acidosis affect?

Metabolic acidosis can affect anyone. However, it commonly affects people who have kidney failure (renal failure) or chronic (long-lasting) kidney disease.

What happens to your body if you have metabolic acidosis?

Your body must have a specific pH balance to function properly. The pH scale is the levels of acids and bases in your blood. The pH scale ranges from 0 (very acidic) to 14 (very basic or alkaline). A normal pH range in your blood is from 7.35 to 7.45.

Your kidneys and lungs help maintain a proper pH balance. Your kidneys remove excess acids and bases from your blood through your urine (pee). Your lungs regulate the amount of carbon dioxide in your blood.

Metabolic acidosis occurs when your body produces too much acid, or your kidneys don’t remove enough acids from your blood.