What Do I Do if My Body is Too Alkaline?

December 21, 2025 •

3 min read

The human body tightly controls blood pH within a narrow range of 7.35 to 7.45. Alkalosis, a condition where the body becomes too alkaline, can result from various factors, including underlying medical conditions and certain medications.

Quick Summary

Learn the symptoms, causes, and treatments for alkalosis, encompassing both metabolic and respiratory types. Understand the medical interventions and lifestyle changes needed to address this potentially dangerous condition.

Key Points

Seek medical help: If you suspect alkalosis, get a professional medical evaluation immediately rather than self-treating.
Find the cause: Treatment depends on the type of alkalosis: metabolic (excess bicarbonate or acid loss) or respiratory (low CO2 from hyperventilation).
Ignore the 'alkaline diet': Dietary changes do not significantly affect your body's tightly controlled blood pH and are not a valid treatment for alkalosis.
Address underlying conditions: Treating the cause, such as severe vomiting, diuretic use, or anxiety, is essential to correct the pH imbalance.
Replenish electrolytes and fluids: Based on the type of alkalosis, doctors may recommend replacing lost electrolytes like potassium and chloride via supplements or IV fluids.

What is Alkalosis?

Alkalosis occurs when the body's pH rises above the normal range of 7.35 to 7.45, making the blood too alkaline. While the body uses the lungs and kidneys to maintain this balance, certain issues can disrupt these systems. Alkalosis primarily falls into two categories: metabolic and respiratory. Identifying the specific type and its origin is essential for effective treatment.

Symptoms of Being Too Alkaline

Symptoms of alkalosis can vary widely depending on the type and severity. Some cases may present no noticeable symptoms, while severe instances can be life-threatening.

Common symptoms include:

Numbness or tingling in the face, hands, or feet
Muscle twitching or spasms
Hand tremors
Nausea and/or vomiting
Lightheadedness or dizziness
Feeling confused or agitated

Severe cases can lead to:

Seizures
Cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythm)
Stupor or coma
Difficulty breathing

Key Causes of Alkalosis

Metabolic Alkalosis: This type results from excess bicarbonate in the blood or a significant loss of hydrogen (acid) ions. Frequent causes include excessive vomiting or gastric suction (loss of stomach acid), overuse of diuretics, dehydration, low potassium (hypokalemia), and excessive use of antacids.

Respiratory Alkalosis: Respiratory alkalosis arises from a low level of carbon dioxide in the blood, often due to hyperventilation. Causes encompass anxiety or panic attacks, fever or pain, high altitudes, and certain liver or lung diseases.

Medical and Lifestyle Strategies for Reversing Alkalosis

Immediate Actions and When to See a Doctor If you experience persistent tingling, muscle cramps, or confusion, consult a healthcare professional immediately. Severe symptoms such as seizures, profound confusion, or irregular heartbeat require immediate emergency room care. A doctor can identify the cause using tests like an arterial blood gas analysis and an electrolyte panel.

Chloride-Responsive Alkalosis Treatment This type often stems from fluid or chloride loss. Treatments might involve intravenous saline (sodium chloride) in a hospital setting, increased salt intake in milder cases, and fluid replacement for rehydration.

Chloride-Resistant Alkalosis Treatment This form generally results from more severe conditions and does not respond to saline. Treatment frequently involves potassium replacement, as it often correlates with potassium deficiency (hypokalemia). The primary treatment concentrates on addressing the root cause, which may require significant medical intervention for conditions like adrenal disease or kidney failure.

Respiratory Alkalosis Treatment Treatment for respiratory alkalosis addresses the cause of hyperventilation. For panic-induced hyperventilation, controlled breathing techniques or breathing into a paper bag can help raise carbon dioxide levels. If the cause is pain or fever, treating these issues will help normalize breathing.

Alkalosis vs. Acidosis: A Comparison Table


Feature	Alkalosis	Acidosis
Blood pH	Higher than 7.45 (too alkaline)	Lower than 7.35 (too acidic)
Cause (General)	Excess base or loss of acid	Excess acid or loss of base
Metabolic Type	Caused by high bicarbonate levels or loss of gastric acid via vomiting	Caused by overproduction of acid or loss of bicarbonate (e.g., severe diarrhea)
Respiratory Type	Caused by hyperventilation leading to low carbon dioxide	Caused by hypoventilation leading to high carbon dioxide
Common Symptoms	Tingling, muscle twitching, nausea, confusion	Shortness of breath, fatigue, confusion
Severe Complications	Seizures, arrhythmias, coma	Kidney damage, coma

The Alkaline Diet and Your Body's pH

While some suggest dietary changes can alter body pH, this is inaccurate. The body's buffering systems maintain a tight blood pH range. The alkaline diet promotes healthy foods but its claim of preventing illness by changing blood pH lacks scientific support. A balanced, nutrient-dense diet is more effective than focusing on the unproven acid-ash theory.

Conclusion

Suspecting your body is too alkaline warrants professional diagnosis and treatment. Alkalosis cannot be treated with home remedies or dietary fads. Consult a healthcare provider to determine the cause (metabolic or respiratory) and receive appropriate medical intervention. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent complications like seizures or heart rhythm abnormalities.

For more in-depth medical information on alkalosis, consult the National Institutes of Health(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545269/).

Frequently Asked Questions

The normal, healthy pH range for human blood is narrow, typically between 7.35 and 7.45. Anything above this range is considered alkaline (alkalosis), and anything below is acidic (acidosis).

Yes, excessive anxiety can lead to hyperventilation (rapid breathing), which causes you to exhale too much carbon dioxide. This results in respiratory alkalosis.

The most common causes include severe or prolonged vomiting, leading to loss of stomach acid, and overuse of certain diuretics ('water pills'), increasing the kidneys' acid excretion.

Seek immediate emergency medical attention for severe symptoms, including seizures, profound confusion, an irregular heartbeat, or difficulty breathing.

No. While proponents claim alkaline water can alter body pH, your body's buffering systems prevent dietary changes from significantly affecting blood pH. There is no scientific evidence that drinking alkaline water can treat or prevent alkalosis.

Treatment varies. For chloride-responsive alkalosis, saline (salt) infusions can help. For chloride-resistant alkalosis, often associated with potassium deficiency, potassium replacement is necessary. The underlying cause must always be addressed.

Managing underlying medical conditions, avoiding diuretic and antacid overuse, staying hydrated, and controlling anxiety can all help prevent alkalosis.