What science says about Alkaline Diet For Chronic Inflammation

There are different opinions expressed among various medical and health experts about the alkaline diet usefulness to treat inflammation. The main subjects of debate are mainly related to the science behind the diet claiming that inflammation can’t exist in an alkaline environment, in addition to the diet theory claiming that food can influence the blood pH. To learn more about this, you can check our section on the opinion of science about the alkaline diet. 

Furthermore, many medical experts do agree that the alkaline diet is beneficiary for inflammation but they don’t relate this to the alkalinity factor but instead to the healthy foods and vegetables contained in the diet and that can fight inflammation. 

However, several medical experts argue that this diet excludes very important acidic food nutrients that are very effective in treating inflammation. This is actually due to these foods anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties which is not related to their acidic or alkaline status. 

Opinion in favor of following an alkaline diet to treat inflammation:

Several medical doctors and health care professional recommend the alkaline diet as a mean of decreasing inflammation and reducing the production of toxins that accompanies this condition. They believe that eating alkaline producing foods such as fruits and vegetables makes the body’s blood pH more alkaline, and hence can help controlling inflammation. 

This is mainly based on the belief that inflammation do exist and can only develop in an alkaline blood pH environment. 
Research is still limited on this subject and clear scientific proof linking the alkaline diet to reduced inflammation is still absent. However, there’s growing evidence that metabolic acidosis play an important role in the development and maintenance of the immune system, including inflammation. 

Subsequently, current research available provides specific correlation of dietary patterns with inflammation and not the direct association of the alkaline diet with inflammation. 
For example, a study by Esmaillzadeh et al. (2007) showed significant association between a western diet, which is high in processed foods, meat, high salt foods and increased inflammation. In comparison a western diet, being the opposite of an alkaline diet, is believed to increase in blood acidity. 

Skeptical views about following an alkaline diet to treat inflammation:

On the other hand, opponents of the alkaline diet provide several established evidences and recommendations set by high-grade institutions endorsing foods that are acid forming to reduce inflammation. 

For instance, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends intake of omega-3 to decrease inflammation (Basu et al., 2006). However, omega-3 which is mainly found in fish, is considered to be an acid metabolite producing food according to the alkaline diet supporters. 

Opponents of the alkaline diet also state that this type of diet is not effective in reducing inflammation based on the claim that it normalizes the blood’s pH level. They argue that there are physiological facts that show that the human body is capable of maintaining a normal pH level due to the kidneys and respiratory system, which regulate this process and that any slight change in this pH is a cause of major health issues and serious medical conditions. 

Therefore, it is believed that no matter what is consumed by the body, the blood pH is going to stay the same, and hence the alkaline diet is of no use for reducing inflammation or any other condition.