Basic information on the mechanisms regulating the human acid-base balance. To maintain homeostasis, the human body employs many physiological adaptations. One of these is maintaining an acid-base balance. In the absence of pathological states, the pH of the human body ranges between 7.35 to 7.45, with the average at 7.40. Why this number? Why not a neutral number of 7.0 instead of a slightly alkaline 7.40? A pH at this level is ideal for many biological processes, one of the most important being the oxygenation of blood. Also, many of the intermediates of biochemical reactions in the body become ionized at a neutral pH, which causes the utilization of these intermediates to be more difficult.

A pH below 7.35 is an acidemia, and a pH above 7.45 is an alkalemia.  Due to the importance of sustaining a pH level in the needed narrow range, the human body contains compensatory mechanisms. This discussion intends to impart a basic understanding of acid-base balance in the body while providing a systematic way to approach patients who present with conditions causing alterations in pH.