Researchers from the University of Utah have found that low levels of bicarbonate in the blood could increase the risk of early death in healthy older adults.
The lungs and kidneys, in order to maintain a healthy pH in the body that allows cells to do their work, regulate the amounts of bicarbonate and carbon dioxide in the blood. The research team investigated if abnormal acid-base levels would affect the health of older people.
They analyzed data from the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study, which recruited healthy black and white adults between 70 and 79 years old in 1997. The study participants were followed for an average of about 10 years, and their survival data was recorded until February 2014.
The researchers checked how pH, bicarbonate and carbon dioxide levels impacted the health of the participants. They found that the risk of death for those who had either high or normal bicarbonate blood levels was the same as that of the other groups. However, those with low amounts of bicarbonate in the blood were 24 percent more likely to die compared to the others.
"What we found was that generally healthy older people with low levels of bicarbonate had a higher risk of death," Dr. Kalani Raphael said in a press release. "Adding the pH measurement into the equation didn't change the results, which is important because pH is not routinely measured."
The researchers said that the study results could help healthcare providers identify patients who are at an increased risk for early death by checking their blood bicarbonate levels. Such patients can be advised to eat more fruits and vegetables that can elevate bicarbonate levels in the blood.
The study was published in the January 2016 issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
