Is the literal sourpuss an urban legend?

The idea that the body could become “acidic” has been popping up remarkably often in recent years. In conversations about health, in dietary advice, and on social media, it is almost presented as something you need to take into account.

That is hardly surprising. With symptoms that are difficult to pinpoint, persistent skin, fatigue, or a body that does not seem to recover properly, the need for a clear explanation is great. Acidification then sounds like a logical and manageable answer.

Those who drink warm water with lemon in the morning often do so simply because it feels healthy. Within the realm of alkalizing, however, such a habit quickly takes on a much greater significance: as a way to bring the body back into balance. A small ritual, with a remarkably great promise.

A theory with a life of its own

The concept of deacidification does not originate from conventional medicine, but from nutritional hypotheses and alternative movements that developed over the course of the twentieth century. In books such as The pH Miracle by Robert O. Young and Alkalize or Die Theodore Baroody positions the acid-base balance as a central factor in health.

Within this approach, food is classified as “acid-forming” and “base-forming”. The idea arises that an excess of acid-forming influences could accumulate in the body, and that this ultimately causes symptoms ranging from fatigue to skin problems.

Sometimes, reference is made to models such as the so-called dietary acid load, which describes how much acid the kidneys have to process. These insights are valid in themselves, but in practice, they are often interpreted more broadly than intended.

What is meant by “acidification”?

In everyday use, acidification refers to a body that has supposedly become unbalanced due to diet, stress, or lifestyle. Products such as sugar, coffee, meat, and processed foods are often cited as the cause, while vegetables, fruit, and lemon water are seen as a counterbalance.

The skin often plays a special role in this narrative. Skin that reacts sensitively or heals with difficulty is then seen as a sign that something is out of balance internally.

Measuring as a guide

Measurement plays an important role within this philosophy. Using pH strips for urine or saliva, people try to gain insight into their acid-base balance. The results are subsequently linked to diet and lifestyle, forming the basis for adjustments.

That idea, that you can measure and adjust something, provides a sense of security. It makes health concrete and gives the feeling that you have influence yourself.

But what are we actually measuring?

The pH value measured in this way indicates something about urine or saliva at that moment, not about the acidity of the blood or the body as a whole.

That is precisely where an important difference lies. The acidity of urine can vary due to diet, hydration, and the time of day. These fluctuations primarily show that the body excretes acids and bases.

In other words: it is not that the body is out of balance, but that it is actively working to maintain that balance.

The body constantly strives for balance.

In physiology, this capacity for stability is called homeostasis. The body is continuously working to keep internal processes within narrow limits, even when conditions change.

The acid-base balance of the blood is a good example of that.In healthy people, this remains within a narrow range, around a pH of 7.35 to 7.45. The lungs, kidneys, and buffer systems in the blood constantly work together to maintain this balance.

What is visible as variation from the outside is continuously corrected from within.

When does the body become unbalanced?

A disruption of this balance, such as acidosis or alkalosis, occurs in medical conditions such as kidney problems, lung diseases, severe infections, or uncontrolled diabetes.

These are situations in which the body can no longer restore balance on its own and medical treatment is necessary. They are independent of daily variations in diet and lifestyle.

What is sold to “deacidify”?

A wide range of products has emerged around the concept of deacidification. Think of alkaline water, mineral supplements, deacidifying teas, detox cures, and pH test strips.

These products are often presented as supporting the acid-base balance, with the idea that they help restore the body's equilibrium. Their action is usually linked to the neutralization or removal of acids.

It is striking that this concerns not only a health idea, but also a market in which this idea is translated into concrete solutions.

What does this mean for the skin?

The skin reacts to what happens in and around the body, but rarely to a single cause. In practice, there is almost always an interplay of factors: inflammation, hormonal changes, stress, microbial balance, UV radiation, and the condition of the skin barrier.

Reducing a skin problem to a single cause can provide an overview, but often does not do justice to that complexity.

An important distinction

While the body internally strives for a virtually neutral balance, the outer surface of the skin is actually slightly acidic. The pH of the skin is around 4.5 to 5.5 and forms an essential part of the skin's protective function.

The acid mantle helps ward off bacteria and retain moisture. The idea that the skin should be “deacidified” is therefore at odds with how the skin functions physiologically.

My vision as a skin therapist

In my work, I do not look at a single explanation, but at the interplay. What happens in the skin? Which factors play a role? And what does this specific skin need?

That sometimes also means that ideas that sound logical do not always align with what we know from physiology. Not because they are nonsensical, but because reality is often more complex.

Personal advice

Are you unsure about the cause of skin problems, or do you want to know what your skin needs? I would be happy to take a look with you and provide honest, well-founded advice tailored to your situation.

You can a no-obligation intake interview schedule or opt for a video consultation.

Do you have any questions or additions regarding this blog? Please feel free to let me know; I would be happy to take them into account.

Do you want to know what your skin needs? Read more about acne treatment in The Hague or rosacea treatment.