Acidosis & Enzyme Functioning
Enzyme functioning declines with even mild acidosis
Enzymes are proteins that speed up chemical reactions within the body. Collectively, enzymes are responsible for every single activity that is performed by the body each day, from breathing, circulation, and digestion to immune and organ function, reproduction, movement, speech, and thought. Without enzymes, other vital substances in the body, including vitamins, minerals, and hormones, are unable to function properly. In addition, without a proper supply of enzymes, the body is unable to make use of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats to repair and rebuild itself. However, enzymes can perform their thousands of tasks only within a very narrow pH range.
In conditions of acid-alkaline imbalance, the body’s enzymes start to malfunction. For example, Dr. Russell Jaffe, director of ELISA/ACT Biotechnologies, LLC, estimates that there is a tenfold reduction in enzyme activity when the intracellular pH goes out of its normal range of 7.3 to 7.5 by even a tenth of one pH point. In some cases, enzyme activity can completely stop due to unhealthy pH levels. Both enzyme malfunction and the cessation of enzyme activity set the stage for disease. If proper acid-alkaline balance is not restored quickly, the ensuing disease can progress to a severe state.