Acidosis and Alkalosis is an excess acidity or alkalinity of the blood and other body fluids. Normally the acidity (pH) of blood is close to 7.4. Acidosis occurs when blood pH falls below 7.35 and Alkalosis is when blood pH is over 7.45. In severe acidosis blood pH falls below 7.0 and in severe alkalosis it may rise above 7.5. Acidosis and the much less common alkalosis both are symptoms of various diseases and disorders.

The body's metabolic activity affect and at the same time is affected by the pH of the body fluids. In normal metabolism the body generates large amount of acids that must be eliminated to maintain normal pH balance.

Body fluid's acidity is controlled by the following mechanism:

• The first mechanism is provided by the blood's protein that's acts as a buffer that limits changes in acidity.
• The second mechanism is provided by the lung, which give off carbon dioxide and thus prevent accumulation of carbonic acid.
• The third mechanism is provided by the kidneys, which can adjust acidity by excreting or retaining acids and bases and which can reduce acidity by manufacturing bicarbonate ions.

Causes of Acidosis:

• Diseases such as emphysema or kidney failure reduce the efficiency of the lungs or kidneys, and thus interfere with their ability to regulate acidity.
• Starvation and uncontrolled diabetes may cause acidosis because of excessive acid produced by metabolism of large amounts of body fat.
• Acidosis is often linked with increased protein (meat products) intake.
• Acidosis can also be cause by ingestion of large amounts of acidic substances.
• Acidosis can occur as a result of diabetes, starvation and high fat diet all of these lead to the production of ketones (binds and remove bicarbonate) in the blood.

Causes of Alkalosis:

• Severe diarrhea may cause alkalosis because of excessive loss of basic fluids.
• Alkalosis may be caused by loss of carbonic acid because of rapid breathing.
• Alkalosis can be caused by excessive vomiting, resulting in a loss of hydrochloric acid with the stomach content.
• Temporary metabolic alkalosis occurs when there is an excessive intake of sodium bicarbonate to relieve acid in the stomach.

Treatment for Acidosis and Alkalosis:

• The disorder that causes acidosis and alkalosis should by treated because acidosis and alkalosis is mostly symptom of a disease.
• In acute acidosis basic fluids may be administered orally or intravenously.