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Zinc contributes to normal acid-base metabolism. Here you will find alkaline capsules and powders with zinc, plus alkaline baths and pH test strips. Our picks: Optiolex Base Capsules & More and the Bases & More powder. Read the guide ↓
Spinach, potatoes, carrots, bananas and a glass of water: for many people, that is what an alkaline day looks like.
Your body keeps its acid-base balance steady all the time, using the lungs, the kidneys and buffers in the blood. For food supplements there is exactly one claim on this that the EU has assessed and approved: zinc contributes to normal acid-base metabolism.
Here you will learn which foods tend to be base-forming, how the alkaline products in our range differ and what to watch out for with sodium. With figures instead of promises.
Symbolic image: AI-generated
Zinc: the one nutrient with an EU claim for acid-base metabolism
For food supplements, only what the EU has assessed and approved may be claimed. For acid-base balance, that is a single nutrient. The graphic shows which foods the body tends to metabolise as base-forming and which as acid-forming.
1
nutrient with an acid-base claim
7.35 to 7.45
pH of the blood
7 to 16 mg
zinc recommended per day
2.000 mg
sodium per day: WHO upper limit
Zinc
“Zinc contributes to normal acid-base metabolism.”
Recommended per day: 7 to 10 mg (women), 11 to 16 mg (men)
Found in: pumpkin seeds, oats, cheese, beef, lentils
Curious fact: Zinc sits in the enzyme carbonic anhydrase, which converts carbon dioxide and water into bicarbonate, one of the most important buffers in the blood.
Good to know: Calcium, magnesium and potassium are in almost every alkaline powder. They have their own approved claims, for example for bones and muscles, but none for acid-base balance. If that is what you are looking for, check the ingredients list for zinc.
What the body regulates itself
In a healthy person, the pH of the blood stays within a narrow range between 7.35 and 7.45. Three systems take care of this around the clock.
Within minutes
The lungs
With every breath we release carbon dioxide, which acts as an acid in the blood.
Within seconds
Buffers in the blood
Bicarbonate, phosphates and proteins neutralise acids and bases immediately.
Within hours to days
The kidneys
They excrete acids in the urine and produce new bicarbonate.
Alkaline capsules with zinc compared
These four capsules provide zinc together with alkaline minerals. The boxes show zinc, calcium and magnesium per daily dose, followed by further ingredients with amounts. Espara Base Electrolyte is also available with 200 capsules.
Powders are stirred into water and often provide more minerals per day than capsules. Cosmoterra Basenfit is also available as a powder, Osspura also in a Mild version and the Dr.Töth mixture also with lemon or in a 500 g tub.
Calcium, magnesium and coral: alkaline products without zinc
These products rely on calcium, magnesium, coral calcium or algae. They have no approved claim for acid-base balance. A grey box means: not included. anatis also offers Micro Base with aronia and Sango sea coral with vitamin K2.
Our view: Sango coral, AFA algae, spirulina and aronia have a long tradition. However, there is no approved health claim for them in the EU. We do not sell them to you with promises nobody has checked.
Alkaline baths and pH test strips
Alkaline baths are bath additives with an alkaline pH for personal care, so they are cosmetics, not food supplements. The pH test strips measure the pH of urine. It varies throughout the day and with meals and says nothing about the pH of the blood.
Fact: The lungs, kidneys and buffers keep the pH of the blood tightly between 7.35 and 7.45. What clearly changes with food is the pH of the urine.
Myth 2
“Lemons make you acidic.”
Fact: Lemons taste sour, but their PRAL value is negative. The body tends to metabolise their minerals as base-forming.
Myth 3
“Alkaline powders are salt-free.”
Fact: Many contain baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). The Robert Franz Base Powder provides 1,600 mg sodium a day; the WHO recommends no more than 2,000 mg, from all sources combined.
Good to know when taking supplements
✓
Keep a gap to meals
According to the manufacturers, Cosmoterra Basenfit, Osspura and the Robert Franz Base Powder should be taken about 2 hours apart from a meal.
✓
Count the sodium
The Dr.Töth mixture provides around 1,250 mg sodium a day, the Robert Franz Base Powder 1,600 mg. If you watch your salt intake, capsules or the Optiolex and Cosmoterra products are the better choice.
✓
Add up the zinc
Osspura alone provides 20 mg zinc a day. EFSA sets 25 mg as the upper limit, from all sources combined. If you also take a zinc product, it is worth doing the maths.
✓
Use still water
According to the manufacturer, Osspura should not be dissolved in sparkling mineral water, fruit juice or other acidic drinks. Tap water works best.
Frequently asked questions
Which nutrient has an approved claim for acid-base balance?+
Only zinc: “Zinc contributes to normal acid-base metabolism.” Calcium, magnesium and potassium have their own claims, for example for bones and muscles, but none for acid-base balance.
How much zinc do I need per day?+
The nutrition societies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland give 7 to 10 mg for women and 11 to 16 mg for men, depending on how much phytate from wholegrain and pulses is in the diet. The EFSA upper limit is 25 mg per day.
What is the PRAL value?+
PRAL stands for “potential renal acid load”. The value shows whether 100 g of a food tends to supply acids (positive value) or bases (negative value) in metabolism. It was developed by the researchers Thomas Remer and Friedrich Manz.
What do pH test strips measure?+
The pH of urine. It varies throughout the day and depends strongly on what you have eaten. It says nothing about the pH of the blood, which stays tightly between 7.35 and 7.45.
What is an alkaline bath for?+
An alkaline bath is a bath additive with an alkaline pH for personal care. It is a cosmetic, not a food supplement, and there are no health claims for cosmetic products.
Why do many alkaline powders contain sodium?+
Sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda, is an inexpensive and easily soluble base. Depending on the product, this adds up to more than 1,000 mg sodium a day. The WHO recommends no more than 2,000 mg sodium a day, from all sources combined.
In short
For acid-base balance there is exactly one nutrient with an approved claim: zinc. Vegetables, potatoes and fruit tend to be base-forming, cheese, meat and cereals acid-forming.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Zinc contributes to normal acid-base metabolism.
The lungs, kidneys and buffers keep the pH of the blood stable.
Calcium, magnesium and coral have no acid-base claim.
Add up sodium and zinc from all sources.
Note: Health claims refer exclusively to the nutrients named and comply with Regulation (EU) No 432/2012. There are no authorised health claims for Sango coral, AFA algae, spirulina, aronia, acacia fibre, lactic acid bacteria or the other plant substances mentioned. Alkaline baths are cosmetic products. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose. Keep out of the reach of young children.
