Metabolic Acidosis: Causes, Symptoms, and Medications That Affect It
When your body builds up too much acid and can’t flush it out properly, you’re dealing with metabolic acidosis, a condition where blood pH drops below 7.35 due to excess acid or lost bicarbonate. Also known as acidemia, it’s not a disease on its own—it’s a warning sign something else is wrong. Your kidneys and lungs normally keep your acid levels in check, but if one of them fails, your blood turns too acidic. This can happen fast after a bad injury, or slowly if you have long-term illness like kidney disease, a common cause where damaged kidneys can’t remove acid from the blood. Or it might show up if you have diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening spike in acids from uncontrolled diabetes.
Some medications can push your body into metabolic acidosis, even if you’re otherwise healthy. Drugs like metformin (used for diabetes), certain antibiotics, and even too much aspirin can interfere with how your body handles acid. That’s why monitoring matters—especially if you’re on long-term meds. You might not feel anything at first, but as acid builds up, you’ll start breathing faster (your body’s desperate attempt to blow off CO2 and lower acidity), feel tired, nauseous, or confused. In severe cases, it can mess with your heart rhythm or even cause coma.
What’s interesting is that metabolic acidosis doesn’t always come from what you take—it often comes from what you’re missing. Low bicarbonate levels, dehydration, or even a very low-carb diet can trigger it. And while some people think it’s just about diet or "alkaline water," the real issue is how your organs handle acid production and removal. That’s why doctors look at blood tests—not just symptoms—to diagnose it. The key is catching it early. If you have diabetes, kidney problems, or are on meds that affect your pH, knowing the signs could save you from a hospital trip.
Below, you’ll find real-world guides that connect directly to metabolic acidosis: how certain drugs impact your acid-base balance, what to watch for when managing chronic conditions, and how to avoid dangerous interactions that could push you into trouble. Whether you’re managing diabetes, taking pain meds, or just want to understand how your body keeps its chemistry stable, these posts give you the facts without the fluff.