Base Citrates: Base Minerals For Deacidification

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Base citrates from minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and zinc help to deacidify the body. Diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, or high blood pressure can at least be alleviated.

Base citrates and their possible uses

With base citrates you can achieve at least two goals at the same time: you deacidify effectively and supply yourself with basic minerals. This is possible because base citrates consist of two components: basic minerals (e.g. potassium, magnesium, calcium) and basic salts (citrates).

Citrates include potassium citrate, magnesium citrate, calcium citrate, and zinc citrate. These are natural mineral compounds that also occur in this form in food and in the human body, which is why they can be very well absorbed and utilized.

Optimization of mineral supply

If you currently have an increased need for minerals (e.g. in stressful situations, during pregnancy, in the event of illness, as an athlete, or in recovery phases), alkaline citrates help to cover this increased need without any problems.

Alkaline citrates also offer a no-fuss solution if you think your diet is deficient in minerals. With these citrates, such a shortcoming can be quickly remedied. Perhaps you are already suffering from non-specific symptoms (tiredness, difficulty concentrating, headaches, hair loss, etc.), which can always indicate a suboptimal supply of vital substances. Base citrate preparations, which consist of a mixture of the most important minerals and trace elements, can lead to rapid improvement.

Below you will find a small overview of the most important properties and effects of the minerals contained in citrate preparations.

Base citrate preparation Potassium

Potassium is mostly (in contrast to sodium) inside the body’s cells. The daily requirement of an adult is now given as 4000 mg (previously only 2000 mg), so it is becoming increasingly difficult to cover this requirement with diet alone:

Potassium – together with sodium – regulates the water balance in the body.
Potassium takes care of nerve function and muscle control.
Potassium lowers blood pressure that is too high, especially if the high blood pressure is also caused by too much sodium (salt) since excess potassium lowers sodium levels.
Potassium reduces the risk of stroke because high blood pressure can increase the risk of stroke.
Potassium may lower the risk of kidney stones because it makes urine alkaline, which means it neutralizes acids that would otherwise drive kidney stone formation. It also prevents excessive excretion of calcium, which could otherwise crystallize into kidney stones.
Potassium is very important for the bones for this reason. Because if potassium prevents the excretion of too much calcium in the urine, the calcium can be built into the bones.

Base citrate preparation magnesium

The magnesium requirement is 300 to 400 mg per day. Magnesium is i.a. Involved in over 300 enzymatic metabolic reactions, showing that the roles and functions of this important mineral cannot even come close to being exhaustive. So here is just a selection:

Magnesium relaxes the muscles and is therefore used to treat and prevent muscle cramps (e.g. calf cramps).
However, magnesium also relaxes the muscles in the heart and in the blood vessel walls, which is why it is an important mineral for the prevention of many cardiovascular problems.
Magnesium is an anti-stress mineral because it inhibits the release of stress hormones and calms the nerves.
Magnesium is an important component of bones and teeth. Yes, most of the body’s magnesium is found in the bones, where it activates the bone-forming cells.
Magnesium activates vitamin D – the bone vitamin – and is therefore responsible for a good vitamin D effect.
Magnesium increases the insulin sensitivity of the cells and therefore has a diabetes-preventive effect.
Magnesium has anti-inflammatory properties, making it necessary for any chronic problem associated with chronic inflammation.

Base citrate preparation calcium

Calcium is contained to a large extent in the bones (99 percent). Only 1 percent is distributed to the blood and other tissues. The daily requirement is 1000 to 1200 mg. Details on calcium can be found here: Calcium and calcium deficiency.

Calcium is essential for bone and dental health.
Calcium is involved in the regulation of blood clotting.
Calcium, together with magnesium, is responsible for healthy muscle and nerve function.
Calcium is required for healthy digestion.

Base citrate preparation zinc

Zinc is a trace element and therefore – in contrast to the other three minerals mentioned – required in much smaller amounts daily (approx. 10 mg).

Zinc is responsible for healthy skin and mucous membranes and therefore accelerates healing processes of all kinds.
Zinc strengthens the immune system and prevents increased susceptibility to infections.
Zinc strengthens the hair and promotes hair growth.
Zinc is a component of the body’s own detoxification enzymes and is therefore involved in the elimination of toxins.
Zinc is important for fertility. It increases sperm quality in men (if there was a zinc deficiency beforehand) and eliminates menstrual disorders in women.

From the effects and properties of the minerals mentioned, it becomes clear that a deficiency of these minerals can lead to serious problems. Minerals in the form of base citrates can therefore be used therapeutically for many diseases and health problems:

Correction of mineral deficiencies

Mineral deficiencies can show up in acute symptoms, but also in insidious chronic diseases. These can be frequent muscle cramps or migraine attacks due to a lack of magnesium, a high susceptibility to infections or dry skin due to a lack of zinc, digestive disorders, or even bone density that is already dwindling due to a lack of calcium or cardiac arrhythmias due to a lack of potassium.

Many chronic diseases – whether diabetes, osteoporosis, kidney stones, cardiovascular problems, ADHD, or dementia – are caused at least in part by a lack of minerals. If the corresponding deficiency is corrected, the symptoms often improve noticeably. The administration of minerals and trace elements should therefore be part of every holistic therapy concept – of course always depending on the personal condition and in consultation with the doctor or naturopath. Below are some examples:

If you have a tendency to have kidney stones

If there is a tendency for kidney stones, citrates are also often used in conventional medicine. They increase the pH of the urine, thereby reducing stone formation. Citrus fruits (and other fruits) are also a natural source of citrates, which can be increased if there is a risk of kidney stone formation.

For diabetes

Magnesium, which is particularly well tolerated as citrate, is often recommended for diabetics. You can read more about this here: Magnesium deficiency and diabetes. Magnesium increases the effectiveness of insulin, makes cells more sensitive to insulin, and is necessary for healthy insulin production in the pancreas.

Not only a magnesium deficiency can increase the risk of diabetes, but also a potassium intake that is too low (as a review from 2011 showed), so with diabetes one should never think of just one mineral, but always of an all-around good supply of minerals.

For osteoporosis and declining bone density

We have already explained how well alkaline citrates affect bone health from a scientific point of view based on various studies. In November 2006, for example, a Swiss study showed that a dietary supplement with base citrates (potassium citrates) can help women going through menopause to increase their bone density. Potassium citrate reduced urinary calcium excretion in this study. The researchers wrote at the time: “Bone density can […] be significantly increased via daily base intake in the form of potassium citrate […]”, which was confirmed by researchers from the University of Surrey in a 2015 meta-analysis on the subject.

For high blood pressure

In the case of high blood pressure, the most important advice in medical nutritional advice is: to reduce sodium, and increase potassium. Because while sodium – especially in salt-sensitive people – can increase blood pressure, potassium has the opposite effect here. Potassium causes increased elimination of sodium through the urine and thus prevents its blood pressure-increasing effect. In addition, potassium dilates the blood vessels and in this way lowers elevated blood pressure.

Deacidification in case of chronic hyperacidity

A very common area of application for base citrate is chronic hyperacidity, which can often be observed in today’s lifestyle. Not only do you eat the wrong things, you often eat too much, too quickly, or too late in the evening. At the same time, you are constantly under stress and suffer from a lack of exercise. All of these factors lead to too many acids being produced in the metabolism and the organism no longer having sufficient countermeasures (bases) to be able to neutralize the acids.

This is not about hyperacidity in the stomach (heartburn), as many might think at this point, but rather a general disturbance of the acid-base balance that affects the entire organism. In the case of hyperacidity, the organism lacks bases, which leads to acid waste deposits in the tissue. Areas that need an alkaline pH value suddenly become acidic (small intestine) and the pH value increases in areas that should be acidic – for example in the large intestine, in the stomach, or in the vagina. The over-acidification reaches into the cell, which often no longer manages to drain acids and let bases in. The whole body is in turmoil here – and chronic diseases are wide open.

The advantages of base citrates

The advantages of base citrates are obvious. The most important advantage is that they do not deacidify the stomach, but get directly into the cell and tissue, where they lead to comprehensive intra- and extracellular deacidification. Intracellular means the inside of the cell, and extracellular means the space outside the cell.

Base citrates do not affect stomach acid

Base citrates do not neutralize stomach acid. They, therefore, do not disturb the digestive processes in the stomach and do not lead to the corresponding digestive problems, as can be the case with hydrogen carbonates. Base citrates do not stimulate the production of gastric acid. In the long term, they help to regulate gastric acid production.

Alkaline citrates do not make the naturally acidic gut alkaline

In contrast to baking soda, base citrates do NOT raise the naturally slightly acidic pH value in actually acidic parts of the intestine. If like baking soda, they also shifted the intestinal pH value to alkaline, this would impair healthy digestion in the intestine and also negatively affect the intestinal flora located there.

Base citrates are easily absorbed

Base citrates are very easily absorbed in the intestine, more easily than any other mineral compound, and are therefore particularly well suited to quickly remedy a mineral deficiency or to quickly achieve a therapeutic effect.

Base citrates get directly into the cell

Base citrates are very easily introduced into cell metabolism. There they bind acids and are processed in the cell’s own citrate metabolism.

Base citrates leave no slags

Base citrates are broken down without harmful metabolic waste products.

Base citrates provide minerals

While citrate is used directly for deacidification and metabolized accordingly, the basic minerals remain in the cell, in the tissue, or wherever they are needed.

Acid accumulation in the cells prevents successful deacidification
In some cases, it may be that some of the cells can no longer deacidify even with base citrates. One speaks of so-called acid congestion. The cells here are in a kind of blockage after over-acidification that has often lasted for years. The cell metabolism no longer works. Nutrients can no longer be absorbed as well, and neither can bases. And acids and other metabolic waste products can no longer be eliminated as well.

Buy base citrates – pay attention to quality

If you now want to buy base citrates, pay attention to the following criteria:

The product should contain different citrates: magnesium citrate, potassium citrate, zinc citrate, and calcium citrate.
Sodium should not be included, since this mineral is usually present in excessive amounts in the usual diet due to the salt content (sodium chloride).
Calcium and magnesium should be contained in a balanced ratio of 2:1 (calcium: magnesium).
Zinc is added because this trace element is directly involved in regulating the acid-base balance via a special mechanism. Without zinc, the enzyme carbonic anhydrase would not work. Carbonic anhydrase, in turn, is important for maintaining blood pH. Carbonic anhydrase is also involved in the regulation of the acid-base balance in the kidneys.
High-quality products also provide silicon, a trace element that takes care of healthy, elastic, and at the same time strong connective tissue, healthy bones, and beautiful hair and – very importantly – prevent aluminum from being resorbed.
Vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 can also be contained in a base citrate product. We recommend making sure that the vitamins are of plant origin (vitamin D3 from lichen) and that the product is advertised as a vegan. Many manufacturers still supply vitamin D3 from animal sources (wool wax from sheep), so their base citrates are only allowed to carry the vegetarian label.
Since citrates are naturally present in citrus fruits, some manufacturers add lemon flavoring in order to imitate nature, which is understandably anything but natural. On the other hand, natural lemon powder makes more sense, so the base citrate product not only contains the citrates from the fruit but also the other accompanying substances from the fruit.
Of course, the product should not only be free of flavors, but also free of sugar, sweeteners, titanium dioxide, and other unnecessary additives.
If you are already taking a dietary supplement such as B. zinc preparations or a vitamin D3/vitamin K2 preparation, then check the dose so that you do not get into an oversupply if you also use base citrates. So adjust your supplement dose accordingly.

When deacidifying, you should of course also pay attention to a healthy alkaline diet so that the organism is not burdened with further acids.