diet, evolution and aging - alkalize for health.pdfVIP

Eur J Nutr 40 : 200–213 (2001) © Steinkopff Verlag 2001 ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION L. Frassetto Diet, evolution and aging R. C. Morris, Jr. D. E. Sellmeyer The pathophysiologic effects of the post-agricultural K. Todd A. Sebastian inversion of the pota ium-to-sodium and base-to-chloride ratios in the human diet Summary Theoretically, we hu- fects on the body, including growth salt of potassium (potassium cit- mans should be better adapted retardation in children, decreased rate) with NaCl prevented NaCl physiologically to the diet our an- muscle and bone mass in adults, from increasing urinary calcium cestors were exposed to during mil- and kidney stone formation, and excretion and bone resorption, as lions of years of hominid evolution that correction of acidosis can occurred with NaCl administration than to the diet we have been eating ameliorate those conditions. Is it alone. since the agricultural revolution a possible that a lifetime of eating di- Earlier studies estimated dietary mere 10,000 years ago, and since in- ets that deliver evolutionarily su- acid load from the amount of ani- dustrialization only 200 years ago. perphysiologic loads of acid to the mal protein in the diet, inasmuch Among the many health problems body contribute to the decrease in as protein metabolism yields sulfu- resulting from this mismatch be- bone and muscle mass, and growth ric acid as an end-product. In tween our genetically determined hormone secretion, which occur cross-cultural