Importance acid/alkaline balance in diet for athlete

An athletes fueling is essential to maintaining proper health before, during and after competition.  For the athlete, energy levels are optimized by fueling ones body with a good amount of carbohydrates, both simple and complex depending on performance level.  But there is a negative side to all this carbohydrate fueling that the athlete should understand when fueling properly.

The carbohydrates consumed are digested starting in the mouth with an enzyme produced in the salivary glands called amylase.  As it continues though the GI tract, it actually produces a very acidic environment.  The acidity is formed from the breakdown of the starches into simpler and simpler components by the bacterial flora in the gut.  This fermentation of the extra carbs forms lactic acid that can eat away at the layers of the intestine.  That is why healthy individuals, especially those consuming high amounts of carbohydrates from energy should eat fruits and vegetables as well.

The fruits and vegetables get digested and form an alkaline, or basic environment in the body.  This will help to counterbalance the acidity from the carbs and keep the pH levels to a normal 7.5.  If not eaten, the body will find other ways of balancing the pH in the blood.  It will eat away at the bone structure, taking with it the calcium and magnesium to form a more alkaline environment.  For the athlete, this could lead to more prevalent risk of bone fracture and injury, and time off from training.  As your body feeds off of itself, it could also lead to increased fatigue and lower endurance levels because Oxygen isn't taken in as efficiently as it potentially could be. 

That is the basics on the proper balance of acidic and alkaline foods in the athletes body.  There are so many more tidbits on this, but the bottom line is to eat a balanced diet supplemented with vitamins and minerals from fruits, vegetables and dairy in order to fuel wisely and go longer and faster.