Citric Acid Alkalizing Effect
In general chemistry: Citric acid is a weak organic acid and lowers the pH of a solution by releasing hydrogen ions (H+). It is used to reduce water alkalinity in industrial and agricultural settings.In the body: When consumed, the citrate from the metabolism of citric acid is thought to have an alkalizing effect on bodily fluids like urine by increasing its pH and enhancing the solubility of substances like uric acid, which helps prevent kidney stones.
The relationship between citric acid and nitrogen ions is complex and context-dependent:
Nitrogen form and pH: Plants absorb nitrogen in two primary forms:
Ammonium (NH4+): Uptake of the ammonium cation has an acidifying effect on the surrounding soil or substrate.
Nitrate (NO3): Uptake of the nitrate anion has an alkalizing effect.
The alkalizing effect of a high-citrate or overall alkaline diet has a specific relationship with nitrogen metabolism:
Decreased Urinary Nitrogen Excretion: Increasing alkali supplementation with agents like potassium bicarbonate (which works similarly to metabolized citrate) has been shown to decrease urinary nitrogen excretion when adjusted for nitrogen intake. This suggests that the body is retaining more nitrogen, potentially by reducing the need to use amino acids (which contain nitrogen) as buffers for excess acid.
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Citric Acid & Collagen
Hydrogen Bonding
Collagen Sheets
Cross-Linking Agent
Scaffolds
Tissue Regeneration
Demineralize Root Surfaces
Exposing Collagen Fibrils
Enhance Healing
Fibrous Re-attachment
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Enzymes
Pancreas
Proteolytic
Protease
Proteinase
Bromelain ≈ Pineapple
Papain ≈ Papaya
Hydrolysis :
Proteins
Peptide Bonds
Catalytic Dyad:
Cysteine (Thiol) Proteases
Mutations to the residues in a catalytic dyad result in a complete loss of enzyme activity.
Classes of Proteases:
Serine
Cysteine
Aspartic
Metalloproteases
Cysteine Residue
Histidine Residue
List of Enzymes:
Pepsin
Trypsin
Chymotrypsin
Bromelain
Papain
Nattokinase
Serrapeptase
Lumbrokinase
Desolve:
Biofilm
Amyloid
Cancer
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Potassium Citrate
Potassium Ion K+
Tricarboxylic Acid
Tricarboxylic Acid cycle
(TCA cycle)
It is a series of eight enzymatic reactions that starts with acetyl-CoA combining with oxaloacetate to form citrate.
Dietary citric acid is converted to citrate, which is then acted upon by the enzyme citrate lyase. This breaks the citrate down into acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetate.
Through the cycle, the acetyl group is oxidized to carbon dioxide, and energy is captured.
The cycle produces energy carriers NADH and 𝐹𝐴𝐷𝐻2, which then fuel the oxidative phosphorylation pathway to produce ATP. Linking the breakdown of carbohydrates, fatty acids, and proteins.
Potassium K+
TCA Cycle
Enzyme Activator:
K+ functions as a cofactor and activator for many enzymes, including pyruvate kinase and citrate synthase, which are integral to central carbon metabolism and the TCA cycle.
K+ ions stimulate flux through the TCA cycle by activating key enzymes. Potassium can enhance metabolic processes involving the TCA cycle.
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ATP Citrate Lyase (ACLY)
Essential for insulin secretion: ACLY is highly expressed in pancreatic beta cells and is essential for the generation of short-chain acyl-CoAs from mitochondrial citrate.
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TCA cycle product: Bicarbonate is a product of the complete combustion of organic acids in the TCA cycle, indicating that the cycle has fully oxidized its fuel.
Acid neutralization: The final bicarbonate-rich fluid neutralizes stomach acid and creates an optimal environment for pancreatic enzymes to function properly.
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Glucose doesn't neutralize citric acid; rather, it is the fuel that runs the metabolic cycle in which citric acid is an intermediate that is broken down and transformed.
Administering a formulation containing both glucose and citrate could significantly reduce the increased intestinal permeability (damage) caused by certain anti-inflammatory drugs.
When given alone, neither substance offered protection, suggesting a synergistic effect related to supporting the cell's energy metabolism.
The protective mechanism is not about direct chemical neutralization, but rather a biological and metabolic process.
Adequate cell metabolism supports the expression of key proteins (like occludin and claudin-1) that form "tight junctions," which are crucial for the intestine's protective barrier.
Claudin and occludin are both transmembrane proteins that form the core components of tight junctions, which are crucial for creating epithelial and endothelial barriers.