Modification of urinary pH through ascorbic acid
Bannwart, C.; Hagmaier, V.; Straumann, E.; Hofer, H.; Vuillemier, J.P.; Rutishauser, G.
Helvetica Chirurgica Acta 48(3-4): 425-428
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0018-0181 PMID: 7287481 Document Number: 180438
The influence of orally administered ascorbic acid on the urinary pH of 10 healthy volunteers and 10 patients with infected urine was investigated. During a four-day period of investigation urinary pH and the concentration of ascorbic acid in the respective urines were measured five times a day. On the second and third day three times a dose of 2 g ascorbic acid was given, while the diet was under control all four days. A correlation between pH decrease and ascorbic acid concentration is only observed if the concentration of the latter is higher than 200 mg%. The mean decrease in urinary pH between days with ascorbic acid supply and days without is -0,16 pH units for the volunteers respectively -0,18 pH units for the patients. Therefore, vitamin C can not be recommended to lower the pH of alkaline urines.