Drinking at least 1.5 to 2 litres of bicarbonate-rich mineral water daily significantly reduces dietary acid load in healthy adults.
The study was a single-centered, randomized trial involving 129 healthy men and women aged 18 to 75. Participants were assigned to consume 1,500–2,000 mL daily of one of four types of mineral water, varying in bicarbonate content and potential renal acid load (PRAL), for four weeks. The types were: low bicarbonate, high PRAL; medium-high bicarbonate, medium PRAL; high bicarbonate, low PRAL; and medium-high bicarbonate, low PRAL. Participants maintained their usual diets, and the primary measurement was net acid excretion (NAE) in 24-hour urine output.
The study found that consuming the three types of mineral water with higher bicarbonate content (medium-high and high) and lower PRAL (medium and low) significantly decreased NAE values. The greatest reduction was seen with high bicarbonate, low PRAL water, indicating a substantial decrease in dietary acid load. This was also accompanied by a slight increase in serum bicarbonate levels in the groups consuming high and medium-high bicarbonate, low PRAL water.
