Arterialized venous bicarbonate is associated with lower bone mineral density and an increased rate of bone loss in older men and women

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015 Apr;100(4):1343-9. doi: 10.1210/jc.2014-4166. Epub 2015 Feb 2.

Arterialized plasma HCO3 was associated positively with cross-sectional BMD and inversely with the rate of bone loss, implying that systemic acid-base status is an important determinant of skeletal health during aging. Ongoing bone loss was linearly related to arterialized HCO3, even after adjustment for age and renal function. Further research in this area may have major public health implications because reducing dietary net acid load is possible through dietary intervention or through supplementation with alkaline potassium compounds.