Yes, but does an alkaline diet REALLY support bone growth?

It's a resounding YES! Researcher Dr Bess Dawson-Hughes of Tufts University found that diets high in cereal grains and proteins actually produce an excess of acid in the body, and may weaken bones and increase calcium excretion.

The study found that increasing the alkali content of the diet, the opposite effect and strengthens bone health.

‘Heredity, diet, and other lifestyle factors contribute to the problem of bone loss and fractures,’ said lead author Dr Bess Dawson-Hughes of Tufts University. ‘When it comes to dietary concerns regarding bone health, calcium and vitamin D have received the most attention, but there is increasing evidence that the acid/base balance of the diet is also important.’

Average older adults consume diets that, when metabolised, add acid to the body. With aging, we become less able to excrete the acid. One way the body may counteract the acid from our diets is through bone resorption, a process by which bones are broken down to release minerals such as calcium, phosphates, and alkaline (basic) salts into the blood. Unfortunately, increased bone resorption leads to declines in bone mass and increases in fracture risk.

‘When fruits and vegetables are metabolised they add bicarbonate, an alkaline compound, to the body,’ said Dr. Dawson Hughes. ‘Our study found that bicarbonate had a favourable effect on bone resorption and calcium excretion. This suggests that increasing the alkali content of the diet may attenuate bone loss in healthy older adults.’

In this study, 171 men and women aged 50 and older were randomised to receive placebo or doses of either: potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, or potassium chloride for 3 months. ‘We demonstrated that adding alkali in pill form reduced bone resorption and reduced the losses of calcium in the urine over a 3-month period,’ said Dr. Dawson-Hughes. ‘This intervention warrants further investigation as a safe and well tolerated supplement to reduce bone loss and fracture risk in older men and women.

Further, for all our potassium supplementing clients, it was found that potassium DID lower Calcium Excretion and Bone Resorption in Older Men and Women.
See the abstract here