Diet-Dependent Net Endogenous Acid Load of Vegan Diets in Relation to Food Groups and Bone Health-Related Nutrients: Results from the German Vegan Study

• Published in: Annals of nutrition and metabolism 2011-01, Vol.59 (2/4), p.117-126
• Main Authors: Ströhle, Alexander, Waldmann, Annika, Koschizke, Jochen, Leitzmann, Claus, Hahn, Andreas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acid production; Acids; Adult; Aged; Anions; Ascorbic Acid - administration & dosage; Bone and Bones - drug effects; Bone and Bones - metabolism; Bone Density; Calcium, Dietary - administration & dosage; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Diet, Vegetarian; Dietary Proteins - administration & dosage; Energy Intake; Female; Food; Food groups; Germany; Homeostasis; Humans; Magnesium; Male; Middle Aged; Nutrients; Nutrition; Organic phosphorus; Original Paper; Phosphorus, Dietary - administration & dosage; Potassium, Dietary - administration & dosage; Sodium, Dietary - administration & dosage; Surveys and Questionnaires; Veganism; Vegetarianism; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - administration & dosage; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0250-6807; 1421-9697
• DOI: 10.1159/000331572

Background/Aims:Dietary composition has been shown to affect acid-base homeostasis and bone health in humans. We investigated the potential renal acid load (PRAL) and the estimated diet-dependent net acid load (net endogenous acid production, NEAP) in adult vegans and evaluated the relationships between NEAP, food groups and intake of bone health-related nutrients. Methods: The German Vegan Study (GVS) is a cross-sectional study. Data from healthy men (n = 67) and women (n = 87), aged 21–75 years, who fulfilled the study criteria (vegan diet for ≧1 year prior to study start; age ≧18 years, and no pregnancy/childbirth during the last 12 months) were included in the analysis. NEAP values were calculated from diet composition using two models: one based on the protein/potassium quotient and another taking into account an anthropometry-based loss of urinary organic anions. Results:Mean daily intakes of phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium and vitamin C were above, and vitamin D and calcium below Dietary Reference Intake (DRI). Regardless of the model used, the diet in the GVS was characterized by a nearly neutral NEAP. A strong correlation was observed between the NEAP values of the two models (r s = 0.873, p < 0.001). Only the consumption of fruits decreased constantly across the increasing quartiles of NEAP. Conclusions: It can be hypothesized that vegan diets do not affect acid-base homeostasis. With respect to bone health, the significance of this finding needs further investigation.