The Impact of Plant-Based Diets on Dietary Acid Load Metrics in Venezuela: A Cross-Sectional Study

Dietary acid load (DAL) is an important determinant of the acid-base balance in humans and has been associated with several chronic non-communicable diseases. Plant-based diets, including vegetarian and vegan diets, decrease DAL-although their alkalizing potential varies substantially. Their net effect on common DAL scores, including potential renal acid load and net endogenous acid production, has been insufficiently quantified and is poorly understood-particularly in populations outside of Europe and North America. We assessed the associations between three plant-based dietary patterns (flexitarian vs. lacto-ovo-vegetarian vs. vegan diet) and DAL scores in a healthy Venezuelan population in the metropolitan area of Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela. Substantial differences in DAL scores were observed, whereby the vegan diet yielded the highest alkalizing potential, followed by the lacto-ovo-vegetarian and the flexitarian diet. DAL scores were substantially lower in comparison to European and North American plant-based populations, probably due to the higher potassium intake (exceeding 4000 mg/d in vegans), the higher magnesium intake (390.31 & PLUSMN; 1.79 mg/d in vegans) and the lower intake of protein in vegans and lacto-ovo-vegetarians. Additional studies in other non-industrialized populations are warranted to allow for a better understanding of the (numeric) impact of plant-based dietary patterns on DAL scores, potentially allowing for an establishment of reference ranges in the near future.

Automated summary

Dietary acid load (DAL) is an important factor in determining the acid-base balance in humans and is associated with chronic non-communicable diseases. Plant-based diets, such as vegetarian and vegan diets, reduce DAL, but their effect on DAL scores has not been adequately quantified in populations outside of Europe and North America. A study in Venezuela found that vegan diet has the highest alkalizing potential, followed by lacto-ovo-vegetarian and flexitarian diets. DAL scores in the Venezuelan population were lower compared to European and North American populations, possibly due to higher potassium and magnesium intake and lower protein intake in vegans and lacto-ovo-vegetarians. Further studies in non-industrialized populations are needed to establish reference ranges for DAL scores.