Citric Acid: Benefits, Uses & Side Effects

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Veria Staff | 1 year ago | 0 Comments

Citric acid is a normal component of human cells that is metabolized, degraded, and
eliminated from the body. Also known as E330, it is one of the main ingredients in the
food and beverage industry because it is easily obtained in large quantities, healthy and
cheap. It is often used for proper mineral supplementation of food, as an acidity regulator,
and as a flavor compound. Citric acid enhances the activity of many beneficial
antioxidants, but is not, itself, an antioxidant.

The cycle that citric acid undergoes in the human body is called the Krebs cycle, named
after Hans Adolf Krebs, who received a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for its
discovery in 1953. It actually refers to the physiological oxidation of fats, proteins and
carbohydrates into carbon dioxide and water. During this cycle, eight enzymes help
produce energy through aerobic respiration. Citric acid is an alkalizing agent. Despite
being an acid since most people will say you cant be alkalinizing if your an acid which is
not true. It is able to decrease the level of acidity in body fluids. It can bind with excess
calcium and allow it to leave the body. Despite its many health benefits, you should not
take citric acid without first consulting your physician.

A Natural Medicine
Citric acid is both a natural and an artificially obtained acid. It is found naturally in every
living being: plant (conifer, tobacco leaf) or animal, as in the human tissues and body
fluids. In addition, it is present in a large variety of fruits (lemons, limes, oranges,
grapefruits, kiwis, strawberries, apples, pears, cherries and raspberries) and vegetables
(mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes, peas and asparagus). Citric acid was first artificially
produced in 1784 from lemon juice, by Karl Wilhelm Scheele. It can also be obtained

through bio-technology processes for industrial purposes by fermenting the citrus glucose
(sugary substance), sucrose or molasses (syrup by-product of sugar cane) in combination
with the fungus called Aspergillus niger.

What It Is Used For

Citric acid is used for its health benefits and as in food, alcohol and insecticide
production. It is the most frequently used preservative in the world today. The lemon salt
has been used for centuries to conserve meat and fish. It increases the acidity of the
bacterial environment, making it difficult for it and the microbes to survive and, most
importantly, to reproduce. It is called lemon salt because it was first extracted from a
lemon. It looks like a semi-transparent salt and it has no odor. It has a sour, acid taste.

Medical Benefits
1. Kidney Stones: Administered while drinking lemonade, citric acid prevents the
formation of kidney stones and ensures proper functioning of the kidneys. Citric
acids ability to chelate calcium and its alkalizing properties make it useful as a
method for preventing kidney stones as well as several other kidney ailments.
2. Anti-oxidant: As an anti-oxidant, citric acid may be able to neutralize the
damaging effects of free radicals, unstable compounds that can accumulate in the
body and can trigger the growth of cancerous tumours.
3. Mineral absorption: Specialists say that the citric acid associates itself with
minerals and metals easily, a trait which accelerates their absorption into the body.
4. Skin Care: Citric acid is a common ingredient found in face packs and skin
products. It is considered an antioxidant that can help the regeneration of skin
tissue and slowing down the aging process.
5. Skin Color: In the case of stained skin or freckles, the use of a cream rich in citric
acid will have a depigmentation effect.
6. Sore Throat: Citric acid is of great help when a person has tonsillitis. Gargling
with a combination of citric acid and water will clear the infection from the throat
because it effectively kills the germs that are causing the infection.
7. Nausea: Citric acid can quickly and effectively reduce nausea by reducing the
gastric acidity.
Despite its many health benefits, it is important that you avoid citric acid without first
consulting a doctor. Citric acid supplementation can cause a variety of side effects,
including vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain.

Other Uses

1. Flavor: Citric acid provides flavor to aliments, sweets and to soft drinks and
alcoholic drinks.
2. Food Production: It strengthens the gelatin in jams and slows down the oxidation
process in fruits and fruit products, by combining itself with the naturally present
metals and preventing their discoloration. Citric acid is often used for creating the
proper environment for the enzyme activity in the process of cheese making. It
can also be used for making ice cream because it helps the fat cells in dairy
separate.
3. Pest Control: Citric acid is known to have the ability to destroy bacteria, mold,
viruses and rust, and therefore was used in the production of pesticides, fungicides
and disinfectants solutions.
4. Alcohol Production: Sometimes, citric acid is added to wine, if the grapes used
have low acidity to improve the taste. When manufacturing beer, citric acid
reduces the sugar loss from the barley as it germinates. Therefore, more of the
sugar turns to alcohol, and beer production is optimized.
5. Drugs: Citric acid is used in the manufacture of medicinal products and in biotechnology industries. It is combined with sodium bicarbonate for medicines such
as Alka-Seltzer.

Side Effects
1. Stomach upset: Taking supplementation of citric acid can cause vomiting,
diarrhea, nausea, loss of appetite and abdominal pain.
2. Yellow skin or eyes: These symptoms can occur, although they are rare.
3. Bloody or black, tarry stool: Discoloured stools or bloody or cloudy urine are
more serious symptoms. You may also have a fever, headache, frequent urge to
urinate or a decrease in the amount of urine.
4. Dizziness or loss of blood pressure: Citric acid can cause a loss of fructose
absorption which can lead to a sudden drop of blood pressure, dizziness,
decreased attention and fainting.
5. Affects infant health: Citric acid can affect the absorption of heavy metals like
cadmium and lead into the blood. Citric acid supplementation is not
recommended for babies or children.
6. Can Weaken Hair: The acid opens the hair cuticle and it may also remove
minerals from the hair. It may lead to its degradation, discoloration or breakage.

7. Drug Interactions: Citric acid may interact with aluminum salts, tetracyclines
like doxycycline, amphetamines and anorexiants drugs like phentermine.
Citric acid is a key component of the natural aerobic process of respiration. The naturally
occurring acid is also a key ingredient to many household products and medicines. It can
be used for certain health complaints such as kidney stones or nausea. However, citric
acid supplementation is not recommended without first consulting a doctor. It can, even
in small quantities cause stomach upsets, vomiting and abdominal pain.
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