Multimineral Alkalizing Boosts Fat Loss in Intermittent Fasting

To clarify from the outset, although the researchers attributed the reductions in body weight and enhancements in performance observed in their recent investigation exclusively to the pH-balancing properties of their multimineral formulation, it remains uncertain whether the individual minerals did

To clarify from the outset, although the researchers attributed the reductions in body weight and enhancements in performance observed in their recent investigation exclusively to the pH-balancing properties of their multimineral formulation, it remains uncertain whether the individual minerals did not play a direct role in producing these outcomes. Prior to delving into the detailed analysis, it is essential to first examine how the diverse group of male and female participants in this particular study managed to amplify their weight reduction and optimize their training performance.

This randomized controlled trial was carried out by researchers from Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg in Germany. The team led by Hottenrott and colleagues enlisted 80 healthy participants, comprising 40 women, who were normal to overweight, aged between 20 and 60 years, and had maintained a lightly active lifestyle prior to the study, engaging in about 1 to 2 hours of exercise per week.

Mineral water typically includes several of the minerals found in this supplement as well.

The 40 male and 40 female participants were randomly divided into two primary groups: one practicing intermittent fasting and the other following a non-fasting routine. Within each of these groups, a further randomization split them into subgroups that received either an alkaline supplement or a placebo.

• Participants in the alkaline group (IF-v for fasting with supplement, nIF-v for non-fasting with supplement)
• Those in the placebo group (IF-p for fasting with placebo, nIF-p for non-fasting with placebo)

The alkaline mineral supplement used was a common over-the-counter product available in German pharmacies called Basica Direkt. Every participant consumed one sachet in the morning and another in the evening, while the placebo matched it in appearance and taste, consisting of citric acid, sorbitol, lemon flavoring, and calcium stearate.

Each sachet of Basica Direkt provides 120 mg of calcium, 200 mg of magnesium, 2.5 mg of zinc, 25 µg of molybdenum, 20 µg of chromium, and 15 µg of selenium.

Throughout the 12-week period, all participants followed a mandatory personalized exercise regimen. The researchers tracked not only body weight but also body composition, running performance, dietary habits, and acid-base status comprehensively.

All individuals underwent a tailored endurance training program derived from heart rate data obtained via an incremental lactate threshold field test conducted before the intervention began. This test involved progressively increasing running speed by 1.5 km/h every 800 meters until exhaustion, starting at 6 km/h for women and 7 km/h for men. Training plans were customized according to performance levels and individual heart rate zones. The regimen included 30 to 60 minutes of running combined with 20 minutes of strength training, performed 3 to 4 times weekly. Additionally, everyone completed up to 2 hours of walking each weekend. Training occurred independently, with adherence verified through detailed protocols.

This setup might not initially appear as a rigorous weight-loss experiment, but that is because the dietary framework has yet to be detailed. Here is the nutritional protocol applied to all 80 participants:

• Dietary consumption was recorded using standardized methods over 7 days at the intervention's start.
• To acclimate to fasting, those in the intermittent fasting group began with half-day fasting three times weekly for the first three weeks, limiting intake to 800 kcal for women and 1200 kcal for men daily on those days.
• Following this adjustment, the full intermittent fasting schedule featured two fasting days per week with 400 kcal for females and 600 kcal for males, alongside five days of normal caloric intake matched to personal needs.
• Meal plans were supplied for fasting and half-fasting days; both fasting and non-fasting groups attended a two-hour seminar on balanced nutrition and received a comprehensive guidebook.

The overall diet followed a typical sports nutrition profile: low in fat, high in carbohydrates at 50-60%, with 25-30% fats and 15-20% proteins. Caloric recommendations were personalized based on basal metabolic rate and activity levels.

The outcomes proved remarkably positive, regardless of whether alkaline supplementation was included.

As illustrated in the figure above, the manageable caloric deficit resulted in notable body weight decreases and, crucially, substantial fat mass reductions. This graph on body fat loss reveals two key insights: (A) Intermittent fasting promotes markedly greater fat reduction compared to non-fasting, and (B) pairing it with a multimineral alkalizing supplement further enhances these benefits.

Intermittent fasting outperformed the non-fasting approach overall, yielding significantly more fat loss: the fasting placebo group lost 3.59 ± 0.45 kg, versus 2.63 ± 0.30 kg in the non-fasting placebo group (p = 0.044). This finding aligns with widespread anecdotal reports online, though robust confirmation in non-obese, active individuals has been limited until now.

More specifically, the supplement exerted a significant impact on fat reduction solely within the intermittent fasting cohort: 5.12 ± 0.62 kg in the fasting supplement group compared to 3.59 ± 0.45 kg in the fasting placebo group (p = 0.028).

These fat loss improvements were accompanied by two additional benefits relevant to health and athletic performance, which the researchers link to the alkalizing multimineral supplement. This matches their initial hypothesis that alkaline supplementation could offset fasting-related acidosis, thereby facilitating greater weight loss and superior performance.

Is this outcome suspiciously ideal? Such skepticism is warranted. Valid inquiries include whether the researchers had ties to the supplement manufacturer, if Protina Pharmazeutische GmbH in Ismaning, Germany, funded the work, and why not simply use sodium bicarbonate. The responses are straightforward: no conflicts declared, the funder had no input on study design, data handling, analysis, interpretation, writing, or publication decisions. Nonetheless, the funder was indeed Protina Pharmazeutische GmbH, makers of the BASICA powder.

No pseudoscience here. Studies involving alkalization are often dismissed prematurely, yet evidence confirms that subtle, ongoing pH shifts from diet or activities like bed rest and exercise have tangible effects. For instance, potassium bicarbonate supplementation markedly elevated total glutathione levels in young men after two 21-day bed rest phases, one with and one without 90 mmol daily dosing. Moreover, post-alkalization net protein balance in the fasting state improved by 17 ± 5% (p < 0.05), and erythrocyte membranes showed higher n-3 PUFA sums and improved n-3 to n-6 ratios.

If you follow nutrition science updates, this may resonate. Alkalization proves beneficial during heightened protein catabolism, as seen in bed rest trials or an earlier study preserving lean mass in obese women on a 412 kcal all-protein diet during severe energy restriction. Preserving muscle and bone during fat loss benefits everyone, including at-risk groups like the elderly. A 2018 study on men during a 28-day 30% energy deficit showed similar lean mass protection via potassium bicarbonate, with comparable results likely in women.

Although the sponsors, who claim no influence over the study, produce the product, questions linger on why blend 120 mg calcium, 200 mg magnesium, 2.5 mg zinc, 25 µg molybdenum, 20 µg chromium, and 15 µg selenium specifically to deliver alkaline minerals. These may counteract metabolic drawbacks and impaired lipolysis when pH dips into the lower normal range, hindering ketosis and fat oxidation.

Measurements of serum bicarbonate and urinary pH robustly back the pH bottleneck theory, particularly for intermittent fasters (see figure). The supplement notably altered urinary pH from baseline to endpoint, mainly in non-fasters, effectively countering fasting-induced pH drops (p < 0.05).

However, the claim that unchanged serum levels of Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, and Na+ prove the effect stems purely from alkalinity overlooks potential tissue-level increases in these minerals, which might not register in serum due to tight physiological regulation.

Uncertainties persist: is the benefit solely from pH adjustment, partly from it, or independent? Basica Direkt includes sorbitol, calcium citrate, potassium tartrate as an acid regulator, magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide, calcium salts of fatty acids to prevent clumping, and traces of sodium molybdate, chromium chloride, and sodium selenite.

Any ingredient or their synergy might drive the enhanced fat loss, potentially via pH changes. Yet, unmonitored effects on diet or activity could confound results, as tracking spanned only three of twelve weeks, allowing shifts like higher protein intake that might account for differences independently of the supplement.