How can we reframe acid accumulation disorders to improve health?

Acid accumulation injures organs such as bones, muscles, and kidneys. Considering injurious acid accumulation, clinicians largely focus on its most extreme form – metabolic acidosis. Nevertheless, progressive and harmful acid accumulation occurs before it manifests as metabolic acidosis. Reframing these disorders to encompass the full continuum of “acid stress” will lead to better strategies to identify it and treat it, for improved health.

Dr. Wesson is immediate Past President of the Baylor Scott& White Health and Wellness Centerin Dallas, TX and is Professor of Medicine, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Dallas, TX. He is a long-time advocate for improving the health of communities through focused, data driven population health initiatives. Dr. Wesson is a thought-leader in academic medicine and an internationally recognized researcher in kidney acidifying mechanisms. He has translated his basic science studies to clinical studies examining the role of nutrition in population health and the kidney-protective benefit of nutrition. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers regarding kidney physiology. Dr. Wesson received his undergraduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He attended Washington University School of Medicine and earned his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine (Houston), completed his Internal Medicine residency and internship at Baylor College of Medicine, and his nephrology research fellowship at the University of Illinois (Chicago). He earned his Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas (Austin)