Normal blood ph is 7.35 - 7.45. a young females decides to go on a diet that includes no carbohydrates. her body begins to burn fat as an energy source in the absence of carbohydrates. unfortunately, waste products of fat breakdown are ketone bodies, which are extremely acidic.
a. would you expect the blood ph of this individual to go up or down as a result of this diet?
b. what are some health risks associated with blood ph falling out of normal range? (at the macromolecular level)

While you are correct about the ketones; there actually 5 other waste products of which four are also acidic.

A) because the byproducts are acidic, it would make the blood more acidic. Acidity brings down the pH level.

B) the biggest risk is going into Ketoacidosis, or access of ketones resulting in a super dangerous acidity level. The acidity will become so potent that the kidneys will begin to push out as much ketones as possible, resulting in Polyuria (lots of urination), eventual dehydration, and then kidney failure. Additionally you will also start to produce deep and rapid exhalations which smell of Acetone so as to try and get rid of the acidity. Because of the water loss and your bodies need for carbohydrates (the process also yields a significantly lower amount of ATP than normally gaining energy from glucose), you will also begin to suffer from polydipsia (excessive thirst) and polyphagi (excess food intake. The condition is also a byproduct of Type 1 diabetic patients

Cells, like humans, cannot generate energy without locating a source in their environment. However, where as humans search for substances like fossil fuels to power their homes and businesses, cells seek their energy in the form of food molecules or sunlight. In fact, the Sun is the ultimate source of energy for almost all cells, because photosynthetic prokaryotes, algae, and plant cells harness solar energy and use it to make the complex organic food molecules that other cells rely on for the energy required to sustain growth, metabolism, and reproduction