Pharmaceutical compositions for and methods of treating an animal, including a human, and methods of preparing such compositions. The pharmaceutical compositions contain nonabsorbable compositions and may be used, for example, to treat diseases or other metabolic conditions in which removal of protons, the conjugate base of a strong acid and/or a strong acid from the gastrointestinal tract would provide physiological benefits such as normalizing serum bicarbonate concentrations and the blood pH in an animal, including a human.
