Re: 10 Candida Myths

#5 - Pathogenic Candida requires an acid pH environment to grow

This is another common myth put out by people who think everything is supposed to be alkaline in the body. The digestive tract is supposed to be acid and doesn't even approach alkalinity until the rectum. The vaginal tissue is also supposed to be acidic.

The lactic acid bacteria produce lactic acid to help maintain an acid pH. The stomach is very acidic, and the acidity of juices leaving the stomach helps to stimulate pancreatic function, as well as maintain the proper acid pH of the intestinal tract. Bile acids also contribute to maintaining the acid pH. In an acid environment, candida exists in its yeast form, but once that starts to shift to a more alakline environment, the alkaline pH stimulates the conversion to the pathogenic, fungal form. The same is true for E. Coli. In an acid environment, it plays a role in the production of vitamin K for the body. In an alkaline environment it becomes the pathogenic form that causes so many problems for people. Fungal Candida does extremely well in an akaline environment such as the blood stream.