pH LEVELS, Blood, Semen, Vagina & lactobacilli

[Guest guest]

HI all, I just sent this elsewhere but thought some of you may appreciate it as well as we were talking about why not to use soap directly on the genitals. Mainly because soaps usually have a higher alkaline pH level than our vaginas and why it can irritate (and so does blood & semen being higher in pH values as well) but then off went my brain. LOL and I also sent this.

Hope you enjoy it.

Dee~ : )

With talking about soap, semen, blood etc. I thought I'd add this for those who might be interested as to how it all ties in for us women.

Semen pH levels are alkaline generally around 7.8 to 8.2 and our normal acidic pH level for the vagina should be around 3.8 to 4.2 to keep us healthy. A strong vaginal odor may be particularly prominent after unprotected intercourse because of the high pH (7.8-8.2) of semen. Some use repHresh to maintain pH normal level for women. I've never tried it myself.

Ph STANDS FOR: 'POTENTIAL HYDROGEN'Measured on a logartithmic scale it looks like this. Had a little hard time trying to draw this out *smile* but hope it maintains it's drawing.

(7 like Water is Neutral.) <________*________*______________> 0 4 7 14 Acid AlkalineHydrogen 'Vagina' Water BASESaturation

_____________________________________________________

CANDIDA ....................... = pH LEVELS OF <4 or less

*more acidic & can exist within 'normal' pH ranges.

BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS ...= ph LEVELS OF 4.5>plus

*less acidic, more towards alkaline*.

NORMAL VAGINAL PH.......= PH LEVELS OF 3.8 To 4.2 (avg. 4.)(these are approx.)

:

These are various notes I've put together from Articles from Medscape, Pub med, medical journals etc. etc. etc. about pH values below.

1. (Candidiasis) *a yeast/thrush infection* typically presents as a thick, "curdled" white discharge or vulvar pruritus, with a hyperemic vagina and anerythematous and/or excoriated vulva. Vaginal pH is usually in thenormal range of 3.8-4.2 in 'uncomplicated' candidiasis !

( A higher ACIDIC RANGE) the lower the number below 7 the higher the acid range anything lower than this would be definitely complicatedCandida in my opinion*. dt.)2.(Bacterial vaginosis) ..Its presence represents a change in thevaginal ecosystem, specifically a *decrease in lactobacilli*, whichis part of the normal flora; a proliferation of pathogenicinhabitants of the vagina; and an elevation of pH (>4.5).Despite exhaustive basic research, it is unclear whether the declinein lactobacilli, proliferation of pathogens, or rise in pH*initiates the cascade.3.(overgrowth of Lactobacilli) Still within the realm of infectiousetiologies are other causes of vaginal discharge. One is termedlactobacillosis or Döderlein cytolysis. This entity is characterizedby an 'overgrowth' of the commensal lactobacilli. The pH is typicallylow-normal.

Treatment, therefore, is directed at correcting the disruption ofthe vaginal ecosystem in order to limit the excessive proliferationof these protective organisms....Broad-spectrum antibioticsmay lower the proliferation of the lactobacilli, and alkaline(sodium bicarbonate) douches may raise the vaginal pH to restore theecosystem.

(you can see why using baking soda for a douche for the wrong infection would be detrimental) dt4.(inflammatory Vaginitis) Another entity, inflammatory vaginitis,features a *vaginal pH above 4.2,*

Large numbers of leukocytes, and some parabasal and basal vaginalcells, with a paucity of superficial squamous cells. Cliniciansoften find that patients are infected with group A or group Bstreptococcus. Therefore, because infection is suspected to underliethe inflammation and desquamation, treatments directed againstbacterial vaginosis are recommended.5. A vaginal pH of *6.0 to 7.5* in the absence of bacterialpathogens is strongly suggestive of menopause and a lack of estrogen.

While a vaginal pH in the *5.0 to 6.5* range indicates a bacterial pathogen OR

decreased estradiol, according to C. Caillouette, M.D., an ob-gynin private practice in Pasadena, Calif.

He also says states: "Wouldn't it be better to encourage women's health-care practitioners to provide estrogen-replacement therapy in such a way as to discover which dose is ideal for each patient?," he asked. "The goal of [hrT] is to achieve patient compliance, resulting in a vaginal pH of *4.5*, with relief of menopausal symptoms and side effects." It would be individually prescribed according to needs using the Ph levels of the vagina.

7. The weighted average of vaginal pH was 6.0 in menopausal women 'not' receiving estrogen therapy and 4.5 (normal) after estrogen therapy was initiated.

8. Lactobacilli (acidic) maintain the healthy vaginal ecosystem by atleast 3 mechanisms:

Their production of lactic acid maintains a normal vaginal pH of*4.0 (3.8-4.2).* This acidic milieu is hostile against theproliferation of the aforementioned potentially pathogenic species.Their production of hydrogen peroxide is toxic to the anaerobicmicroflora.

*my note* some suggest baths with Hydrogen peroxide or 'splashes'

for the same reason as the vinegar for the integrity of the skin or vinegar douches to maintain the normal pH in the vagina. DT.

Their micropili (tiny projections from the cell wall) adhere toreceptors on the vaginal epithelial cells, 'preventing' adherence of thesepotential pathogens. The transition from normal toward abnormal, particularly in the case of BV, entails an elevation of pH and a relative shift from a predominance of lactobacilli toward one of pathogenic organisms (mostly coccoid bacteria).

9. All chemical processes have an ideal pH at which they are most efficient. For example the body functions best with an internal chemistry being near neutral or slighty alkaline (pH of *6.8 to 7.4*).

The pH of the blood is even more specific and automatically controlled regardless of diet, unless to the extreme where it may be detrimental. : BLOOD ph 7.2 = DEATH 7.4 = Normal 7.6 = DEATH Our internal body chemistry functions in an alkaline environment. Our blood must maintain a pH of 7.4. If it drops below that to 7.2 we die. The same is true if it reaches or exceeds 7.6 for any prolonged period of timeAn aside: The case for not using Tampons:Women should be advised to allow the menstrual flow to pass throughthe vaginal canal naturally, as the alkaline nature of menstrualfluid combines with the acidic vaginal environment, balancing thechemistry (pH) of the vagina with normal, healthy flora.

I was always at my worst right before and esp. during my period The blood burned something fierce going over that raw tissue. I would have sworn something was wrong with my blood. Then I realized that blood has an alkaline pH 7.4 and that's why it burned 'me' as I was like raw hamburger to begin with. And an acid or alkaline pH at either end of the pH scale can be detrimental.

For instance Lye is a strong (alkaline) at 13 pH ,

Baking Soda has an (alkaline) pH 8.5 why it can sometimes burn as well. (does me very much)

And Battery acid is a 1 pH, (acid) and vinegar has a pH of 3 (acid) why some women douche with that to bring our vaginal pH back to an acidic state to prevent pathogens from taking over.

The normal vaginal pH is about 3.8 to 4.2 (acid) that's an average and where it should hopefully be.

As I mentioned Semen has an alkaline pH of 7.5 to 8.1 so that too can burn us at times just as blood can irritate us...they suggest if a males semen is over 8.1 they may likely have an infection.

Water is neutral at 7, so below 7 is considered acid and above is alkaline.For another interesting site on PH levels, or how disease works and a lot more, go to http://biomedx.com/microscopes/rrintro/rr1.html Check out how the Body Rots. I hope this URL still works.

Hugs,

Dee~