Gut pH

The large bowel should be acidic to support a healthy gut environment and proper digestion. The stomach is highly acidic and serves as the first line of defense against ingested pathogens. The large intestine is the major reservoir of beneficial bacteria and should be maintained in an acidic pH range. Most pathogens cannot survive below a pH of 6, so acidifying the gut environment suppresses them. The large bowel's acidic state represents an evolved biological requirement whose disruption has downstream consequences. An acidic gut environment creates a self-reinforcing positive cycle where more good bacteria are activated, natural antibiotics are produced, pathogens decrease, and the immune barrier strengthens. When gut pH becomes too alkaline or the gut barrier weakens, bacteria penetrate the immune wall and enter the bloodstream.