The Effect of Intestinal Worms on Blood pH

PH is a measurement of acidity and alkalinity. Doctors have been aware of the importance pH plays in the human body since the creation of the scale in the 1920s. Blood pH is affected by diet, as well as illness and disease.

Features of Blood pH

• Blood pH must stay in the range between 7.35 to 7.45, meaning it is slightly alkaline. Nearly all bodily processes affect this number, but our body is constantly attempting to balance the pH through a variety of acidifying or alkalizing mechanisms.

Infections

• There is no obvious direct link between intestinal worms and a change in blood pH. However, parasites generally prefer slightly alkaline conditions. Other types of infections (such as bacterial) tend to lower blood pH slightly, due in part to the body's natural defense mechanisms, which are designed to eliminate the danger posed by infections. However, some intestinal worms can trick our immune system into thinking they are part of our body, rendering them virtually invisible to our immune system.

Recommendations

• Intestinal worms and other parasitic infestations are rampant in the developing world. An infection of intestinal worms may not change blood pH, but the worms absorb and feed on the same nutrients in our blood that we need. This can result in anemia, a condition characterized by reduced red blood cells. There could be other damaging effects, which may take more time to be noticed. Consult a doctor for testing if you are concerned about intestinal worms.