How important is pH to you ?

Definition:[n] (chemistry) p(otential of) H(ydrogen); the logarithm of the reciprocal of hydrogen-ion concentration in gram atoms per liter; provides a measure on a scale from 0 to 14 of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution (where 7 is neutral and <7 is acidic and >7 is basic)



The more I get into the nursing program the more I see the pH measurement used (for skin, for blood). Almost any organ, tissue or cell can have its pH measured.

It seems to be an obsession at times. What is the characteristic of pH that is so important in scientific research, examination or assessment?

 

pH effects things like electrical conductivity between nerve cells, solubility of nutrients and waste products, permeability of cell membranes, absorption of drugs, etc.

It has a great effect on the thousands of electrical and chemical reactions that make life possible.

 

Well... and if we are talking about blood. If the pH level changes, you die.

 

Im completely obsessed I carry a little probe around with me at all times. Seriously though it is very important as many chemical reactions only occur in a certain range of pH's.

 

l test the pH in my fish tank every week. Use 2 drops Bromothymol to 2mls of the tank water to determine the pH.

 

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Yeah, I was involved in the design of a device for measuring the "sensitivity" of teeth for the clinical trials of a popular brand of toothpaste. Essentially a hand-held probe similar to a dental pick, with a variable bending force developed by a electropneumatic servo.

The amount of FDA mandated documentation and testing even for a device that wasn't going to be mass produced or implanted was enough to make your head spin... Was really glad when that project went out the door, and we haven't gotten involved in another medical project since.

 

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No pH and your dead.

 

your body's pH level is what sustains you to a certain extent, the more acidic it is the more toxins you will have. the more alkaline your body, the healthier and stronger it is.
acidic bodies have been proven to have a higher chance of forming chronic diseases, such as cancer.
i take coral calcium every day because it has a pH of 12 (very alkaline for a natural substance) so i can level out all the acidic foods i eat.

 

Well, if your pH dropped to zero, you would be in a puddle on the ground, burning a hole into the concrete...

 

The healthy pH for the body varies, the blood should be every so slightly alkaline just over 7. The skin however is slightly acidic. Different areas of the body are different pH's saliva and skin are slightly acidic, while blood is very slightly alkaline. The impoartant thing as far as lifestyle goes is to avoid extremes. The results can be unpredictable. Take calcium as its been mentioned already. To much calcium can drive the body acidic as it intereferes with the sodium/potassium pump that generates cells. I guess like all things health related, take things in moderation, too much of anything is bad.

 

that reminds me of the alien in the movie "Alien". the alien's blood was acid. one tough organism.