The role of pH in chronic diseases and low fertility

From stubborn eczema to struggles with fertility, many chronic health issues trace back to a hidden culprit most people never think about: the body’s pH balance. Beneath the surface, every cell lives in a fluid environment that can quietly turn from life-sustaining to cell-damaging. When that happens, the effects ripple through your entire body.

Table of contents:
What is pH
pH of body fluids
Acidic ≠ acid forming
How low pH affects the body
What about fertility and pH?

What is pH

Simply put, pH is a scale measuring how acidic or basic a substance is. It ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. A pH less than 7 indicates acidity, while a pH greater than 7 indicates alkalinity (basicity).

Why this tiny number can make a big difference to your health.

The pH scale is logarithmic, which means that every time the number goes up or down by 1, the acidity changes tenfold. For example, a substance with a pH of 5 is ten times more acidic than something with a pH of 6, and one hundred times more acidic than something with a pH of 7. In other words, even small changes in pH numbers can mean big differences in a substance’s acidity.

pH of body fluids

How does pH relate to the human body? It plays a critical role. Our blood must stay within a slightly alkaline range for optimal oxygen transport. If it shifts below or above this range, conventional medicine explains this as acidosis or alkalosis, respectively. The body carefully monitors this balance and will always prioritize it over other functions, which we will get to later in the article. If the balance was broken, we would simply die.

Ever wondered why we cannot tolerate smoke and why people often die if they inhale too much of it in fire emergencies? The blood becomes too acidic, oxygen cannot be carried to the brain, and the process happens very quickly.

Your body’s delicate chemical balance and what happens when it shifts.

pH values of different body fluids:
Blood: 7.35-7.45
Urine: ideally between 6-7, often lower in people with acidic diets. If you have ever experienced a urinary tract infection (UTI), you know how much it hurts to urinate when the pH drops to about 3-4.
Lymphatic fluid: usually slightly alkaline, about 7.4, but it can drop if the lymphatic system is overwhelmed by metabolic waste, toxins, and cellular debris.

Acidic ≠ acid forming

If you have heard that something is acid forming, you might have moved on without thinking too much about it. There is a difference between something being acidic and being acid forming. A substance can have a low pH and therefore be classified as acidic, but if we eat it, it might not form acids after digestion. It all depends on the residue, or so-called ash, it leaves behind for the body to handle.

When an acidic food is actually your ally.

Here is an example.

Lemon: We all know it is acidic. Its pH is about 2, but upon digestion it leaves alkaline ash, which raises the body’s pH, making it alkaline forming.
Cheese: Its pH varies depending on the type, but generally the more aged the cheese is, the higher its pH. For example, Brie, Camembert, and blue cheeses. Camembert can have a pH up to 7, making it only slightly acidic to neutral. Upon digestion, however, it leaves very acidic ash, lowering the body’s pH. It is therefore very acid forming.

Do you want to see what foods leave which residue? see my pH food chart here

Is low pH in the body’s tissues all that bad?

How low pH affects the body

To understand this topic from the right angle, you need to understand the kidney-lymphatic connection first.

Every single cell in your body, which is about 40 trillion, produces metabolic waste. Metabolic waste refers to what every cell produces as it works to keep us alive. The cells cannot keep the waste, so they dump it into a part of the lymphatic system called the interstitial space or the space between the cells.

From blocked “sewer pipes” to chronic disease.

The lymphatic system carries the waste into the kidneys, which filter it and eliminate it from the body.

Now think: if the kidneys become impaired or the lymphatic system does not flow unobstructed, how does all the waste get out?

The answer is, it does not, or at least not effectively. The body begins to back up. Think of it like a blocked sewer tank. The waste cannot leave, so it lingers. This is very harmful to the body in the long run.

Let’s make acidity a little more real, and a little more disturbing.

Let me ask you a question. What would happen to a coin if you let it sit for a day in a bottle of Coca-Cola (pH 1.5)? The answer is, it would rust. The acidity of the liquid would begin breaking it apart, corroding it in the process.

Now another one. What happens to your cells if they bathe in an acidic fluid? The same as with the coin, just slower. If your cells sit in acidic waste for long periods of time, the acidity begins to break them apart. This compromises the cells’ function, which declines even further over time. That is the beginning of what the mainstream medicine would call a chronic disease.

It is also the reason why the medical treatment of chronic diseases is often so ineffective. I am yet to meet a doctor who would even mention the lymphatic system or kidney function in this connection. In other words, the root cause is not being addressed.

What about fertility and pH?

As explained earlier, over time, all tissues degenerate if exposed to acidity caused by a stagnant lymphatic system. This includes the ovaries, adrenal glands, and the pituitary gland inside the brain.

Mainstream medicine focuses on other mechanisms, but it is often due to an underactive pituitary gland that the reproductive hormones in the ovaries are not as balanced as they should be, leading to difficulties conceiving or carrying to term. What is at the bottom of this? The lymphatic system. Not just in the ovaries or the brain, but in the gut as well.

You may think your gut is miles from your ovaries or brain, but they’re speaking the same chemical language.

Your head sits on top of your body; on top of the gut and the whole digestive system. The gut-brain connection is undeniable in yet another way. Cleaning the gut and optimising endocrine system health, namely the pituitary, is essential to address in relation to fertility.

You can see how acidity, or low pH, affects the cells, including those in the reproductive system. Focusing on an alkaline diet, kidney filtration, and optimising lymphatic flow helps bring the body into a more alkaline state.

Conclusion

Your body is a delicate ecosystem where every cell depends on the right environment to thrive. When that environment becomes too acidic due to poor lymphatic flow or overworked kidneys, the result is slow but steady damage that can show up as chronic disease, hormonal imbalance, or reduced fertility. By supporting kidney filtration, encouraging lymph movement, and choosing more alkaline-forming foods, you give your cells the best chance to function at their highest potential. True healing begins not with chasing symptoms, but with creating the internal conditions where health can flourish. The good news is that every meal, every glass of water, and every small step you take today can move you closer to balance, energy, and the vibrant life you deserve.

Resources

The insights in this article draw on over 50 years of clinical practice and observation by Dr. Robert Morse, N.D., combined with my own research and interpretation. While some of these concepts differ from mainstream medical perspectives, they are shared here to encourage exploration and self-education.