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In article ,
(simy1) writes:
|
| Such as the one that both coffee and alcohol have a low pH, in
| the context of the digestive tract?
|
| The bacteria in our gut who are responsible for B-12 do not appreciate
| an acid environment (both coffee and alcohol have low pH).
|
| I see what you are saying. Yes, the hypothesis that it is the acidity
| has not been proven. It could be anything. On that you are right. Or,
| if I nderstand it, you were objecting to my second post and not first.

Correct.

But it is so far from not having been proven that it is known to be
incorrect. It was even when I first saw it, some decades back.

Not merely does neither have a low pH (and alcohol doesn't really
have one, as such), most of the reasons for their effects on gut
flora are known, and it isn't their alkalinity or acidity.

Alcohol (specifically ethanol) has a direct effect on most
organisms and, at a sufficient level, is a very effective
bacteriostat. I can't remember if the same is true for caffeine,
but it is certainly true for tannins.

There is an indirect effect that, in some people, both alcohol
and caffeine stimulate the production of acid in the stomach,
but the same applies to many other foods.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.