Contrary to popular belief and internet lore, Glycerin does not cause yeast infections. By definition Glycerin is a colorless, sweet, viscous liquid formed as a byproduct in soap manufacturing and is used widely in pharmaceutical applications. In personal care products such as Personal Lubricants, glycerin is widely used as a humectant, solvent, and sweetener and for people with diabetes, it is used as a sugar substitute.
One myth we want to dispel is that Glycerin is a sugar. Glycerin is a sugar alcohol. Sugar alcohol gets its name because of its molecular structure, which is a hybrid between a sugar molecule and an alcohol molecule. Biochemically speaking, sugar alcohols are structurally similar to sugar but are either poorly digested (e.g., maltitol), or poorly metabolized (e.g., erythritol).
When we talk about Glycerin feeding yeast infections, the body needs to metabolize the Glycerin in order to turn it into a carbohydrate. If Glycerin is included in a lubricant formula and you decide to wolf down a bottle for dinner one night (YUCK!), your body will have a very difficult time trying to metabolize the sugar alcohol and turn it into the carbohydrate that yeast infections need to grow. If you’re using lubricant the way most of us use it (Topically, of course!), then your body absorbs the sugar alcohol molecules that make up the glycerin and don’t digest it. Digestion means the process of breaking down food by mechanical and enzymatic action in the alimentary canal (the whole passage along which food passes through the body from mouth to anus) into substances that can be used by the body. If we’re putting Simply Slick on the skin, it won’t be digested by your stomach. Common sense, right?
Don’t believe me? With all of the misinformation online, I would be skeptical too! Our company believes in absolute transparency so we’re going to provide links to the tests that show not only does our lubricant NOT feed Candida albicans but if you look at the results, you’ll see what the test shows that our formula inhibits the growth of yeast.
- Antimicrobial Endurance Test – performed by FDA approved lab
- Microbial Assays Test for Candida albicans – performed by FDA approved lab
Remember, just because Glycerin tastes sweet doesn’t make it a sugar or allow it to be digested the same way as sugar. Also keep in mind that when you rub it on your skin and use it in a topical application, your body can’t digest it and turn it into the carbohydrate that Yeast Infections needs to flourish.