As an OB-GYN who specializes in vulvovaginal disorders, I hear a lot of myths about vaginal yeast infections,

作为一名专攻外阴疾病的 妇产科医生， 我听过很多关于 阴道酵母菌感染的传言，

and the one that just won't go away is that they're linked to too much sugar in your diet.

其中流传甚广的是这种疾病和 你饮食中的过量糖分摄入 密不可分。

Body Stuff with Dr.Jen Gunter

珍·冈特（Jen Gunter）医生的 身体秘密节目

On the surface, the idea sounds plausible.

这个说法乍一听很有道理。

After all, sugar is a food source -- not just for us, but also for yeast and bacteria.

毕竟糖分是一种能量来源， 不仅对我们而言， 对酵母和细菌也是如此。

So if we eat more sugar, we're feeding the yeast.

如果我们摄入更多糖分， 我们也在喂养酵母。

And there are studies that show yeast infections are more common in people with diabetes, who can have higher levels of sugar in their blood.

有研究表明 酵母菌感染 在糖尿病患者中更为常见， 而糖尿病患者的血糖值偏高。

But the truth is, the sugar consumption-yeast connection is a myth for most,

但是事实是， 糖分摄入和酵母菌的关联， 这个广为流传的谣言

perpetuated both by well-meaning but ill-informed health care professionals as well as purveyors of snake oil -- you know,

由好心但消息不准确的 专业医护人员助长， 也被蛇油商人散布——

the ones who want to sell you cleanses, diets and books designed to help you get rid of all the yeast.

那些想给你推销排毒剂、 食谱和书籍， 让你摆脱全部酵母菌的人。

The first thing you need to know is that yeast is normally found in the vagina.

首先你需要知道 酵母菌通常存在于阴道中。

At some point in a given year, one study estimates that 70 percent of people will have yeast in their vagina,

有一项研究估计，在一年里的任何时间，70% 的女性 阴道里会有酵母菌，

just hanging out in the microbiome and causing no symptoms.

在微生物群系内待着， 也不会造成任何症状。

And secondly, sugar is normally found in the vagina.

第二，阴道里通常也有糖分。

After all, that's what also feeds the good bacteria.

毕竟糖分也是有益菌的食物。

It's the overgrowth of this yeast that's already there that produces symptoms and results in what we call a yeast infection.

原先酵母菌的增生 才是症状出现的罪魁祸首， 导致我们所知的“酵母菌感染”。

One theory for the sugar-yeast connection is that the source of the yeast is actually in the gut, and that a high-sugar diet feeds this yeast,

关于糖分和酵母菌之间的关联，有一个理论是 酵母菌的源头其实在肠道，高糖的饮食会滋养酵母菌，

which makes it overgrow, and then it gets into the vagina.

让它过度生长，蔓延至阴道。

But there's no credible data to support this.

但是这一理论 并没有可靠的数据支撑。

Another theory is that eating more sugar causes sugar levels in the vagina to rise, thus feeding the yeast.

另一个理论是摄入更多的糖分 会导致阴道中的含糖量升高， 于是培养了酵母菌。

But it doesn't.

但是并不会如此。

And yes, someone actually studied this.

是的，确实有人对此进行了研究。

Researchers gave people, some with a history of vaginal yeast infections and others without, a drink containing a lot of sugar or glucose.

研究人员给受试者—— 部分有阴道酵母菌感染病史， 其余没有—— 提供了一杯含有大量糖分 或葡萄糖的饮料，

Their blood and vaginal sugar levels were measured before and after the drink.

在饮用前后分别测量了 其血糖和阴道含糖量。

They found that the sugar levels in the vaginal secretions didn't change for either group.

他们发现，无论哪一组， 阴道分泌物的含糖量都未发生变化。

But what about diabetes?

和糖尿病的关联呢？

Now we know diabetes is associated with an increased risk of vaginal yeast infections, but the actual reason why isn't known.

我们知道，糖尿病 与阴道酵母菌感染的 风险增加有关， 但是实际原因未知。

While very elevated glucose levels might be part of it, it seems the immune system and other factors may also be playing a role.

虽然过高的葡萄糖含量 可能是原因之一， 免疫系统和其他因素 也有可能参与其中。

There is a newer class of diabetes medications that causes people to dump a lot of sugar into their urine as a way to lower blood sugar.

有一种新的糖尿病药物 会使人体把糖分排入尿液， 借此降低血糖。

The massive amounts of sugar in the urine can cause yeast infections on the vulva as the vulva is being bathed in levels of sugar it didn't evolve to handle.

尿液中的大量糖分 会导致外阴被酵母菌感染， 因为外阴被浸润在了 它没有足够能力 处理的大量糖分中。

But unless you have diabetes, there is no link between eating sugar and yeast infections.

但是除非你有糖尿病， 摄入糖分和酵母菌感染 就没有任何关系。

So ignore the so-called influencers.

不要听那些所谓的网红扯谈。

It's fine to enjoy a slice of cake now and then.

偶尔吃块蛋糕也问题不大。

And definitely skip the cleanses.

也不要去排毒了。