308 Excess Stomach Acid [2 March 2015]

Last week I wrote that heartburn or indigestion is more often caused by low stomach acid than by excess acid. This time let’s look at what to do if you are producing too much stomach acid.

First, to explain a paradox I touched on last week. How can having low stomach acid produce heartburn symptoms that are relieved by taking an antacid? Steve Wright explains it this way: low stomach acid leads to bacterial overgrowth and maldigested carbohydrates, which increase intra-abdominal pressure, pushing on the stomach and forcing the stomach juices up into the esophagus. Even weak acid will irritate the unprotected lining of the esophagus, causing heartburn.

Before treating yourself for excess acid, be sure that that is the problem. The Heidelberg Test is more accurate than the betaine challenge test described last week, but is expensive and your doctor may be reluctant to order it. It involves swallowing a pH meter which measures the pH of your stomach as you drink a solution of sodium bicarbonate.

Once you have determined that your problem is excess acid, are taking ant-acids or proton pump inhibitors the answer? Not necessarily so. Remember that sufficient stomach acid is still required for proper digestion and protection from food borne pathogens. There are other more natural ways to prevent heartburn.

• Avoid becoming overstressed (easier said than done!)
• Don’t lie down for 2 hours following a meal
• Eat smaller meals, chew thoroughly, and drink a glass of water with meals
• Avoid spicy foods, carbonated drinks, coffee & alcohol
• Replace processed foods with whole foods, especially vegetables
• Include sufficient protein in every meal
• Supplement with probiotics and fermented foods to ensure healthy gut flora
• Take alkalizing supplements or eat a high alkaline diet (a subject for a future column) to lower systemic pH without compromising digestion
• For occasional severe pain use ant-acids or 1 tsp baking soda in a glass of water

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

307 Hypochlorhydria [23 Feb 2015]

When we experience indigestion, the first thing we think of reaching for is an ant-acid pill. But in many cases that is exactly the wrong thing to do. Here’s why you may need to take an acid supplement pill instead.

As we age our stomach’s production of acid declines – one source estimated at by age 50 we produce only 15% of what we did at age 25, and that more than one in three people over 65 produce negligible amounts. Symptoms of low stomach acid – called hypochlorhydria – also cause indigestion, although of a different type. Suspect low acid is the problem if:
• you don’t feel well after eating meat
• you frequently experience acid reflux after eating*
• your stomach feels bloated and heavy after eating
• you burp or experience gas 1 or 2 hours after eating.

There are additional disadvantages to low stomach acid in addition to these unpleasant symptoms. Sufficient stomach acid is required for proper digestion of protein, certain minerals (iron, copper, zinc & calcium) and vitamins (B12, folic acid). Also stomach acid is a first line of defense from ingested pathogens; weak acid allows more germs to survive into the intestines.

There is a simple test for suspected low acid. Eat a high protein meal (e.g. a 6 oz. steak) and take 1 tablet of Betaine HCl. If you experience a burning or heavy feeling in your stomach, then you didn’t need it and your acid level is fine; if you felt nothing then the tablet helped digest the protein and your acid level is low. Repeat several times to be sure.

If you determine that your level is low the next step is to determine the optimum dosage. Increase by one Betaine tablet per meal every few days until you experience a warm or burning sensation, then decrease by one. Dr. J. Wright finds a common dosage to be 3,000-5,000 mg per meal. CAUTION: do not use Betaine if you have a gastric ulcer or if are taking anti-inflammatory drugs including corticosteroids, NSAIDS or aspirin, as these damage the stomach wall and the added acid will irritate the damaged tissue.

* The reason low stomach acid causes acid reflux is not completely understood. Steve Wright explains that it contributes to intra-abdominal pressure which pushes the stomach fluids back into the esophagus which can be irritated with even weak acid.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

130 Acid Reflux [6 September 2011]

Acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), occurs when stomach acid flows back up into the esophagus. The esophagus lacks the protective lining of the stomach and is irritated by the strongly acidic stomach content, causing pain known as “heartburn”. This happens rarely because the stomach is too acidic, but because of either inappropriate relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter or a hiatal hernia. Dr Jonathan Wright found that 90% of his patients with GERD, when tested, actually had low stomach acid. Underlying causes of acid reflux can be an infection by Helicobacter pylori bacteria or stomach gas from insufficient stomach acid.

Standard treatment for acid reflux is the use of ant-acids to neutralize the stomach acid or stronger prescription drugs called proton pump inhibitors. While these alleviate the symptoms, they do not address the underlying causes. In fact lowering stomach acid reduces your ability to control H. pylori and other food-borne bacteria, parasites and yeast. It also impedes digestion of food, particularly protein and calcium (increasing risk of osteoporosis), and is associated with a long list of other diseases.

Fortunately there are safer more natural ways to prevent or alleviate acid reflux:
• eat slowly and chew food thoroughly; avoid overeating or drinking too much with meals; avoid too much fatty or fried foods
• avoid eating for 2 hours before bed or when under stress
• sleep with head of bed elevated 6” and lie on left side
• take apple cider vinegar or sauerkraut with meals to increase stomach acid
• take Betaine HCl and Pepsin supplements to increase stomach acid
• fortify the good bacteria in your digestive tract with a probiotic along with a prebiotic (#003 16 March 2009 and #078 30 August 2010)
• control H. pylori (#058, 12 April 2010) with antibiotics or mastic gum
• exercise; lose excess weight; stop smoking

Sources and further reading:
• Gut Solutions by Brenda Watson, ND and Leonard Smith MD, 2003
• Why Stomach Acid is Good for You – Natural Relief from Heartburn, Indigestion, Reflux & GERD by Jonathan Wright MD and Lane Lenard PhD
• Mercola.com “Why Does Successful Treatment of GERD Increase Cancer”
• CBS news story on acid drugs “Are Nexium and Prilosec Too Popular?” quoted on Renew Life website

This article is intended for educational purposes only; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.