# Low Stomach Acid



## IBSsuffer (Jan 12, 1999)

Wondering if anyone has been diagnosed with Low Stomach Acid? If so, what are you taking for it?I have seen in several site where they list these as symptoms of Low Stomach Acid, but also say that it can be caused by other conditionsBloating, belching, and flatulence immediately after meals Indigestion, diarrhea, or constipation Soreness, burning or dryness of the mouth Heartburn Multiple food allergies Feeling nauseous after taking supplements Rectal itching Weak, peeling and cracked fingernails Redness or dilated blood vessels in the cheeks and nose Adult acne Hair loss in women Iron deficiency Undigested food in the stools Chronic yeast infections Low tolerance for dentures --IBSsuffer


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Generally it seems to be only something the alternative medical community thinks is common and not the general medical community.People on meds for GERD do not seem to have all these problems and some of the meds completely block stomach acid production.K.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Here are some allopathic medical take on this problem (i.e. in the few people it really is a problem rather than the "this is the problem for most people walking around" ) http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic851.htm Now they mention low iron, but usually the problem in people with this sort of thing is B-12 type of anemia, not so much the iron end of things







K.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:I have seen in several site where they list these as symptoms of Low Stomach Acid


Low stomach acid in general doesn't cause *any* symptoms.


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## IBSsuffer (Jan 12, 1999)

Kath M I did get this info from an alternative medicine website. Thank you for your link.The website I was referring to is:Low Stomach AcidFlux I went back to the website that I quoted from and it said Signs and Symptoms of Low Acidity. Question: If a individual is consuming protein and has low stomach acids, would they have any problems digesting it?--IBSsuffer


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote: If a individual is consuming protein and has low stomach acids, would they have any problems digesting it?


Probably not. Stomach acid's main role is to kill bacteria and prevent gastroenteritis.


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## Blair (Dec 15, 1998)

heartburn i thought was caused by stomach acid.


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## SpAsMaN* (May 11, 2002)

Blair,you are probably rigth,there is a test called ph metry where you have a tube in your stomack for 24 hours to measure ph acidity.


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## leahmonahan (Aug 22, 2003)

Low stomach acid is very real. It will affect your ability to break down protein, kill bad bacteria that enter your gut with your food, and ionize minerals such as zinc, calcium, and magnesium.I have suffered low stomach acid for the past year. I had all the following symptoms listed in "Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine" by Murray and Pizzorno, N.D.s:A sense of fullness after eatingAcneBloating, belching, burning, and flatulence immediately after mealsChronic candida infectionsChronic intestinal parasites or abnormal floraIndigestion, diarrhea, or constipationItching around rectumMultiple food allergiesNausea after taking supplementsUndigested food in stoolUpper digestive tract gassiness(there are other symptoms too, I just didnï¿½t have them)I currently take Betaine HCL (along with a digestive enzyme supplement) with meals to help digest my food. It makes a big difference. The easiest way to measure low stomach acid at home is to do the Beet Juice Test.HCL Beet Juice Assessment1. Drink 4 ounces of raw beet juice once daily for 3 consecutive days. You may dilute the juice with apple or carrot juice so that it is palatable. (You either have to have a juicer to do this, or you have to go to a store that makes fresh juice. I am lucky that I live in California where juicing is popular.)2. Check the color of your urine daily and record if it turns red or pink (even slightly pink).3. Note if you have any of the following sensations after eating in the past 30 days:burning in gut after mealsfrequent belching and/or bloating after mealsindigestionfeeling of fullness after mealsstomach upsets easilygas, flatulence after mealsconstipationdiarrheachronic intestinal infection (bacteria, yeasts, parasites)chronic candida infectionundigested food in stoolsknown food sensitivitiesIf your urine is pink or red and you show symptoms in question #3, this indicates low stomach acid, in which case, I recommend trying a Betaine HCL supplement. Start with one cap (approx 640mg) and work up with each meal until you get a warm or burning sensation, then cut back by one. Take only with food, not on an empty stomach. If it burns, you can cut the acidity with an alkaline food (like milk) or a teaspoon of baking soda in water.Also, if you are not already taking high potency digestive enzymes, I recommend doing this too. Good brands: DigestGold by Enzymedica and Ultimate Enzymes by The Health Nuts. Take one pill with each meal for support in breaking down and absorbing food.~L


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## SpAsMaN* (May 11, 2002)

That's interesting Laylo,i have a too cold stomack and a too hot lower bowel.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:Low stomach acid is very real.


Yes, but it's irrelevant to digestive problems.


> quote:II have suffered low stomach acid for the past year.


How do you know that? How did you get it? People don't just have "low stomach acid".


> quote: I had all the following symptoms listed in "Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine" by Murray and Pizzorno, N.D.s:


*Low stomach acid does not cause ANY symptoms.*









> quote:I currently take Betaine HCL (along with a digestive enzyme supplement) with meals to help digest my food. It makes a big difference. T


I suspect it's a placebo effect and this pill doesn't contain any signficant acid. Pills with acid could cause problems, so I am guessing the companies don't actually put acid in them, or least not concentrated acid.


> quote:The easiest way to measure low stomach acid at home is to do the Beet Juice Test.


This test is a hoax.









> quote:She is also a Certified Nutrition Educator.


There is no such field, so this is a lie, right?


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## jools41 (Jan 8, 2004)

SHUTUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

FrontlineWhy do you think so many people use alternative medicine? http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sh...ews/angell.html


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## Blair (Dec 15, 1998)

Why do you think so many people use alternative medicine?I did because I didn't beleive my doctors were right about IBS, it seemed like a cop-out.I now think alternative medicine is even worse than regular doctors.


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

This is what I found"When carbohydrates hit the acidic environment of the stomach, their digestion, started in the mouth, abruptly stops. However, the stomach then signals the pancreas to synthesize bicarbonate, which it discharges into the duodenum to provide an alkaline medium.If the stomach lacks sufficient HCl, the pancreas won't get the "go" signal and, consequently, will not make the duodenum alkaline. Is this serious? Indeed! The chyme will retain its acidity and destroy vitally needed protein-digesting enzymes, which are also secreted and released into the duodenum by the pancreas. "It seems to affect protein digestion by enzymes. But flux would say that water is going to digest the protein


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

Also found this"Additionally, HCl helps trigger the release of bile, made by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, into the duodenum. Therefore, fats can then be digested -- fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins -- and absorbed."So HCL does seem to play a role in digestion.


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## Reena (Jan 20, 2005)

Hi IBS sufferer,I take hcl with my meals. I used to burp up my food for hours after eating. Now I do not. Without the proper stomach acid it will cause problems with digestion. Those without the problem can easily say it doesn't exist. I take up to 6 capsules with a larger meal and they are 10gr each. Keep looking. Don't listen to those who are stuck inside their own little box. Find out for yourself. Just thought I'd tell you my experience.Reena


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:If the stomach lacks sufficient HCl, the pancreas won't get the "go" signal


This is false.


> quote:So HCL does seem to play a role in digestion.


Yes, but it is not necessary and the impact of not having is not clinically significant.


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## cat crazy (Jan 28, 2002)

If everything starting from the mouth, stomach, pancreas, liver, gall bladder, duodenum, ileium and the large intestine were functioning well then the end result would be just fine. Something somewhere along the line just seems to malfunction or not doing it's job properly. I am not against alternative medicine at all but just wonder about their research/labs and their pharmaceutical companies. We don't hear much about their research but just how good their stuff is.


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## SpAsMaN* (May 11, 2002)

GOOD POINT hANNA,WHERE are these research?Even the small one are never done?Flux,the acid is strong,it can -dissolve anything- in few minutes.


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

If you are looking for research in Natural Medicine, there is a very good book by Pizzorno-The book of natural medicine. What I liked about the book was that most of the things he talks about are backed up by research though the research may not be in the most respectable journals in the universe. They used to feature his book on MD Consult but unfortunately they have taken it off. I think it is a big loss.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:We don't hear much about their research


Half the BB is filled with this research. Just do a search for posts by Eric.


> quote:Flux,the acid is strong,it can -dissolve anything- in few minutes


Acids don't work that way exactly. Acids can be thought as proton donors or electron acceptors. They react only with compounds that can accept proton or give up electrons. If you mix acid with a an alkaline compound, like lye, then you will get a big reaction. Or if you mix it with a metal. The end result is some sort of salt compound.


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## ibsWinter (Oct 28, 2011)

Blair said:


> heartburn i thought was caused by stomach acid.


If your stomach cannot digest its food then the food goes into the colon where if fermentscausing gas. (methane) This gas pushes up the acid from the stomach causing heartburn.


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