Last updated on May 16th, 2023 at 10:20 am
We have been told (and even been convinced to some degree) by the conventional world of health and medicine that too much stomach acid is the cause of reflux, heartburn, and *insert digestive issue*. This is entirely untrue. Stomach acid is not only incredibly beneficial but also a necessity for the body to function correctly. Sometimes a simple increase in stomach acid can reduce and often eliminate typical concerns like heartburn or acid reflux and improve common gastrointestinal problems.
Let’s get straight to it…
The most common question is: what does stomach acid do, and why do we need it?
Stomach acid (hydrochloric acid or HCL) is essential to the digestive process. It is our first line of defense against bacteria, pathogens, parasites, etc. It also plays a crucial role in helping us digest our food correctly.
When the body is relaxed (parasympathetic state), HCL is released into the stomach, converting fats into fatty acids, carbohydrates into glucose, and proteins into amino acids. This is extremely important because it enables the body to absorb and use all the nutrients from the food we eat.
Once the food in the stomach has been combined with the correct amounts of HCL, enzymes, and other gastric and digestive juices, it will reach acidity between 1.5-3.0 on the pH scale and then pass into the small intestine to continue the digestive process.
Roles of HCL include:
- baths the stomach
- disinfects the stomach
- kills bacteria and parasites
- activates pepsin so that protein can be properly digested
- stimulates gastrin
What happens when you don’t produce enough HCL?
1. The fats, protein, and carbohydrates cannot break down properly for the body to take advantage of all their nutrient. The food will then stay in the stomach, petrifying, becoming rancid, or fermenting.
2. The body cannot absorb or use the nutrients in the food, such as zinc, iron, vitamin A, vitamin D, selenium, etc.
3. The overgrowth of harmful bacteria (and even parasites) can take over completely, leading to ulcers, other health issues, and even cancer.
4. Because the stomach’s contents aren’t acidic enough, it won’t release its content into the small intestine (this is where all the absorption occurs.)
5. When the stomach contents drop into the small intestine, the gallbladder isn’t triggered to release bile, the pancreas isn’t informed about secreting pancreatic enzymes, and sodium bicarbonate isn’t secreted to increase the pH of the digested food.
6. Because sodium bicarbonate isn’t released, the mixture of food can burn the mucosa lining, leading to ulcers.
7. The proteins that weren’t broken down by the proper amount of HCL now irritate the villa, leading to a compromised gut lining (commonly known as leaky gut.) A leaky gut allows fats and proteins to pass through the gut lining directly into the bloodstream, which overwhelms and comprises the immune system.
8. The undigested food heads to the large intestine. It can weaken the colon, disrupt the gut flora, and cause inflammation – leading to common gastrointestinal issues such as IBS.
If we need so much stomach acid, what causes reflux and heartburn?
When the stomach doesn’t produce sufficient stomach acid, the pyloric sphincter – the valve that releases the broken-down food into the small intestine – doesn’t want to open. This causes the food to sit in the stomach longer than intended. Eventually, and over a bit, the food tends to come back up the other way. Ironically, since the food has been drenched in stomach acid, it burns when it returns to the esophagus.
You might be wondering why acid blockers work or at least take away the burn. The acid blockers lower the acidity in the stomach, so when the food comes back up the esophagus, it doesn’t burn or cause as much discomfort. This doesn’t mean the problem is fixed; the acid blockers are simply disguising the symptoms of a much bigger issue.
5 Simple ways to reverse and support low stomach acid naturally
1. Don’t eat when stressed out or on the go. Eat slowly and chew your food. This is the most essential and practical (did I mention free) tool you can add to your toolbox. When you focus on eating slowly and relaxing, the body will be in the parasympathetic state, also known as the “rest, digest, and heal” condition. The parasympathetic state allows the body to release the correct amount of stomach acid, digestive enzymes, gastric juice, and so on to digest all the food properly – this is the best way.
2. Take one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with water before eating.
3. Pump six sprays of digestive bitters into the mouth before eating. Suppose you are eating a meal richer in carbohydrates or having dessert. In that case, I love these digestive bitters infused with apple cider vinegar to support blood sugar.
4. As a last resort, consider taking HCL Pepsin at each meal for a time (not forever.) I recommend Biotics Research Hydro-Zyme.
5. Sip on mint, ginger, or fennel tea after meals. These herbs are carminative herbs which means they support digestion and ease feelings of digestive discomfort. You can also make herbal infusions with dried (or fresh herbs.)
Remember to eat slowly and in a relaxed state. You may also consider some of these remedies to support your digestive system naturally. You will start seeing some great results.
Resources for further learning:
– Why Stomach Acid Is Good For You by Jonathan Wright
Disclaimer: This post is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and is for educational purposes only.
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