Hypochlorhydria or low stomach acid, is a commonly overlooked problem that is linked to other diseases like stomach cancer, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. It’s a serious problem that needs to be investigated. If you’re having symptoms such as acid reflux, heartburn, burping, gas, bloating, or nausea, after eating then it’s very likely that you have a stomach acid issue.
People diagnosed with gastrointestinal issues, especially inflammatory bowel diseases, Celiac Disease or IBS are at a higher risk of having stomach acid problems. If you’ve made several diet and lifestyle changes and you are still not seeing the results you want, low stomach acid might be holding you back.
How hypochlorhydria hurts you:
- Proper levels of stomach acid are needed to adequately absorb many nutrients including minerals (iron, copper, zinc and calcium), vitamin B12, folic acid and proteins.
- Stomach acid is also a crucial part of the immune system. The acid barrier of the stomach during normal states of health easily and quickly kills bacteria and other bugs that enter the body. It also prevents bacteria from the intestines from migrating up and colonizing the stomach.
Appropriate stomach acid levels are crucial for our immune system and for adequate nutrient status both of which support total health. Today, I wanted to shine a light on the three most common patterns of hypochlorhydria that we see.
You don’t feel good when you eat meat
A pattern is an observation linking several clues together, and this pattern is much more typical in women than men. So what’s going on here? I think it’s a two part problem. The first is a physiological problem of low stomach acid. The second is a belief system that is created to cope with the symptoms of the physiological problem.
Here’s a typical scenario:
Mary is very in tune with her body, for as long as she can remember she doesn’t like to eat red meat or large amounts of any meat. When pressed about it, she responds with “I just don’t like meat, never have, I don’t like how it makes me feel”
I think she’s totally justified and validated in her feelings. I BELIEVE she feels bad, sluggish or nauseous when she eats a large portion of meat. And the reason is because she doesn’t have the ability to digest it. She needs more stomach acid to properly breakdown the protein structures. And without it: red, white or any kind of meat will probably make her feel worse than when she eats other types of foods that contain less protein.
If you’re someone who believes that you don’t like meat, I challenge you to test for low stomach acid, supplement with betaine HCL, and re-gain your desire to eat meat again.
You experience frequent acid reflux after eating
This is an especially paradoxical pattern to experience. On one hand you have stomach acid reaching unprotected areas of the esophagus, causing burning pain. Then if you take an anti-acid the pain usually goes away. Therefore if A=B and B=C it is easy to make the jump to A=C. In this case, it’s easy to assume that high stomach acid levels cause heartburn or GERD. But that is simply untrue.
The modern media and drug marketing campaigns have brainwashed us to believe that acid reflux, or GERD, is due to high stomach acid levels. This is nothing more than propaganda from people who make money when you believe their message. In 2009 there were 110 million prescriptions filled for acid suppressing drugs! Would Mother Nature create a situation in which almost 1 out of 3 people created too much acid to be healthy? I don’t think so.
I’ve talked about GERD / heartburn before but I want to give you a quick summary. A leading theory of GERD goes like this. Insufficient stomach acid leads to a host of conditions that encourage the increase in intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) when IAP increases it pushes against the lower esophagealsphincter (LES). When the LES opens because of the pressure and even a microscopic amount of acid touches the inside of your esophagus it can produce large amounts of pain and burning. This is because the esophagus is not protected like the stomach from high acid levels.
As someone who formerly suffered from heartburn and acid reflux, I know how painful and distracting it can be. Please know that no one needs to suffer from acid reflux or GERD.
You burp, fart, or get bloated after eating
After eating a meal,do you experience any of the following symptoms?
- Several burps shortly after finishing or burps later that taste and smell bad?
- Experience gas 1-2 hours after eating?
- Do you get bloated after eating that lasts for a few hours?
- A heavy feeling in your stomach, like your food just sits there fermenting
If you’ve answered yes to any of those questions, it’s likely that you are suffering from low stomach acid levels. These symptoms are good indications that your digestion is suffering. I wish I could point to some conclusive models or studies on what’s happening but I can’t. Unfortunately, all we have to go on is observations and theories.
So what are the theories? The likely situation is the food you ate is being fermented by bacteria and the byproduct of their feast is gas. If your acid levels are low enough and bacteria are surviving the stomach, most people will get repeated burps after eating. Sometimes, you might even burp several hours after eating and taste ruminates of your meal. This is a strong indicator that the food is still in your stomach when it should be in your small intestine. The acid levels aren’t low enough to begin dumping the food into the intestines.
Bloating and farting following a meal could be explained by several problems. One of which is bacterial overgrowth in the stomach or upper small intestine. Lower acid levels would contribute to this by allowing these bacteria to live in the stomach or upper intestine. There also could be a slowing of the speed of digestion affording the bacteria longer access to the food.
I wish these problems were better understood. But what I can tell you is based on extensive self-experimentation and working with personal clients, when someone reports any of the problems above, there is a high chance they have low stomach acid.
How to Rule Out Hypochlorhydria – It’s Cheap
I know you care about your health; otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this. That’s why I want to urge you to test for low stomach acid. It is cheap and easy to get a good indication if you need to invest further into this potential health problem. Therefore I think it’s a no brainer to rule it out if you’re trying to get your health taken care of.
Tell me, do you suffer from any of the patterns of hypochlorhydria above? Have you started digging deeper to fix them? Did Betaine HCL supplementation help?
Steve
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{ 59 comments… read them below or add one }
This sounds SO much like me. I never thought the issue could be low stomach acid, but I’m doing more research now and it seems like that could be the case. My doctors put me on Prevacid a while back and it made my issues 100x worse. I’m also on antibiotics a lot and I read that could be a cause? SCD was working great for me for a few months, then all of a sudden it totally stopped, and I would love to find the cause.
@ Amber – anytime you take antibiotics you wipe out huge portions of your gut flora. Eating SCD doesn’t protect you from antibiotics nothing does except massive amounts of probiotics. Which sounds like you should be heavily experimenting with at this point.
Hi Steve…
Take a look at this website:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1005088/
The conclusion: CONCLUSIONS–A high frequency of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth was found in patients with RA (rheumatoid arthritis); it was associated with a high disease activity and observed in patients with hypochlorhydria or achlorhydria…
Another site:
http://www.lowstarchdiet.net/
@ Jeans – Thanks for that awesome study! In Dr. Pimentel’s book “A New IBS Solution” he talks about RA and Fibromyalgia patients suffering greatly from SIBO which we know hurts stomach acid production. The lowstarchdiet site is interesting… seems like a copy cat of SCD or GAPS or Paleo. Funny how so many people can come to the same conclusion’s and yet not talk to each other about it!
I know so many people with arthritis issues young, old & very old. Does this mean that probiotics will make a difference or should they consult a Dr for more medicine with it as well ? Please see if you could find me an answer ! Further I would like to ”stress”
that Celiac Disease causes stress. Stress kills the good bacteria. If you are under stress and you have Celiacs Disease you will experience ”more symptoms” = you will definetly need probiotics. But remember that the capsule of most probiotics contain gluten !!! So many things to think about & to remember, especially when you are not feeling well. (I have Celiacs.) Further I wish I knew more about blood types, especially with this (for me) new topic of acid in the stomach. I experience issues with my stomach, but though I need meat, because I thought I had to much acid in my stomach – now I have to investigate. Thanx for bringing it under our attention !
@Teresa – I try to get everyone that will listen to me (like my family) to take probiotics. I think they are very helpful and important to everyone. But as you said you have to find the reputable high-quality products.
do not take probiotics if you have low stomach acid. I took align ( bifidus ) and caused malabsorption. I m really sick now.
why not raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar? i use the Bragg brand…unpasterurized…suppose to help with candida too
@Blackbass – If it works for you then use it. It just won’t correct the underlying problem based on my research.
There is an organ in the stomach that produces the acid. It like all of your body’s organs and glands needs nourishment. Try 2 tbls of apple cider vinegar with “mother” (braggs), 2 tbls of localnatural honey with 4-5 oz of distilled 3x/day. It may take 1 day or 2 wks but continue untill condition is corrected and it will be corrected. You might also try not drinking any liquids 45 min before meal, none during meals and none for 45 min after meals. The liquids will dilute the stomach acid even more. In 15 years of herbal practice, this simple remedy has worked remarkably well. BTW, the vinegar works well as a probiotic. For the arthritis, your body is probaly acid. You most likely need to bring your pH in balance. Drink alkaline beverages and eat an alkaline diet.Your problem should go away. Get some litmus paper and check your saliva and urine pH. 7.0 is neutral and where you want to be. Hope I have not over stayed my welcome. To everyones good health.
I was wondering if I can test my five year old for low stomach acid. She was complaining about having burning in the back of her throat and her tongue has a white coating (I’ve read that this could be a sign of low stomach acid.) She also has swollen adenoids and problems with snoring at night–something which I’ve suspected may be due to allergies. I’m just not sure where to go to find out more or if I could help cure her by doing my own research and changing her diet. Can you help here?
@Danielle – With children you should definitely seek out a qualified holistic practitioner to help out. To answer the burning question in your head yes she could have low acid levels, actually sadly we are hearing more and more of children who do. But again you need to work with someone get some testing and change her diet to reduce toxic foods in it.
Hello Danielle,
I’m having the same issue with my 5 year old. He’s been having these silent little burps for a year now. We took him to GI peds dr. She had us try him on miralax but he was still burping then we had the endoscopy done. He had minimal gastritis and duodenitis and some GER or avid was seen on biopsy. The dr. had us put him on zantac for the gastritis only not the acid. We tried it for 3 weeks and he was still burping so she had us stop it. She’s convinced it’s his constipation. She said we need to keep him on miralax for awhike so that he goes everyday. We are on and off that stuff and still can’t keep him going everyday. He will skip a day or two every other week. But I’m not sure this is whats causing his burping. Was wondering if your child is still going through this? Worried mom.
Wow…..not sure what to think…..very confused now. For someone like me, unable to afford the tests, what should I do to get some relief from my gut problems? I live in OKC area and no insurance…is there a doctor ANYWHERE that would be willing to help me???
Hi Jacqueline, start with the low cost baking soda test we talk about here:
http://scdlifestyle.com/2012/03/3-tests-for-low-stomach-acid/
In good health,
Jordan
I’ve been wondering for awhile if I have acid reflux. whenever I ate greasy foods I would have bad gas to the point my stomach hurts and constant burping and nausea. I had gone to the doctor recently for my stomach issue and prescribed to me omeprazole 20mg for acid reflux. I thought it was working with abdominal cramping because I was also having that along with the other symptoms but instead I ended up having really bad constipation causing my stomach to hurt much worst. The doctor had told me to take it for a month but I stopped because of the constipation being bad taking it after two days. now reading about low acid I’m not sure if I have that instead of acid reflux.
Hi Brooke, so glad you stopped taking it.
Please read this article on testing for low stomach acid: http://scdlifestyle.com/2012/03/3-tests-for-low-stomach-acid/
In good health,
Jordan
I represent parents whose children are put on antibiotics when they are born, then the children are diagnosed with acid reflux and prescribed Gaviscon and Ranitidine and then the child becomes even more unwell, experiencing a lot of cold symptoms and easy bruising from normal handling. The child is then referred for a child protection exam which will include an X-ray. The X-ray shows periosteal reaction on the bones – typical of trace element deficiency, which the radiologist diagnose as ‘probably’ abusive fractures unless trace element deficiency is proved. When the Expert Paediatrician says there is “no evidence of trace element deficiency” due to no testing, despite there being no evidence at all of abuse by the parents, the child is adopted. It would be so helpful if there were experts who knew about hypochlorhydria reporting to the family court. If you know of anyone then please let me know. Thanks.
I’m so sorry to hear that Sophie. Maybe you could reach you to Dr. Wright, the author of “Why Stomach Acid is Good For You”
http://www.tahomaclinic.com/dr-jonathan-v-wright/
In good health,
Jordan
I’ve been treated for too much stomach acid for 10 years now (PPI’s)
I am worse not better. I now realise that I have too little acid. I’ve taken cider vinegar, which helps, but it’s not enough. I tried betain HCI .It helps, but I seem to need more and more. How much is it safe to take? Also I can’t find betain with pepsin, is it important! I have awful Burps, wind, and bloating, I feel so uncomfortable after eating,
especially at bedtime. Is there any hope for me!!
Anna
So glad and encouraged I found this site. I probably take antibiotics twice a year but this past year was particularly difficult so I did three runs of antibiotics since May. During that time my stomach was always upset so I was consuming tons of Pepto, laxatives and anti acid tabs. The past month the bloating I experience is overwhelming. Nearly everything I eat now produces massive bloating that pushes on my diaphragm and spine and makes breathing a challenge in addition to making me look 25 pounds heavier. Had an upper GI which showed mild acid reflux and doctor said eat in moderation carbs/fat/protein and take Prilosec and probiotics. But during all this time I rarely if ever feel heartburn. Tons of belching — deep gurgly burps, bowel movements not regular, just eaten food feels stuck at the top of my throat, but no heartburn. I’m very active, don’t drink, don’t smoke, and I don’t eat a ton of carbs but I’m at wits end here. I do have a very stressful life which I am working on. I have ordered digestive enzymes and HCI and will check back in. I guess my only question is should I stay on Prilosec or Zantac when I don’t have any burning sensation?
I have a lot of gut issues-bloating, gas, burping, etc. and my biggest problem is my rosacea. I have felt for a long time that it is linked to diet and digestion. I have been reading a lot about this low stomach acid theory and it makes so much sense to me. I started the testing with the hcl tablets with pepsin that I’ve read so much about. I started taking 1 pill with a meal with meat and then moved to 2 pills the next day and then 3 pills the next day and so on. I took 7 hcl pills with my lunch today with 4-6 oz of meat to see if I would get that burning and I still have not. Once I figure out how many pills to take before I get that “burning” feeling, do I start taking that many with every meal? Every snack? I’ve started juicing also and wondering do I take the hcl pills when I juice? Should I be taking additional enzymes and a probiotic along with the hcl pills? I am on a desperate search for answers as my skin & gut condition are terrible! I would appreciate any advice you can offer.
Jennifer, I too have long suspected my roscea is connected to digestive problems. I have also observed that people who have been prescribed Proton Pump Inhibitors often talk about athletes foot and yeast problems and also cold sores etc which surely shows the immune system is involved. Leads me to believe that low acid is more likely to be causing the bloat than too much acid. I also think some research could be done into all the above and the occurence of pylori bacteria in the gut.
Hope you get it sorted, think we need to be proactive and link our observations.
I’ve never had symptoms from anything but dairy, not meat. Meat has never bothered my stomach. I originally thought I had developed a recent intolerance of lactose, so I cut those out for a couple weeks, and my symptoms went away. But before taking that extreme measure,(I ate 2%milk/bran cereal every morning) I took the apple cider vinegar for my symptoms, and It also worked immediately.
So, if I try the HCL, should I use it with milk since that is what causes my symptoms? Or is too little acid only cause by meat? I’ve eaten dairy products all my life.(52yr old female) The intolerance to it is so sudden and I miss my cereal & frozen yogurt.
Stomach acid supports the digestion of meats (mainly protein) in the stomach. The milk issue likely had more to do with the inability to digest the milk sugar called lactose.
Jordan
Theresa, you should try going gluten free. Many people who think they have late onset lactose intolerance really have gluten intolerance that has disrupted their digestive system so much, they can no longer tolerate dairy. Switch out anything with wheat (your bran cereal may be the issue, not the milk) with rice or corn cereal/flour. Until you are able to tolerate dairy, you can try lactaid milk, coconut milk, almond milk and coconut ice cream which is very good. Or you can get a lactase supplement that you take when you eat dairy that will help you digest it.
I have been gluten free for five years. I ate something in late July that I later suspected to contain gluten after having my normal gluten reactions of diarrhea, brain fog, and anxiety. However, after 12 days of diarrhea and upper abdominal pain (stomach area just below the junction of the ribs) I saw multiple medical doctors. I took omeprazole magnesium 40mg for one month along with sucralfate. The pain was greatly reduced, and I was able to eat a mostly normal diet. However, after that month I stopped taking the drugs and my stomach pain returned. I switched back to a bland diet and began taking DGL, Slippery Elm and Marshmallow Root for a couple of months. I just saw a gastroenterologist. Did a fecal fat test, an ultrasound and an endoscopy all which came back normal. The doctor had no ideas to offer, and suggested I just take the omeprazole magnesium again. I have been on it for three days with no improvement. I wonder if my stomach problem is related to hypochlorhydria or achlorhydria instead of hyperchlorhydria.
How can I find out if my stomach acid is too low? What tests can my medical doctor run? Should I stick to the PPI even though I don’t know for sure whether my problem is too little or too much acid? What would you do?
Hi Amanda, check out this post:
http://scdlifestyle.com/2012/03/3-tests-for-low-stomach-acid/
Jordan
I had to have a total gastrectomy 6 years ago. Since then I feel like someone has sucked all the energy out of me. I now have compression fx’s in T 9 from osteoporosis along with other health problems. How could I have any HCL, let alone low HCL
Could low stomech acid also cause some weight loss due to not being to digest food properly ?
@Chris- Yes it’s about what we eat but about what we absorb in the GI tract. Malabsorption of foods which is common for those with low stomach acid can cause a range of problems from brain stuff down to weight loss.
Thank you Steven. I have been dealing with digestive issues for almost a year and a half now. I woke up one morning after eating a bunch of roasted peanuts the night befor when my gut felt horrible; it was like everything was just sitting there and never digested. I thought this would be gone in a couple of days after a good bowel movement. Wow, to my surprise nothing but problems since. I have had CT scan, ultra sound, endoscopy and Gastric emptying test. All came back clear. My problem has been nothing but digestive issues. My food does not move or digest like it once did. I have lost weight due to this problem and I hate it because I love food( good food). Sometimes I will have a good day; every now and then I can eat with a little happiness. It’s not often enough to gain the weight back that I have lost. Sorry I’m going on forever but I would like to know from you and those you have spoke with in regards to this problem of low acid, is it risky to take a supliment if you have high acid. I do get some burning discomfort if it is a really off day, so I’m confused. Also, is it normal for my stomech to feel so bloated only after a small snack or a few bites of food? My intestinal track feels like it is inflamed or something; this constant feeling of food just sitting there. I do not have any IBS issues but my stool does have I digested food in it, and is loose. Sorry for being grafic, I’m just trying to figure this out already as it is a big interference for daily living. I’m sure you have heard this a few hundred times. Thank you kindly Steven.
@Chris – You’re in a cozy environment nothings to graphic around here… it’s the new normal
You tell a common tale, you will need proper GI pathogen testing to make sure nothing is causing your problems. What your experiencing isn’t normal and there is a root cause. Jordan and I work with clients one-on-one if your interested email us at jordanandsteve@scdlifestyle.com
Hi Chris, Six months ago I was having a similar problem. Losing weight at over a pound a day with stomach pain and esophagial discomfort and voice loss. I follwed the advice from healingnaturallybybee.com and I am so much better. I have gained back my weight and I am able to eat more foods than before. I also feel happier and look better than I have ever looked. On Bee’s plan I ate organic unrefined coconut oil, organic butter, 84 mineral salt (1 tsp per day). homemade organic chicken stock with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in the stock. Bee’s site gives the easy recipe. Cook vegetables well and eat with the butter at every meal. Organic free range eggs up to four a day. Meats include: lamb, beef, chicken etc. Cook with coconut oil, ditching all other oils except olive oil but don’t cook with it. No bread, potatoes, rice, cereal, carrots, tomotoes. Eat at least two meals per day and up to three per day and eat enough of the foods she mentions. Drink the home made stock with every meal. This diet helps a lot of health issues. I am able to digest more foods after six months on this diet but I had to stick to Bee’s plan to the letter for at least five months. She does state that some people will still need HCl too but I did not take it. I purchased it but I wanted to see what my digestive system would do. I was a raw food vegetarian before so the diet changes were hard for me but after experiencing the results I will never go back. I did see doctors first but the barium swallow for the X-rays made me worse also. The GI doctor’s nurse cancelled my appointment as the doctor had never heard of low acid. The ENT doctor said keep taking the prescribed Prilosec which was making me quite ill. I know how scary it is to be getting thinner and weaker every day. This was my answer and I sincerely hope that it will be yours also. I saw a few doctors first to rule out other possible causes.
Hey I’ve been suffering with diarrhea and nauseau and upper stomach pain for the last year. Can’t seem to process fats or sugars. I do have low stomach acid and on top of that h pylori, yeast parasites in my stomach. Have been on many herbal treatments in the last year and nothing is helping. I exp a lot of dizziness, swelling of my throat, extreme cryn n irritation, headaches, muscle cramping, my chest squeezing in, undigested food. I just started blending greens n fruits. Can I take acid pills with just veggies n fruit? It’s a living nightmare.
Beata
Please help!! I stumbled onto your website and after years of taking antacids have begun to rethink that I have a problem with high acid and that it is a low acid problem. I have weaned myself off of Prilocec OTC and just did the baking soda test today. No burping. I will be going and getting some Betaine HCL with pepsin and trying that next. My question and problem is that not only do I have severe acid reflux now, without the prilocec, but also the end of my esophagus where it joins the stomach is now in severe pain. It kind of feels like a spasm, cramping pain. Is that from the pressure building up? Is it from acid? I’m at a loss as to what to do next. I have also been drinking apple cider vinegar and that helps some but the cramping is still there. Thanks for all your information!!!
hello,
excess gas has taken a toll on me for the past 1 week,because of it i wasnt able to go out with friends for the new year party.
i have been to the ER twice in the past five days.
it starts with my abdomen inflating ,then there is pressure on my chest and because of the uncomfort my pulse increases and a situation like a panic attack ensues(drymouth and hyper breathing,light headedness)
My whole tummy bloats but i can hardly pass out gas.
the magnitude is such that i have been rendered dysfunctional for work.
I hope the problem ends soon, rabium and a relaxant have been prescribe for now but i have been wondering now that is it due to low acid levels or the opposite.
Hi gshan–
I had/have something very similar which sent me to the ER twice. I’m now convinced it’s hypochloridria -> bacterial fermentation. When I eat carbs at night it’s particularly bad. But now I take a couple simethicone (e.g. Gas-X) tablets if I have trouble and the problem goes away in about 30 minutes. I can start burping, then the racing pulse, night sweats, panic, confusion etc. subside.
E
I have been suffering with fire burps for almost a year if I eat tamales. I can eat eggs or drink milk without it freezing up my stomachn causing me to puke as soon as it hits my stomach. If I eat corn it numbs my stomach n taste rotten. If I eat now four hours later the food is sitting heavy in my stomach. I burp repeatedly all day. And if I fall asleep after eating before 4hours i’ll wake up choking. I dnt know what to do since I dont have medical card. Im 22. Pls help n explain what else I could do without getting a high bill from the doctors.
Hi Patty – first avoid eating those foods. Next, test for low stomach acid:
http://scdlifestyle.com/2012/03/3-tests-for-low-stomach-acid/
Jordan
Betaine HCL is good for moderate to severe cases. Drinking water with lemon juice worked for me just fine. Any other natural remedies?
My daughter was recently diagnosed with gastroparesis. I’m not convinced that’s the true culprit of her symptoms. I have been to two doctors that won’t give my thoughts of low stomach acid any validity. I was told by one that she was too young for low acid (she is 20) and the other was ready to ship her off for a gastric pacemaker! She has a lot of stomach pain after eating meat. I’m scared for her to try the baking soda test. She vomits frequently. Acid reducers make her symptoms worse but the doctors say it’s necessary to protect her esophagus. It’s very frustrating not knowing which way to go.
and, will the tests for low stomach acid work foe me on all that zantac? I take so much because a medicine I take (the Dr. says) causes acid reflux.
Most people have to taper off over a 2-3 week period and it won’t be easy. From there, you can begin testing HCL.
Jordan
Hi Steven, Jordan,
Great info here and certainly want to try this to rectify my gas issues. Some history, I had GERD and hiatus hearnia tested almost 10 years back. I was given Nexium which was a great relief to be honest and since then I used to pop over the counter omeprazole 20mg occassinally say once in 3-4 days upon discomfort. I also tried 40mg but once in a week. However, I started having flatulence issues late 2011 and the whole of 2012 have suffered badly. I stopped taking omeprazole and haven’t taken it since more than one year now. But I think it has done some damage. I started taking ACV last summer ( around may/june) with two spoons before a meal. However, I continued to have flatulence issues. After few months, I felt little better and got little lazy with taking ACV ( on and off ). The flatulence issues have come back very hard and I feel it has worsened my situation to the extent that I am afraid to eat especially in my office. After the meal, in a sitting position, my tummy starts making noises and it gets relieved only after passing out the gas. Strangely I found was that taking boiled eggs and Chicken doesn’t give me gas (or atleast not within 1 or 2hrs). I also found that my flatulence issues mainly occur in the evening suggesting that whatever I eat takes few hours before churning it to GAS. Going through the tests currently, however I strongly suspect the flatulence issues are connected to my GERD and taking Omeprazole for long time. I will try the Betaine HCL test. Though I am unsure on the meat intake. Do I need to eat Meat to take HCL tablets? I don’t eat Meat regularly so any guidance on how I can take HCL tabs would be great. can I try the same thing with ACV?
I am ATWITSEND ! Appreciate your help.
Only take HCL with protein heavy meals… so yes, with meat only.
Jordan
Just take the Betaine HCL it has been a life changer for me. I had all of these symptoms and more. It had made me feel old and feeble,LOL. Once I tried the Betaine HCL I could tell a difference during the first meal,and a few days later I felt better than I had in 5 years.
Hi I was tested and although didnt have any of the above mentioned symptoms, I do have low stomach acid…I started taking bhcl and now I am struggling so much with the above mentioned symptoms! Any suggestions?
Please help. Being a typical male…I have kept a troublesome health issue from family / friends / and doctor. I thought maybe I developed bulimia through body image issues. I throw up almost daily. I have never used my fingers to purge. It just happened one day when I was in my mid twenties. Ate too much and the stomach simply rejected the food. I stand over the toilet when I feel it coming on and the retch just happens spontaneously. I am now 43 and I am fed up. I have noticed that it almost always happens when I eat gluten rich foods. However it has become a reflex whenever I overeat anything. I naturally have a large muscled frame even though I have not exercised regularly for years, so it would appear as though there is no mal absorption going on with most proteins. The weird thing is I never experience a burning during or after a purge and rarely have your typical acid indigestion symptoms even though it would stand to reason that I am exposing my esophagus to stomach acid daily (for 18 years). In fact my esophagus feels as if there has been no damage done to it at all. When the food comes up it is usually within 15 minutes and it simply looks as if it were food that was in a course blender (no bile). Typically this only happens late in the day. Maybe I have 2 stomachs…one which screens foods that I am allergic to and only the 2nd one has acid. Obviously I am joking…but that is what it feels like. I am going to seek medical help…do you have any sense as to what is going on. It can’t be celiac….my skin is extremely healthy and have all my hair…I look more like 33 than 43. Given the above history..I should look 53.
Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis in the Adult
could this be it???????
Hi guys,
Great work – and huge respect to you both for helping to turn the lives of so many people around.
Your articles on HCL supplementation are really interesting and I’m following your guidance get the right dosage. But can I ask a couple of questions?
* Do you still need HCL if you are drinking health protein shakes? I mix protein powder, almond butter, greens, flaxseed etc along with water to make a high protein/calorie shake for after the gym. The blender breaks the food down into an easy to drink meal – but will I still need the HCL to absorb the protein and other nutrients?
* How long does it generally take to get digestion – and general health – back on track once you are taking HCL? I feel I have found the right dosage (6-7 tablets) and my stool no longer has undigested food in it…..however, my tongue has still been white and breath a bit bad after eating. Is this die-off, will it improve after continued use? of HCL?
* Lastly, how are you guys getting on with your HCL supplementation? Do you still take the same dosage and is it still working well?
All the best, Marc
I have had hiatal hernia, small bacterial overgrowth, GERD, gastroparisis, you name it. I have Celiac, although never diagnosed officially. I feel worst now eating supposedly better. I haven’t cut out all grains though. Beef is the hardest to digest and I am just taking medicine for pancreas. I also have hypothyroid which effects so much too.
Thanks 4 the info! Could this be causing my total protein levels yo be low?
Hi I have all of these symptoms of low stomach acid and it makes perfect sense. I have Achalasia, which is a disease that kills all the nerve endings in the esophagus so then the sphincter doesn’t open properly resulting in food getting stuck in the throat. I had surgery 10 years ago for it. They removed my sphincter and did a partial stomach wrap to stop the acid. the surgery helped some but i still struggle to get down every meal. To help my food down i have to drink tons of water, which i know is bad to do, but that’s the only way i can eat. Because of this i have awful digestion problems..heartburn, bloating, gas, constipation and also my joints are staring to feel inflamed. I have all sorts of “tricks” that help and try use natural remedies but i tend to reach for the tums a few times a day. I know diet/lifestyle/stress affects my swallowing/digestion so much. I haven’t tried the SCD diet 100% yet but i’m curious if it could help. I take digestive enzymes but haven’t tried HCL. I’m willing to give anything a chance if it can help.
I started HCL 2 weeks ago and have not had to take a Prilosec or antacid since. Also, diarrhea has all but gone. I stopped GLUTEN intake and lactose intake as well. Started juicing. Feeling SO much better.
i am 65, not overweight, exercise,and take lots of vitamins, and eat a low carb diet. I was forced to go to a gastrointerologist to get my acid reflux in check, and I am still having acid reflux. Yesterday I got on the Internet to look up this problem, and that is where I read about too low gastric acid. That is exactly what I think I have, so I did not take my prevacid this morning. I drank lemon water and took some digestive aid, and I have had no acid reflux today. Do you think gall bladder disease could be related to low gastric acid? For the past 5 years I have had gall bladder attacks, and now treat it with diet. I have no stones, just a malfunctioning gall bladder.
Hi, just wondered if babies can be born with low stomach acid?
Both my boys have reflux in varying degrees, my eldest is 3 and still has many digestive problems and ongoing gerd. He was on a PPi for almost a year when a baby. My younger son is 8 months and he also has reflux. zantac for him, but while his brother was a ‘silent refluxer’ as a baby, he regurgitates all day long… can a baby this young have low stomach acid.
It seems to make sense to me (i suffer on and off with digestive probs, could I have passed on probs to my babies?) but I know any GP or Paed I speak to will laugh in my face. What kind of practitioner should I try see? Nutritionist? Homeopath?
I’d really love to get to the root of my babies problems. Any thoughts?
I have read all the comments with much interest as i have similar problem.
I do not know what all the abbreviations mean such as scd, hcl,gerd,acv,gi tract,btw,
and what is baking soda test.
From Joyce Saint
After reading your site,I don’t know where to start.Low acid I’m thinking.I have had stomach issues all my life.Dr.s tell me that I have IBS,I’VE HAD ulcers,polops. But for a while now I have nausea,bloating,stomach pain,and lately horrible vomiting,it feels like nothing is moving or digesting,it is food that I ate days ago sometimes.it’s awful,and the acid reflux too,horrible headache also.I am literally can’t keep anything down! I am at my wits end.I don’t know what to do.so should I try to go the low acid way.I’m just so sick right now, I can’t think straight.Help me Please!! Thank You!! S.