Do you know your stomach acid? This is one of the most important contributors to health that we have. While digestion may start in the brain, as chemical reactions start happening in the body from the mere sight or smell of food, arguably one of the biggest impacts on digestion is the acidity of your stomach acid. The ideal stomach acid is between 1.0 and 2.5, according to Dr. Dicken Weatherby.
For comparison, battery acid is 0.8. That’s pretty acidic! Having stomach acid that is potent enough sets the proper pH of the whole digestive process. This level of acidity has many important attributes. The first is that it kills off opportunistic bugs like viruses, parasites, yeast, and bacteria, protecting the rest of the body. Second, it releases Intrinsic Factor, which is important in the body’s ability to utilize B12, an important nutrient for energy and keeping your blood and nerve cells healthy.
Having proper stomach acid also transforms Pepsinogen into Pepsin, which is necessary for us to digest protein! In fact, if the acidity of the stomach is above 5.0, the body’s ability to create pepsin (and digest protein) becomes completely inactive! (That means your stomach is not properly breaking down the steak, chicken or fish that you just ate. Many people stop eating these incredible protein sources because their stomach acid levels are off!) This creates a whole host of other health issues downstream.
It is a common assumption that if someone has acid coming up the esophagus, then their stomach acid is too high. This is actually just the opposite! The acidity level of the stomach needs to be within a proper range (approximately 1.0-2.5) to keep the esophageal sphincter closed tightly. Otherwise, contents from the stomach (including acid) leak back up the esophagus (aka reflux). If you have reflux, the acid levels in your stomach are likely not acidic enough! We are told to throw antacids into the stomach to “fix” the problem. However, that causes the stomach acid to be even less acidic, often raising the pH to around 5 causing even more issues! See the problem?
If you battle with this issue, you may notice that it can be worse when you lie down at night, after you’ve eaten throughout the day. It’s important to know that this annoying health disturbance is a huge red flag.
What can you do about it? If you pursue standard healthcare, you’ll most likely be given a proton pump inhibitor. I highly encourage you to do your research before you walk this path. According to Mayo Clinic: recent studies regarding the long-term use of PPI medications have noted potential adverse effects, including risk of fractures, pneumonia, Clostridium difficile diarrhea, hypomagnesemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, chronic kidney disease, and dementia.
There is another way! Take a look at your diet. Are you eating foods that increase stomach acid, like fermented vegetables or apple cider vinegar? Changing your diet is a crucial step to solving low stomach acid. In the meantime, there are ways to quickly build your stomach acid and help digest food while you’re building back your health. Supplements like Zypan and Enzycore, taken with meals, will provide the needed elements for digestion, while your body is restoring function. For personalized help with your diet, if you’re looking for options other than proton pump inhibitors, or interested in restoring digestive function, make an appointment with one of our nutritionists today!
Comments