3 Signs that indicate low stomach acid

Many people seem to be eating a great diet, but they are not digesting it properly. That’s why we want to talk about another common issue that many of us have.

Low stomach acid

It’s a frequently overlooked problem that is linked to other diseases such as stomach cancer, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis. If you have symptoms such as reflux, heartburn, burping, gas, bloated belly, or nausea after eating, then it’s very likely that you have a stomach acid problem.

People diagnosed with gastrointestinal problems, especially inflammatory bowel diseases and celiac disease, have a higher risk of having low stomach acid. If you’ve made several dietary and lifestyle changes and still aren’t seeing the results you want, it could be that you have low stomach acid.

How can low concentrations of stomach acid affect you?

Proper levels of stomach acid are necessary to adequately absorb many nutrients, including minerals (iron, copper, zinc, and calcium), vitamin B12, folate, and proteins.

Stomach acid is also a crucial part of the immune system. The stomach's acidic barrier in a normal state of health easily and quickly eliminates bacteria that enter the body. It also prevents bacteria from the intestines from migrating and colonizing the stomach.

Appropriate stomach acid levels are crucial for our immune system and for the proper status of nutrients that allow us to maintain full health. Today, I want to share the three most common patterns of low stomach acid levels that we observe.

Signs of low stomach acid

1. You don’t feel well when eating meat‍

A pattern is an observation that connects several clues, and this one is much more typical in women than in men. So, what’s going on here? First, it’s a physiological problem of low stomach acidity. Second, it’s a belief system that is created to cope with the symptoms of the physiological problem.

This is a typical scenario:
Maria is in tune with her body, and for as long as she can remember, she hasn't liked eating red meat or large amounts of any type of meat. When asked about it, she says, "I just don’t like meat, never have, I don’t like how it makes me feel."

And she is totally justified and validated in her feelings. She feels bad, weak, 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 for the proper breakdown of protein structures. And without that: red, white, or any kind of meat will probably make her feel worse than when she eats other types of foods with less protein.

If you are someone who believes you don’t like meat, I challenge you to try it and supplement with betaine HCL, and you may regain your desire to eat meat again.

2. You experience frequent reflux after eating‍

This is a particularly paradoxical pattern. On one hand, stomach acid reaches the unprotected areas of the esophagus, causing a burning pain. So, if you take an antacid, the pain usually goes away. In this case, it’s easy to assume that high levels of stomach acid cause heartburn or GERD. But that is simply false.

Drug marketing campaigns and modern media have brainwashed us into believing that reflux or GERD is due to high levels of stomach acid. 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 medications.

One main theory of GERD is this: insufficient stomach acid leads to a series of conditions that promote increased intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). When IAP increases, it pushes against the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). When the LES opens due to pressure and even a microscopic amount of acid touches the inside of your esophagus, it can cause large amounts of pain and burning. This is because the esophagus is not protected like the stomach against high levels of acid.

Please know that no one has to suffer from acid reflux or GERD. Supplementing with betaine HCL can, in many cases, undo the pain overnight and help absorb the proteins we consume.

3. You burp, experience flatulence, or bloat after eating‍

After eating a meal, do you experience any of the following symptoms?
Do you burp shortly after finishing your meal or burp with a bad taste and smell?
Do you experience gas 1–2 hours after eating?
Do you bloat after eating, and does this bloating last a few hours?
Do you feel strong stomach pain, as if the food is fermenting?

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, it’s likely you are suffering from low stomach acid levels, as these symptoms are good indicators that you are not digesting food well.

The situation is that the food you ate is being fermented by bacteria and the byproduct is generating gas. If acid levels are low enough and bacteria survive in the stomach, most people will burp after eating. Sometimes, you may even burp several hours after eating, leaving a bad taste in your mouth. This is a strong indicator that food is still in the stomach when it should be in the small intestine. The acid levels are not low enough to begin releasing the food into the intestines.

Bloating and flatulence after a meal could be explained by several problems. One is bacterial overgrowth in the stomach or small intestine. Low acid levels contribute to this by allowing these bacteria to live in the stomach or intestine. Also, there may be slow digestion, providing more time for bacteria to access the food.

If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, perform this at-home stomach acid test and check if your levels are low.

References

http://scdlifestyle.com/

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