 food paticles into smaller ones. HCL also breaks up food into its components for safe delivery to the small intestine. This helps prevent food allergies and is associated with decreased allergy responses.Stomach acid is needed to cordinate signals to the nervous system for opening and closing the lower esophageal sphincter (the muscular-valve from the esophagus to the stomach). HCL is also necessary to effectively coordinate the stomach’s exit valve, the pyloric sphincter, for opening and closing for passage of food into the beginning of the small intestine. Proper coordination of these valves prevents acid reflux, and GERD.Just about all foods we eat have a small amount of foreign bacteria. Unless the bacteria are enough to cause symptoms, we often don’t even notice it because the HCL kills the foreign bacteria. Some foreign bacteria are more harmful than others. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of those more harmful. It is the causative agent of stomach ulcers. If H. Pylori remains in the stomach for long enough, it is directly implicated as causing stomach cancer. H. Pylori also lowers stomach acid. Low stomach acid predisposes to H. Pylori infection and other GI bacterial, yeast and parasitic infections 1. Stomach HCL also prevents pathogens from getting down farther into the small and large intestines.According to Dr. Wright, “it’s been my clinical observation that calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, chromium, selenium, manganese, vanadium, molybdenum, cobalt, and many other “micro-trace” elements are not nearly as well-absorbed in those with poor stomach acid as it is in those whose acid levels are normal.”What are the indirect functions of HCL?
The stomach also produces digestive enzymes to help break down proteins into amino acids. Pepsinogen is released in coordination with HCL, which helps change pepsinogen into the enzyme pepsin. Pepsin is the gastric digestive enzyme.
Special cells in the stomach working properly are also necessary for vitamin B12 absorption. These special cells require HCL to work properly. Low vitamin B12 is associated with elevated blood cholesterol and homocysteine levels.
Gastrin is a hormone produced in the stomach that stimulates movement of food through the stomach. Chronic antacid use hinders both HCL and gastrin secretion, predisposing to low tissue amino acids. Since immunoglobulins are made from amino acids, low tissue amino acids impairs the immune system. Low tissue amino acids also causes muscle wasting, often seen in the aged or physically debilitated.
What is the connection between inadequate HCL production, receding gums and heart attacks?
Low stomach acid is associated with the development and progression of systemic inflammation and receeding gums, called periodontitis 2. Periodontitis is associated with increased incidence of heart attacks due to systemic inflammation 3 4.
What are antacids for? How long should I use them?
Antacids were only developed for, and are only supposed to be used for 8 weeks or less in most cases and 6 months at the maximum. The actual recommendation from the drug prescription instructions from the Physicians Desk Reference (PDR) for a common gastric medication:
Prilosec (Omeprazole) is prescribed for the short-term treatment of stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer, erosive esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus), heartburn, and other symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
The usual dose for people with symptoms of GERD is 20 mg daily for up to 4 weeks. For erosive esophagitis accompanied by GERD symptoms, the usual dose is 20 mg day for 4 to 8 weeks. The dose may be continued to maintain healing.
Long-term use of Prilosec may cause severe stomach inflammation. Prilosec may mask the signs of stomach cancer.
Low stomach acid due to chronic acid suppression stimulates the chronic release of gastrin in the attempt to restore normal gastric acidity. This subsequently leads to chronically high gastrin levels that have been shown to induce cancerous tumors 7.
Prilosec OTC, an over-the-counter product, is approved only for frequent 