Do you feel fatigued after meals, suffer from heartburn, acid reflux, bloating, gas, undigested food in your stools? Have you tried over-the-counter or prescription antacids with little or only temporary relief?
An often-overlooked cause of the above symptoms is termed “Hypochlorhydria“- which literally means too low stomach acid. In this instance, the burning sensation is caused by foods not being broken down properly in the stomach organ, which leads to them fermenting and releasing gases that then bubble up into the esophagus.
Symptoms of Hypochlorhydria
Many doctors hear a patient describe symptoms of acid reflux and assume that an over-production of acid is the cause, without doing any testing. If the body is actually producing too low stomach acid, then shutting down production entirely with these prescriptions can have profound, lasting, negative effects on the body’s overall health.
Hypochlorhydria not only leads to heartburn, but has numerous effects on the body as a whole- for a comprehensive list, please see the DoctorMyhill’s wiki article.
How to cure from Hypochlorhydria
The good news is that Hypochlorhydria is easily tested for, easily treated, and requires simply some consistent supplementation and about a $50 investment.
At People’s Integrative Medicine, our acupuncturists can test for stomach acid deficiency, provide the high-quality supplements you need, and guide you in how to use them effectively.
If you are suffering from Hypochlorhydria, we will prescribe two things- a product called “Betaine HCL”, which is the precursor for stomach acid. This supplement you will take with each meal, and it will stimulate your stomach to produce higher levels of acid, thus leading to better absorption of vitamins and minerals, and effective digestion of proteins.
We will also prescribe “deglycyrrhizinated licorice”- “DGL” for short. These are chewable tablets made of an herbal licorice blend. You will take this supplement before eating, and it will coat the entire digestive tract with a mucilaginous coating, preventing any further irritation or inflammation to the gut lining, thus allowing the tissues to repair.
If you suspect you may have Hypochlorhydria, call and make an appointment and we will gladly help you discover the root cause of what ails you!
Hurtado Seferino says
November 7, 2018 at 6:54 amWe are in the Denver area and have been dealing with this issue for years. Doctors have not been very helpful. Even our naturopathic doctor has been only minimally helpful. Can you recommend someone in this area who might be able to help us?
Lishanna Tryllium says
November 15, 2018 at 8:36 pmHello,
Thanks for sharing! And I am sorry you have been suffering. My mentor, Dr. Michael Gaeta, is in Boulder. You can find his site at http://www.michaelgaeta.com, and schedule appointments there. He is an amazing practitioner. Best of luck to you!