Do you ever feel bloated and gassy after eating? Do you feel like your food just sits there like a rock? Do you get reflux and burning? Do you have vitamin or mineral deficiencies that you can't explain? Anemia?
What have you been told to attribute that to?
I'm willing to bet you haven't heard what I'm going to attribute it to..
Too little stomach acid and enzyme deficiency.
Sounds kind of crazy, right?!
Of course if I have burning, I must have too much acid! That's what the doctors assume and give antacids and PPIs to ''treat'' it.
Let me explain something..
Hypochlorhydria.
Let's start with some important information regarding acid (hydrochloric acid aka HCL) and enzymes and some anatomy and physiology regarding digestion and absorption.
Stomach acid and digestive enzymes are very possibly the most important substances in our body. Without stomach acid, we simply can not properly digest our foods or absorb essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients. These are the very building blocks of every cell in our body. The widespread repercussions of this are massive. Without stomach acid, we do not produce enough of the hormone pepsin, digestive enzymes or bile.
Leaky gut, SIBO, deficiencies (iron, B vitamins, magnesium and more), hypothyroidism, GERD, IBS, osteoporosis.. the list goes on! All linked to low stomach acid and enzymes.
Here's what stomach acid does inside the body..
When you eat food, stomach acid is released into the stomach to start to break down the proteins and nutrients in the food. It is very important that we have the right level of stomach acid. The right level of stomach acid is what triggers the lower esophageal sphincter to close. When there isn't enough acid, it can open again allowing acid to bubble back up and cause burning. This acid reflux can be very damaging over time. This burning is what is most often blamed on acidity or too much acid but there is actually no evidence for this and doctors don't actually do pH tests to determine the acidity of the stomach before prescribing an acid reducer. On the other end, stomach acid also triggers the pyloric sphincter to open, allowing digested food to flow into the duodenum. The result of too little stomach acid is that food stays in the stomach longer than it should. This causes fermentation and gas as well as bloating and feeling overly full.
Sound familiar? Make sense so far? Makes a lot more sense than our bodies just making too much of something for no reason. Something so crucial to our overall health.
Remember, our bodies are incredible machines! They are designed to work effectively and smoothly. Sometimes we just need to help them find their balance again so they run as intended.
The proper acidity of the stomach is essential for sterilizing our food. This is incredibly important as it is responsible for neutralizing dangerous pathogens and microbes. We also end up with SIBO and overgrowth of bad bacteria and fungus such as candida that thrive in the more alkaline environment. Our large intestine is home to trillions of bacteria known as our gut microbiome. These beneficial bacteria help to ferment undigested fibers, produce short-chain fatty acids, and synthesize certain vitamins. They also help to keep harmful bacteria in check and support the immune system. When the balance of bacteria in the microbiome is disrupted, known as dysbiosis, it can lead to a range of issues.
Let's talk about enzymes and hormones.
Pepsin and Lipase: Pepsin breaks down proteins into smaller peptides, while lipase digests fats. Together, these enzymes play a crucial role in ensuring that the body properly absorbs the nutrients from our food. When pepsin and lipase levels are low, the digestive process can be thrown off balance. Proteins may not be fully broken down, leading to symptoms like indigestion, bloating, and gas. Proper levels of HCL are responsible for activating pepsin and lipase! Overtime, this leads to deficiencies despite the use of supplements or foods since our body simply isn't absorbing properly.
Bile and the gallbladder: Despite doctors treating it as an easily removed and unimportant organ, the gallbladder serves a very important role in our digestion. The gallbladder stores bile that the liver creates. It releases this concentrated bile to help emulsify and digest fats. Enter stomach acid, yet again! Proper levels of stomach acid trigger the release of this bile. A deficiency in bile and fat digesting enzymes leads to symptoms like bloating, belching, and fatty stools, as well as difficulty absorbing fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Another problem that arises is that undigested proteins make their way into the intestine where they do not belong! These particles make holes in the intestines and cause permeability. They make their way into the blood where our immune system responds to them as dangerous. This is an autoimmune reaction.
Deficiencies in iron, zinc, folate, B12, calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, protein, and other nutrients may occur when stomach acid is low because the intestines are unable to absorb nutrients from poorly digested foods leaving the stomach.
How about the thyroid? How is that involved here?
Did you know that thyroid hormones play a key role in how well we digest, assimilate, and absorb our food and nutrients? Thyroid hormones define basal metabolism throughout the body and particularly in the digestive system. It's well known that thyroid issues go hand in hand with digestive issues and the liver is highly effected. It's a two way street. A healthy gut microbiome impacts our thyroid and in particular, autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto's. Remember above where I described the immune reaction to undigested proteins due to a comprised gut barrier?
Another important factor is the malabsorption of nutrients that are essential to thyroid health. These include iodine, selenium, zinc, iron, B-vitamins, vitamin A, and tyrosine. Your gut also has impact on the conversion of T4 to T3 (the active form). Your liver and pancreas play crucial roles in thyroid health and poor thyroid health negatively impacts their ability to function properly so it is a vicious cycle!
Osteoporosis? Since a decrease in stomach acid leads to reduced absorption of nutrients necessary for bone health (calcium, magnesium, protein, phosphorus, etc.), osteopenia or osteoporosis may develop as a result.
Hair loss and weak hair? Iron, zinc, and B vitamins are all needed for healthy hair. Adequate HCl is necessary to absorb these nutrients and prevent hair loss and breakage.
Depression and anxiety? Low stomach acid is an overlooked cause of depression and anxiety since it reduces the absorption of iron, zinc, magnesium, and copper, which have all been linked to increased depression and anxiety. Our gut is also responsible for far more production of serotonin than the brain. This is so important to know.
I could go on describing many different diseases and disorders associated with poor gut health and low stomach acid and enzymes.
Do you have a question regarding a specific one? I'm happy to answer your questions.
SO..
How does stomach acid get depleted?
There are numerous ways and we'll go more in depth later.
1. Acid reducers and PPIs (Proton Pump Inhibitors) and H2 blockers.
2. Age. As we age, our stomach acid levels naturally decline.
3. A big one is stress. Chronic stress depletes our stomach acid levels greatly.
4. H Pylori
5. Low levels of zinc, sodium and/or potassium as they are all essential to stomach acid production.
I'm going to stop there for today!
Keep your eyes out for more information. <3
Comments
This is super helpful information. I’ll be sharing this with a few family members for sure!
You broke it down into easy to understand details! Scary to think it could be the complete opposite of what people are being done told. I look forward to reading the next part!
I have been taking enzymes for about 6 months now and I have had no reflux! I’m so greatful Emily thank you.
Interesting!!! You have my gears turning on how I can improve my stomach acid and see if my thyroid issues improve. Definitely will be researching this week!
I hope this information is a start to increased awareness re. how your body functions. This knowledge offers the beginning to taking control over your own health.
Wow, I had no idea how important of a role stomach acid is! This post is so full of information that I’ll be keeping it handy for future reference. Thank you for sharing!