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Common Signs and Symptoms of Low Stomach Acidity

• Bloating, belching, burning, and flatulence immediately after meals
• Heartburn
• A sense of fullness after eating
• Indigestion, diarrhea or constipation
• Systemic reactions after eating
• Nausea after taking supplements
• Rectal itching
• Weak, peeling, or cracked fingernails
• Dilated capillaries in the cheeks and nose (in nonalcoholic)
• Post-adolescent acne
• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Iron deficiency
• Chronic intestinal infections - parasites, yeast, bacteria
• Undigested food in stool
• Gas and bloating shortly after eating (putrefied protein and fermented carbohydrate)
• Loss of taste for meat (digestive system's inability to deal with heavy protein)
• Lower bowel gas several hours after eating (putrefied protein in the lower bowel)
• Bad breath and/or body odor (putrefied protein and fermented carbohydrate in the digestive tract)
• Food and/or environmental sensitivity (inability to completely break down proteins, resulting in macro-molecular protein absorption across the small intestine barrier)
• Asthma (asthma is often the result of sensitivity due to macro-molecular protein absorption, i.e. not fully digested proteins)

Diseases possibly associated with HCL deficiency

• Addison's disease
• Alzheimer's
• Asthma
• Coeliac disease
• Depression
• Dermatitis herpetiformis
• Diabetis mellitus
• Eczema
• Gallbladder disease
• Graves disease
• Chronic autoimmune disorders
• Hepatitis
• Chronic hives
• Lupus erythematosis
• Myasthenia gravis
• Osteoporosis
• Pernicious anemia
• Psoriasis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Rosacea
• Sjogren's syndrome
• Thyrotoxicosis
• Hyper and hypothyroidism
• Vitiligo

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The Small Intestines

After the food has been acted on in the acid medium of the stomach it passes through the pyloric sphincter into the small intestine. Upon passing through the pyloric valve, hormonal messengers (enterogastrone) are released to stop the production of HCL and to initiate the release of pancreatic enzymes and bile (cholecystokinin) into the small intestine.

It should be noted here recent peer studies indicate that, in order for these hormonal messengers to be correctly released, the pH of the food passing through the pyloric valve must be 5.0 or less. If the HCL content of the stomach is not sufficient to break down and acidify the food, the ability of the pancreatic enzymes and of the bile to neutralize the food (pancreatic enzymes and bile have a ph of approximately 8.0) are significantly reduced. This leads to a reduced transport of nutrients across the small intestine barrier (malnutrition) and abnormal pH levels in the small intestine.

• The pancreas is further taxed in its ability to produce enzymes by the ingestion of excess amounts of refined carbohydrate.
• The ability of the liver to produce bile (stored in the gall bladder) is reduced by excess hydrogenated fat, cooked foods, and refined foods in general.

Some of the common signs, symptoms that will help you identify pancreatic and/or biliary insufficiency or stasis (bile too thick) are:

• An inability to tolerate greasy foods (gall bladder)
• Pain between the shoulder blades (gall bladder)
• Stools are gray or tan rather than brown (gall bladder, indicates bile insufficiency and stasis)
• Headaches over the eyes (gall bladder)
• Tenderness in the web between the thumb and forefinger (gall bladder)
• Inability to tolerate fruits and vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables such as lettuce (pancreas)
• Particles of undigested vegetables seen in the stool (pancreas)
• Inability to tolerate sweets (pancreas).

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Large Intestine (Colon)

Problems occurring in the large intestine are often a result of a problem above the large intestine, i.e., if the amount of HCL is not sufficient to correctly acidify the food, it follows that the ability of the pancreas and liver (bile) to neutralize the acidity of the food will be reduced with subsequent passage of the food into the colon with a higher pH than normal. The result of this is bacterial imbalance in the colon. Bacteria that are normally symbiotic (exist cooperatively) become parasitic (one overwhelms the other with an increase in E. Coli, candida, moniliasis, et).

• Remember, always look at any digestive problem from north to south, often what is occurring south has its locus in a problem that is north.

Normal pH of the colon should be slightly acid, optimally around 6.8; therefore, stool pH should be checked to give you a starting point on where to begin your therapy.

In any colon problem that does not begin to resolve after 14-21 days of supplemental/dietary intervention a comprehensive stool and parasite evaluation should be ordered. It is helpful that the patient drink at least 8 full glasses of pure water each day (well water, and water containing chlorine or fluoride is not considered pure).

Clinical experience has shown that dairy products (casein) and most grains (gluten) with the exception of rice are the two food substances most detrimental to patients with either diarrhea or constipation.

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