Help for heartburn

Do you suffer from heartburn, or have you been diagnosed with GERD? If so, you have likely taken an acid neutralizer. Makes sense, right? After all, if you have acid indigestion then you must have too much stomach acid, right? Actually, in most cases the answer is no. In fact, if you have acid reflux you probably don't have enough acid.

It is estimated that approximately 40% of people over the age of 40 may suffer from hypochlorhydria or low stomach acid secretion, while only 20% of people have excess stomach acid. Yet, most of the attention (and OTC medications) is geared towards reducing stomach acid.

So, how can too little stomach acid cause heartburn? Here’s how it works. When you eat, your body produces more acid. This acid production sends a signal to a valve in your stomach to close, keeping the acid in your stomach from creeping up into the esophagus. However, if your acid production is deficient or suppressed, you’re still producing acid it’s just not enough to send the message to close the valve. Due to inadequate acid, food sits in the stomach longer and eventually acid begins to creep up the esophagus, creating the symptoms of heartburn. So, treating too little acid with an acid neutralizer only makes the problem worse in the long-term!

So first, how do you know if your heartburn is from too much or too little acid and second, what can you do?

While hardly scientific, one at-home test that many use is the vinegar test. The idea is try some vinaigrette or apple cider vinegar and see how you feel. If you quickly feel discomfort or burning, then you may have too much acid otherwise, acid may not be the culprit of your heartburn.

For too much acid, a great option is DGL. DGL is a special preparation of licorice that has been shown to relieve symptoms of heartburn and repair stomach lining without elevating blood pressure. Enzymedica’s Chocolate DGL Gummies are a perfect option. For too little acid, we have had great results with a product called Superzymes. Superzymes combines digestive enzymes with Betaine HCL to enhance digestion and increase stomach acid. For more information or to further discuss your digestive needs, please stop in.

Please note, if you are currently taking an acid neutralizer, please talk to your doctor or pharmacist before discontinuing as an acid rebound can occur.

Mike Ventresca is the owner of Vital Choice Health Store located at 9243 Sprague Road in North Royalton’s Timber Ridge Plaza. The phone number is 440-885-9505. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.