An introduction to remedies for low stomach acid
Having inadequate amounts of stomach acid is now recognised to be a very common cause of digestive symptoms. The key reason is that stomach acid is necessary for proper digestion of the proteins we eat and poorly digested foods lead to a whole array of symptoms such as reflux, bloating and wind.
If you suffer from some of these symptoms, it may be worth considering the possibility that the amount of acid you produce is insufficient for proper digestion. If so, here are a few things for you to try.
Home remedies
There are some steps you can try at home to try and relieve symptoms of low stomach acid.
- Manage your stress levels – acute stress can actually cause the over-production of stomach acid; however chronic stress, over a long period of time, causes the production of hydrochloric acid to diminish. Herbal stress relief drops can be useful to help manage mild stress and anxiety
- Chew your food – chewing your food properly will allow for the best digestion possible. The better we chew our food, the larger the surface area available for digestive enzymes to attack, which ultimately allows for better digestion. Read our blog to discover what benefits chewing your food properly can bring
- Try incorporating a bitter salad before your main meal – include bitter leaves such as endive or chicory which help to gently stimulate the release of digestive juices. Watch our video on the positive effects bitter food have on digestion for more information
- Try some home tests for low stomach acid – if it looks likely your stomach acid is low; try incorporating some lemon or lime juice or apple cider vinegar into your diet, for example in salad dressings or in water as a drink.
Natural remedies
There are some natural remedies which can be used to help overcome problems with low stomach acid.
- Herbal bitter tinctures – herbal bitter tinctures can be effective in stimulating the release of gastric juices if taken five minutes before a meal in a little water
- Molkosan – Molkosan is rich in L+ lactic acid which helps to maintain a stable gut environment. In doing so it supports our good bacteria which are important if low stomach acid is an issue. Probiotic supplements can be incorporated in combination with Molkosan once the gut environment has been effectively supported. This can help to further boost your friendly bacteria numbers.
How can my doctor help?
There are conventional treatments available which are generally used to treat excessive stomach acid. These may be useful to help relieve the symptoms of either high or low stomach acid in the short-term.
However, from a holistic point of view it is desirable to try and target the route of the problem. If the problem is the inefficient production of stomach acid by your stomach, proton-pump inhibitors such us Omeprazole (which act to decrease the amount of acid being produced) may resolve acid reflux pain in the short-term, but they will only make the low stomach acid problem worse in the long-term which is something to be aware of.
