Low Stomach Acid

[mamaherrera]

I'm going to perhaps try the Betain test for low stomach acid, as I've been having some discomfort, gas and other things while doing Peat lately. But if it is low acid, how do you fix that, I mean you can't stay on these Betain pills for life. What are things suggested to improve low stomach acid so that it remains stable on it's own??? I Know I read that low stomach acid is just one more symptom of hypothyroid, so it wouldn't surprise me, but how do you get it kicked in the butt?

 

[SaltGirl]

I'm going to perhaps try the Betain test for low stomach acid, as I've been having some discomfort, gas and other things while doing Peat lately. But if it is low acid, how do you fix that, I mean you can't stay on these Betain pills for life. What are things suggested to improve low stomach acid so that it remains stable on it's own??? I Know I read that low stomach acid is just one more symptom of hypothyroid, so it wouldn't surprise me, but how do you get it kicked in the butt?

My biggest help was eating more salt. Eating more calcium from eggshells has also improved it a lot.

 

[mamaherrera]

salt, huh?? good to know it can be that easy! I'm upping the calcium, but through dairy and not sure if dairy is perhaps causing more problems. Did anyone ever have to use the HCL betain as a supplement, or can this problem be fixed with diet alone?

 

[Mittir]

Salt increases HCL production. But, source of your stomach problem could be
the new foods you are eating. Usual suspects : lactose intolerance, soluble fiber,
acidic OJ, histamine rich cheese, under ripe fruits etc. Excess fluid can also
worsen digestion.

 

[mamaherrera]

would you all suggest doing that HCL Betaine test?

 

[pboy]

the main things involved in gastric acid production are peptide hormones (enough protein), sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and CO2...so have enough protein, potassium and salt (sodium chloride, not baking soda) mainly...and don't be dehydrated. You also just need enough raw energy to produce CO2 that can be split and used in HCL production. If you are already low, it can be hard because you obviously need to digest energy to then produce energy. I think milk could actually be a good tool if you are fine with lactose. If not, decoct (boil in water and strain) cacao powder or nibs or something with a lot of potassium, coffee could be helpful but sometimes it is too strong...gauge it by taste (fruit might be hard if the digestion is already low, and fiberous food), add a bit of cane sugar and pinch salt to help. Carrot juice, though not recommended long term or in large amounts, is actually a really good tool to rebuild digestion...tons of potassium, some sodium and chloride, easy to digest...some protein but youd probably want something else in addition.

You gotta keep in mind though, you cant just fix digestion and expect it to stay fully firing, you kind of have to get into a flow of consistenly keeping it up...basically through diet is the main way. Stress can temporarily lower it, but if it was already strong to begin with it will spring back as or almost as strong after the stress subsides...where as if it was low to begin with, even lowering stress wouldn't bring it up to par

 

[mamaherrera]

Thanks for all that info. Where can I get cacao powder that is not refined?? I would like to do cacao powder in maybe lactose-free milk and see if that helps, because I am getting gas from the milk not bad, but some. Is broth good for digestion as well?? And it's hard to gauge if I'm dehydrated, because everywhere here says not to overdo water, so I go from one extreme to the other. I am doing a lot of protein, but if digestion is poor, am I even getting all those amino acids in me?? That's what I ask myself. I want to try the lemon juice in water to see if that helps to know if I really have low stomach acid. But I feel like I do because I eat and right away I get bloated.

 

[haidut]

would you all suggest doing that HCL Betaine test?

I don't know about betaine test, but I would NOT take betaine. It is a methyl donor, so it increases methylation, which may lead to cancer in the long run. It is also used in the synthesis of methionine, which is a bad amino acid in Peat-world.
A much safer option, with many other benefits, is taurine. Here is a study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21294907

"...Our results demonstrated for the first time in taurine-induced acid secretion due to increase intracellular calcium may act through the A type of GABA receptors, which are mainly located on cholinergic neurons though cAMP pathway and partially on nonneuronal cells in the rat stomach."

 

[mamaherrera]

Thanks for that information. Would I take a taurine supplement, and if so how much would you recommend?? I would really like to get my stomach acid where it should be so I can digest all this good food and nutrients that I'm eating! And I know I can't stand apple cider vinegar. I could do lemon juice with water before every meal. But my teeth are hurting just thinking about it.

 

[pboy]

Thanks for all that info. Where can I get cacao powder that is not refined?? I would like to do cacao powder in maybe lactose-free milk and see if that helps, because I am getting gas from the milk not bad, but some. Is broth good for digestion as well?? And it's hard to gauge if I'm dehydrated, because everywhere here says not to overdo water, so I go from one extreme to the other. I am doing a lot of protein, but if digestion is poor, am I even getting all those amino acids in me?? That's what I ask myself. I want to try the lemon juice in water to see if that helps to know if I really have low stomach acid. But I feel like I do because I eat and right away I get bloated.

ive never tried bone broth, but in theory it seems like it could help. The whole idea of 'ginger' or 'lemon juice' or 'cayenne pepper' for digestion is actually bad. Just because you feel burning sensations in your gut doesn't mean you are making more stomach acid...it simply means the substances themselves are causing a burning sensation. They do the same topically on the skin. A burning sensation does not equate higher stomach acid or increased pepsin activity...I had to learn that the hard way, being swamped by bad advice

 

[mamaherrera]

Thanks, so main things to try to help stomach acid be strong and on going is : milk/cacao powder (where do I get it though) and salt. Correct???

 

[Mittir]

I remember reading studies that showed glycine/gelatin increased HCL production.

 

[mamaherrera]

I am doing lots of gelatin, but if gelatine is not being digested either, how is it going to help me?? If I keep at all these foods, even if one is bothering me, will my body eventually adapt?? I think I'll try lactose free milk and keep at the gelatin, salt, and taurine???? That's in gelatin no, so I dont need a supplement.

 

[haidut]

Thanks for that information. Would I take a taurine supplement, and if so how much would you recommend?? I would really like to get my stomach acid where it should be so I can digest all this good food and nutrients that I'm eating! And I know I can't stand apple cider vinegar. I could do lemon juice with water before every meal. But my teeth are hurting just thinking about it.

Both caffeine and taurine increase stomach acid and a safe way to get both is to drink RedBull. I'd say 2-3 of these a day is enough. Lemon juice has citric acid, which will actually decrease stomach acid output. Vinegar is fine in small quantities.

 

[CellularIconoclast]

would you all suggest doing that HCL Betaine test?

I've seen some arguments that when the betaine and HCL dissociate in the stomach, the result is actually not acidic. I'm not sure what's going on when this test is performed but it might not be what people think, I'd definitely look into it deeper. I have tried Betaine HCL and it did seem to improve digestion.

I was having some serious bloating problems like this a few months back, which is what actually triggered my re-interest in trying a Ray Peat diet. I kept a detailed log of what foods triggered bloating and which didn't, and eventually ate as much as I could of those which didn't. I couldn't tolerate fruit, or most vegetables but could tolerate meat and ice cream. The problem went away after a week of this, but I don't know if it would have gone away on it's own.

 

[mamaherrera]

so you're saying you avoided the ones that caused you bloating???? I want to eventually get my body used to eating everything. . . . I thought if I keep eating the ones that bother me, my body will eventually get used to them. but that's not correct, right? Did you quit doing the Betaine HCL??? I don't really want to take it. ANd i dont want to drink redbull. I've read that caffeine increased estrogen!! So I don't want that either. Taurine supplement, what do you all think?

 

[j.]

I think coffee taken after other foods or with other foods (e.g. milk, cream) increases progesterone.

 

[mamaherrera]

But I cant stand coffee, someone said cacao powder, but I don't know where I can find that. But yes , I need to increase progesterone so badly!

 

[haidut]

so you're saying you avoided the ones that caused you bloating???? I want to eventually get my body used to eating everything. . . . I thought if I keep eating the ones that bother me, my body will eventually get used to them. but that's not correct, right? Did you quit doing the Betaine HCL??? I don't really want to take it. ANd i dont want to drink redbull. I've read that caffeine increased estrogen!! So I don't want that either. Taurine supplement, what do you all think?

Caffeine does NOT by itself increase estrogen. If you do get an estrogen bump it may be due to the fact that caffeine was taken in doses and manner (without sugar) that resulted in high adrenalin, and that is known to increase estrogen.

 

[mamaherrera]

sounds complex. . . .that's why I'd rather not play with caffeine, if I dont know how to use it correctly. Just want to get rid of this estrogen dominance. It sure did not help that throughout pregnancy I ate out a lot, which means lots of PUFA! I was avoiding it a couple months before getting pregnant. But yes I eat anything and I look 3 months pregnant again.