Are your muscles getting all the protein contained in that 12-ounce steak? Does your immune system enjoy all the antioxidant protection from the vitamins and minerals in organic fruits and vegetables? Do your supplements work as well as the manufacturer promises? There’s a 50/50 chance that the answer is “No.” The reason is that it’s not so much what you eat or what supplements you take, but how much you assimilate. This statement might seem peculiar, but it is true. The problem can often be traced to low levels of stomach acids, a condition known as hypochlorhydria.
Stomach acid breaks down food, chemically altering it so that the body can extract the required nutrients for proper structure and function, including muscle maintenance and growth. The acid begins the digestion of protein in the stomach and then triggers the pancreas to secrete digestive enzymes and the gallbladder to release bile into the small intestine. The acid is also responsible for killing pathogenic bacteria that enters the body via food.
Here are a few of the symptoms of low stomach acid:
· belching or gas within one hour of a meal
· bloating and fullness shortly after eating
· bad breath
· loss of taste for meat
· nausea after taking supplements
· brittle fingernails
· undigested food in stool
· foul-smelling stools
· stomach pain
· desire to skip meals
· estrogen buildup
· acne rosacea
· Depression
There are many reasons for low stomach acid, such as B vitamin deficiency, excess carbohydrate consumption, hypothyroidism, food sensitivities, H. Pylori infection, soda consumption and aging. But the most common cause of low stomach acid is actually stress. Stress experts estimate that we now have 100 times more stress than our grandfathers did. How do you test for low HCl? Here are a few ways:
· From your blood chemistry screen values, or by a urine test
· A string test where you swallow a string in order to measure your stomach pH – not a pleasant test, incidentally
· An examination of the reflex point on your abdomen, an inch below the bottom of the breastbone on the edge of the left rib cage
· Presence of a zinc deficiency; an insufficient amount of this mineral is associated with hypochlorhydria
· Presence of vertical ridges on your nails
· Stool testing
· Amino acid profile tests
In addition to HCL Supplementation*, here are a few other suggestions to normalize your stomach acid levels. First, avoid carbonated drinks. Second, avoid all-you-can-eat buffets and such like as they are a leading source of food-borne pathogens. Finally, there are numerous herbs that can contribute to raising HCl, such as gentian, peppermint and ginger, but be aware that very few controlled studies exist on this topic.
Correction in HCl deficiency leads to not only dramatic improvements in physique and strength but also improvements in a variety of health parameters. Interestingly enough, in strength-trained individuals those improvements are often associated with gains of 15 to 18 pounds of lean body mass within two months! Why? They are now absorbing proteins and minerals.
If you suspect that you are low in stomach acid, you must address this issue with the utmost importance. You cannot make adequate use of your food or your supplements if you cannot break them down for proper absorption. It’s true that not only are you what you eat, you are what you assimilate!
Article courtesy of Charles Poliquin
