Heartburn Relief
Jacob Farin, N.D.
You've seen the commercials: Tums, Rolaids, Tagamet and Pepcid AC for the treatment of heartburn. So has Paul. Paul came to see me find out why he was having heartburn. Nearly every meal he ate resulted in heartburn, gas and bloating. His usual regimen involved the use of an antacid, which provided temporary relief until he ate his next meal. After an assessment of his symptoms, I suspected that he was not producing sufficient stomach acid. Although popular belief associates heartburn with having too much acid, some forms of heartburn can be caused by having too little acid.
When the stomach produces insufficient amounts of acid, food sits in the stomach and irritates the stomach sphincter. The sphincter then opens and what little acid there is in the stomach travels up into the esophagus, creating the symptom of heartburn. Other symptoms include cramping, alternating constipation and diarrhea, belching and fullness after only a couple bites of food. Long-term low acid production is often a contributing factor in vitamin and mineral deficiency and imbalances of intestinal bacteria.
I decided to test his stomach acid levels with a bicarbonate gastric test. Under normal circumstances, the stomach would produce enough acid to overcome bicarbonate challenge. Paul's acid level remained low after the bicarbonate challenge, which indicated that something was preventing adequate acid production.
What causes low stomach acid production? The causes are numerous: malnutrition, hypothyroidism, intestinal disorders, HIV, chronic infections and excessive stress, to name a few.
Excessive stress is an interesting cause, although it is often overlooked. When under stress, the body initiates a "fight-or-flight" response by producing adrenal hormones that causes one to go into action. These same hormones, however, also redirect the body from "inessential" activities, such as digesting food, to more "essential" activities, such as getting out of the stressful situation.
This is exactly what I suspected with Paul - low acid production as a result of excessive stress. The prescribed treatment included supplementing each meal with hydrochloric acid (HCl) and integrating appropriate stress management techniques. Several weeks later, Paul came back and remarked that his digestion improved tremendously. The heartburn, gas and bloating were gone and he no longer took antacids. This was certainly the kind of relief he was looking for.
Supplementing with HCl, however, is not for everyone with heartburn. It should not be taken when ulcers are suspected. Appropriate assessment and lab tests are necessary. If you would like to know more about stomach acid testing or the naturopathic treatment of heartburn and other digestive disorders, contact the Center for an appointment.