Acid reflux/GERD

[James]

A common misconception about acid reflux is that it results from excess stomach acid. Actually it is just the opposite. Here is a response I wrote to someone in the past concerning GERD:

These can be signs of a lack of stomach acid, which leads to an overgrowth of stomach yeast. When we are younger our acids produce sufficient stomach acid to control yeast growth. As we age though, stomach acidity naturally declines. This helps explain why as we age we develop more nutritional deficiencies, and get more frequent heartburn.

Minerals and vitamins B6, B12 and folate all require sufficient stomach acid to be absorbed. Silica, which helps maintain healthy bones, blood vessels, skin, etc. has to be converted in to orthosilicic acid to be absorbed. The presence of sufficient stomach acid increases the conversion of silica in to orthosilicic acid. Drops in the production and absorption of orthosilicic acid leads to osteoporosis, wrinkles, etc.

Overgrowth of yeast in the stomach leads to heartburn due to fermentation from the yeast. This fermentation leads to the production of carbon dioxide gas, which creates the bloating. The gas also produces pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) muscle at the upper end of the stomach. Like other muscles this muscle can get tired. When the LES tires out from fighting the pressure the LES relaxes allowing the gas to escape up the esophagus. As the gas goes up the esophagus traces of stomach acid are carried with it causing the heartburn.

Excessive stomach acid is a medical condition known as hyperchlorhydria, and medical texts tell us it is extremely rare. Yet antacids and acid blockers are the second largest selling drug class. This stems from the outdated notion that acid reflux involves too much stomach acid. But the fact is that these drugs can actually make the condition worse by neutralizing the remaining acid, or by preventing its secretion.

Further reducing stomach acidity just encourages more yeast growth that can contribute to reflux. An easier way to look at this principle is when taking antibiotics, women can develop vaginal yeast infections. The reason for this is that the flora that inhabit the vaginal cavity produce lactic acid to maintain slightly acidic tissues, which yeast cannot grow in. Since the antibiotics kill these bacteria, they also lead to a shift in the pH of the tissues to the alkaline side leading to an overgrowth of yeast. If the stomach becomes too alkaline the yeast can come up from the intestines in to the stomach increasing fermentation and reflux.

There are several things that can be done. In Europe digestive bitters are very popular for treating heartburn. These are bitter tasting herbs, usually sold in liquid form since they must come in to contact with the tongue to work. Bitters work by stimulating the bitter receptors on the back of the tongue. This in turn stimulates a nerve, known as the vagus nerve. This in turn increases the production of stomach acid, bile secretion and pancreatic enzyme secretion. Bitters also have a cleansing effect on the liver, and the bile increasing effects make it useful for dissolving cholesterol based gallstones. Since bitters do cleanse the liver it is important to drink a lot of water throughout the day when using them.

Zinc can also help since it is a catalyst for the formation of hydrochloric acid for the stomach. The recommended dose is 50mg daily with a large meal.

B vitamins are also essential for the formation of stomach acid. It is best to get these from foods such as rice bran, oat bran, watercress, seaweeds, or nutritional yeast. Otherwise a B50 complex twice daily with meals can be used.

Trimethylglycine (TMG) can also be used to increase stomach acid formation. TMG is a strong methyl donor. Methylation is required for the production of many substances in the body including stomach acid, neurotransmitters, hormones, etc.

The final option is betaine HCl, derived from beet leaves. Betaine HCl is very acidic, with a pH of 1. So it needs to be taken with food already in the stomach. Although, I do not believe in substituting for the body's own job long term since it can become dependent on the substitution. So Betaine HCl is best used occasionally.

Caffeine, nicotine and mints should be avoided by people with chronic GERD as these can relax the LES causing more reflux.

Hiatal hernias can also increase the risk of reflux by constricting the stomach

[Anderson]

Hello!

I'm new to this forum. First of all thanks for all the great information provided here and at Cure Zone. I started to read your posts there when I was researching about the liver flush thing, which I haven't done since the more I read the more dangerous and ineffective it seemed to be.

I´ve been having a lot of heartburn lately and it seems to be getting worse and worse. I also have very little energy and realized I also have gluten intolerance (according to all the stuff I've been reading lately it can be bad digestion).

My question is: can you infer what the cause of my heartburn can be by knowing that it gets better when I eat a green apple (it has to be the Granny Smith variety), a slice of pineapple as a dessert or sauerkraut with the main meals (this one is the most effective...it's really amazing).

I hope you can give me any tips.

Anderson

[James]

(07-20-2012 11:42 AM)Anderson Wrote:  Hello!

I'm new to this forum. First of all thanks for all the great information provided here and at Cure Zone. I started to read your posts there when I was researching about the liver flush thing, which I haven't done since the more I read the more dangerous and ineffective it seemed to be.

The whole liver flush thing using olive oil, lemon juice and magnesium is such a fraud anyway. Those soft, green squishy balls are not really gallstones but rather saponified oil ("soap stones") and cholesterol-sterol complexes formed between the ingredients in the "flush" and the bile in the intestines.

If real gallstones are present these "flushes" can force a real gallstone in to the bile ducts. If the stone gets lodged in the ducts this can lead to pancreatitis and can require emergency surgery.

I´ve been having a lot of heartburn lately and it seems to be getting worse and worse. I also have very little energy and realized I also have gluten intolerance (according to all the stuff I've been reading lately it can be bad digestion).

My question is: can you imply what the cause of my heartburn can be by knowing that it gets better when I eat a green apple (it has to be the Granny Smith variety), a slice of pineapple as a dessert or sauerkraut with the main meals (this one is the most effective...it's really amazing).

These are all acid sources. A lack of stomach acid can cause heartburn as the lack of acid decreases digestion and promotes fermentation. This leads to the heartburn as the resulting gas escapes up the esophagus carrying traces of acid with it. By increasing the stomach acid these conditions are reversed.

I hope you can give me any tips.

Anderson

I have more detailed information on the subject here:

http://medcapsules.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=2601

[Anderson]

Thanks a lot!

I think I'll start with TMG due to its many benefits and see how I continue from there.

[Anderson]

Do you recommend any daily dose for TMG? Are there different kinds?

[James]

(07-21-2012 03:58 AM)Anderson Wrote:  Do you recommend any daily dose for TMG? Are there different kinds?

There are not different kinds of TMG. But it is sold in both tablet and powder.

TMG is dose dependent on its actions, so the higher the dosage the more effect it provides. But as dose of 500-1000mg thee times daily should suffice for most conditions so that is what I recommend.

[Anderson]

I heard from a doctor that low stomach acidity can also be due to a problem in the gallbladder. The idea is that since the gallbladder is not producing enough bile (or too thick bile) which is supposed to make the content that comes from the stomach less acid, the body automatically reduces stomach acidity to avoid burning the small intestine.

He recommends drinking pure beetroot juice everyday to make the bile less thick.

Quite a theory. Is that possible?

[James]

(07-23-2012 07:02 AM)Anderson Wrote:  I heard from a doctor that low stomach acidity can also be due to a problem in the gallbladder. The idea is that since the gallbladder is not producing enough bile (or too thick bile) which is supposed to make the content that comes from the stomach less acid, the body automatically reduces stomach acidity to avoid burning the small intestine.

He recommends drinking pure beetroot juice everyday to make the bile less thick.

Quite a theory. Is that possible?

I have no idea where he came up with this. Bile is not what neutralizes stomach acid. As the chyme leaves the stomach acid the chyme's acidity is neutralized by pancreatic bicarbonate, not bile.

Bile itself can burn the intestinal wall in excess. This is why people who have their gallbladders removed develop the chronic diarrhea. Instead the bile being squirted out in small amounts by the gallbladder, without the gallbladder the bile dumps in to the intestine. The excess bile burns the intestinal wall causing an influx of water in to the intestines and increased peristalsis.

I also do not see how beet root juice is going to thin out the bile. Bile is composed primarily lecithin, which the beet root is not going to supply. Beets do have lecithin, but it is concentrated in the leaves. And even at that the amount rises during the night, but drops during the day when the beets would be harvested.

Also keep in mind that beet leaves contain a fair amount of oxalic acid, so it would not be a good idea to consume large amounts.

[Anderson]

Would this theory make any sense if one had a problem his pancreas? I mean, the body lowers stomach acidity to protect the intestines due to the lack of bicarbonate in the pancreas.

[James]

(08-12-2012 11:00 PM)Anderson Wrote:  Would this theory make any sense if one had a problem his pancreas? I mean, the body lowers stomach acidity to protect the intestines due to the lack of bicarbonate in the pancreas.

I doubt it. The stomach has to reach a certain acidic pH to release its contents. So reducing acidity would also slow gastric emptying.

More importantly though the bile is released in to the intestines, not the stomach.

[dforce]

(06-28-2012 11:37 PM)James Wrote:  A common misconception about acid reflux is that it results from excess stomach acid. Actually it is just the opposite. Here is a response I wrote to someone in the past concerning GERD:

These can be signs of a lack of stomach acid, which leads to an overgrowth of stomach yeast. When we are younger our acids produce sufficient stomach acid to control yeast growth. As we age though, stomach acidity naturally declines. This helps explain why as we age we develop more nutritional deficiencies, and get more frequent heartburn.

Minerals and vitamins B6, B12 and folate all require sufficient stomach acid to be absorbed. Silica, which helps maintain healthy bones, blood vessels, skin, etc. has to be converted in to orthosilicic acid to be absorbed. The presence of sufficient stomach acid increases the conversion of silica in to orthosilicic acid. Drops in the production and absorption of orthosilicic acid leads to osteoporosis, wrinkles, etc.

Overgrowth of yeast in the stomach leads to heartburn due to fermentation from the yeast. This fermentation leads to the production of carbon dioxide gas, which creates the bloating. The gas also produces pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) muscle at the upper end of the stomach. Like other muscles this muscle can get tired. When the LES tires out from fighting the pressure the LES relaxes allowing the gas to escape up the esophagus. As the gas goes up the esophagus traces of stomach acid are carried with it causing the heartburn.

Excessive stomach acid is a medical condition known as hyperchlorhydria, and medical texts tell us it is extremely rare. Yet antacids and acid blockers are the second largest selling drug class. This stems from the outdated notion that acid reflux involves too much stomach acid. But the fact is that these drugs can actually make the condition worse by neutralizing the remaining acid, or by preventing its secretion.

Further reducing stomach acidity just encourages more yeast growth that can contribute to reflux. An easier way to look at this principle is when taking antibiotics, women can develop vaginal yeast infections. The reason for this is that the flora that inhabit the vaginal cavity produce lactic acid to maintain slightly acidic tissues, which yeast cannot grow in. Since the antibiotics kill these bacteria, they also lead to a shift in the pH of the tissues to the alkaline side leading to an overgrowth of yeast. If the stomach becomes too alkaline the yeast can come up from the intestines in to the stomach increasing fermentation and reflux.

There are several things that can be done. In Europe digestive bitters are very popular for treating heartburn. These are bitter tasting herbs, usually sold in liquid form since they must come in to contact with the tongue to work. Bitters work by stimulating the bitter receptors on the back of the tongue. This in turn stimulates a nerve, known as the vagus nerve. This in turn increases the production of stomach acid, bile secretion and pancreatic enzyme secretion. Bitters also have a cleansing effect on the liver, and the bile increasing effects make it useful for dissolving cholesterol based gallstones. Since bitters do cleanse the liver it is important to drink a lot of water throughout the day when using them.

Zinc can also help since it is a catalyst for the formation of hydrochloric acid for the stomach. The recommended dose is 50mg daily with a large meal.

B vitamins are also essential for the formation of stomach acid. It is best to get these from foods such as rice bran, oat bran, watercress, seaweeds, or nutritional yeast. Otherwise a B50 complex twice daily with meals can be used.

Trimethylglycine (TMG) can also be used to increase stomach acid formation. TMG is a strong methyl donor. Methylation is required for the production of many substances in the body including stomach acid, neurotransmitters, hormones, etc.

The final option is betaine HCl, derived from beet leaves. Betaine HCl is very acidic, with a pH of 1. So it needs to be taken with food already in the stomach. Although, I do not believe in substituting for the body's own job long term since it can become dependent on the substitution. So Betaine HCl is best used occasionally.

I had what was thought to be acid reflux a couple of nights ago. I've only had it 3 times in my life...and the last time was around 2 years ago. I tried a lot of different things...antacids (though after reading this I am seeing that is not the best idea)...which did nothing...plus I tried many home remedies I was suggested...I ate a little raw potatoe...had baking soda in water...tried chewing gum...and nothing was working very well. My question is...if nothing was working, then does that mean I was possibly having a gall bladder attack instead? Someone had suggested that to me and was curious as to what you thought? I still have some soreness in my sternum area from this reflux/gall bladder attack. The attack lasted for over 30 hours. My other question is that you recommend taking bitter herbs. What exactly are those bitter herbs called and how much do we take? Are they taken regularly to keep acid reflux away? I appreciate your help!

[edybuman]

- I heard that taking Apple Cider Vinegar before meals will help get rid of GERD. I tried taking it neat several times using spoon until I got my throat choked. My throat felt locked up for few seconds, but after that I was alright.
Since then, I never take ACV straight again, I diluted a table spoon of it with a half glass of water.

The questions are:
- Since the idea of taking ACV is to put acid into our less producing acid stomach or in other words I call it reinforcement, how could the diluted ACV ( far less acid ) helps increasing our stomach acid?
- Instead of putting more acid into stomach, is there other better way to stimulate our stomach to produce more of its' natural acid?

- I also read from internet that smoking causes GERD, but for my case I had GERD few weeks after I stopped smoking. Any comments on that?

These were what I did to get rid of my GERD:
- I took probiotic, yakult, yogurt, fruits, etc
- No drinking water 1 hour before and after meal ( I read from internet that taking water will flush away stomach acid )
- I did NOT take Nexium my doctor prescribed me
- I did take baking soda ( mixed with water ) though few times when too much gas in my stomach to burp out. ( James doesn't like this I know )
- go back to smoking joking! the truth is don't take too much alcohol. Our less acid producing stomach can not digest too much drinks in our stomach.

Another question:
- Wine is acid, taking a glass of wine could be just fine, but after few glasses our less producing stomach will just let those wine sit there fermented and producing gas. How this acid wine not helping our stomach digesting the wine but causing GERD the next day? Isn't acid supposed to help?

Thank you for reading, I hope you will give some input.

[Anderson]

Hi!

Just like to leave an update on how I found a solutions to my coughing.

I started to take vitamin K2 in the form of MK7 because I learned that it is good to do so when one is taking vitamin D, which I do during the winter, and my coughing totally disappeared after a couple of weeks together with my GERD / heartburn.

My theory is that it must have to do with calcium metabolism affecting muscle contraction. I believe that now my stomach closes more efficiently and that solved both problems.

And it has been good for a whole year now!

Happy new year!