6 Facts about Stomach Acid: It can go up and down, these are the symptoms and how to deal with it
Stomach acid rising or falling often feels uncomfortable and interferes with our activities. If left untreated, it can lead to serious health conditions. So, how to deal with stomach acid that suddenly rises or falls?
Stomach acid is a watery, colorless liquid produced by the lining of the stomach. This liquid is highly acidic and is produced to break down food to make digestion easier. Acidic fluids also help the body absorb nutrients more easily as food moves through the digestive tract.
To break down anything from meat to fibrous vegetables and fruits, stomach acid must be very acidic. Although very acidic, the body is designed to handle normal levels of stomach acid so as not to cause illness or certain health complications.
However, sometimes there are serious problems or conditions in the body that cause the body to have gastric juices with low or high acidity levels which can cause disease or complications.
1. What is the normal level of acid?
Some of the functions of stomach acid in the body, namely breaking down the food consumed into particles that are easier to digest and acting as the first line of defense against pathogens and microbes that can cause disease.
The acidity of gastric juice is measured on a pH scale. This scale ranges from 0 to 14. The lower the pH level, the stronger the acid level of the liquid.
Stomach acid has a pH between 1 and 2 which means it is quite acidic. Stomach acid, which is normal, has a pH balance only one or two points higher.
2. What if you have high stomach acid?
If the level of acid in gastric juices is too high, the mucous membranes in the stomach can stop working so that acid levels can cause a number of complications, such as:
Indigestion
Acid reflux disease or acid reflux
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Symptoms of high stomach acid include:
Nausea or vomiting
Bloated
Stomach discomfort that gets worse when the stomach is empty
Diarrhea
Decreased appetite
Sudden weight loss
3. How to deal with low stomach acid
The appropriate treatment for low stomach acid depends on the cause.
Your doctor may prescribe hydrochloric acid supplements that can increase the pH level of stomach acid and medications with the enzyme pepsin. This enzyme helps increase stomach acidity.
Other treatments that can be done, namely:
Antibiotics to treat infections that cause low stomach acid
Diet and taking supplements for stomach acid
Reduce stress
4. What if you have low stomach acid?
It is normal for a person's stomach acid levels to fluctuate all the time. In certain situations, such as stress or being on medication, it can cause low stomach acid. This is because the body cannot produce as much stomach acid or hydrochloric acid as possible.
The following are symptoms of low stomach acid:
Frequent burping
Bloated
Stomach ache
Indigestion
Diarrhea
Having indigestion
Nausea accompanied by vomiting
Frequent urination
Hair loss
Chronic low stomach acid can have serious health implications. Early symptoms of this condition, such as difficulty digesting food and absorbing nutrients the body needs. If not treated immediately can increase the risk of infection and chronic health problems.
5. How to deal with high stomach acid
High stomach acid is most often treated with medications, such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which work to lower stomach acid.
Other treatments that can be done depending on the cause of high stomach acid, usually consist of:
Taking antibiotics from the doctor
Changes in diet
Surgery to remove tumors in the abdomen (gastrectomy) or the vagus nerve (vagotomy)
6. Causes stomach acid to go up or down
Stomach acid rise or fall can be caused by a number of conditions, such as taking certain medications, and lifestyle factors.
Certain conditions that may increase your risk of low stomach acid include:
Born prematurely
Undergo stomach surgery
Experiencing high levels of stress
Lack of nutrients, especially zinc
Having an infection caused by Helicobacter pylori
Have a chronic disease
While the causes of high stomach acid include:
Excess production of certain hormones that can trigger the production of stomach acid
Production of stomach acid after stopping drugs to lower stomach acid
Helicobacter pylori infection
Experiencing gastric outlet obstruction
Tumors, but high stomach acid caused by tumors is rare