What is HCL and why is it one of the most important components to proper digestion? Why is it that most us after the age of 35 feel better eating only fruits and veggies? Why do we feel tired, gassy, lethargic and weighed down after eating high protein meals? The answer may surprise and delight you in many ways. Answer: Stomach acid is a digestive fluid formed in your stomach to break down food. It contains hydrochloric acid (HCL), potassium chloride, and sodium chloride. It activates digestive enzymes and plays a principal role in the breakdown of protein by unraveling the long chains of amino acids. The potassium and sodium chloride are rarely limiting factors in the production of stomach acid—it’s the HCL that people tend to have trouble producing. Stomach acid is necessary for the following functions: • Absorption of at least eight essential nutrients are dependent on adequate stomach acid: calcium, vitamins B9 and 12, magnesium, zinc, iron, vitamin C, and beta carotene • Absorption of the antioxidant vitamins A and E, putting you at greater risk of oxidative stress and chronic inflammation • Breakdown of protein for use in tissue and muscle synthesis • Activation of enzymes, hormones, and neurotransmitters • Prevention of bacterial pathogens from going into the lower GI tract, causing infection, and putting you at risk of disease and stomach cancer Many people think gastric stress is normal. It is not. A strangely common misconception is that Westerners have too much stomach acid. This is rarely true! A more common problem is having much too little stomach acid for appropriate digestion, which produces gastric stress and can greatly increase your risk of stomach cancer. A serious but common problem is that because low stomach acid leads to impaired digestion, it is often misdiagnosed as having too much stomach acid. This is because when the stomach does not empty correctly, partly digested carbohydrates and proteins that have started to ferment in the stomach will back up into the esophagus—an uncomfortable problem that is interpreted by uninformed individuals and physicians as too much stomach acid.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 06:06:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015