<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> I have gotten a few replies to my posting, "The Risks of Acid Supressors". Several replies are along the lines of the following reply I've quoted here. Rather than summerize them all, I will just post my response to this reply alone. ---------- "Your informative posts are always much appreciated. In regards to the treatment of GERD though, I have a sincere question: for those who really do have excess acid (never mind the Stomach Acid is Good for You book - some people really do have too much and it does eat up the esophagus and duodenum; in fact I thought this was highly correlated with CD even), what alternative is there to the likes of Prilosec, etc. (proton pump inhibitors and acid reducers)? In my son's case, the gf diet took care of the GERD, but for my husband it is not enough, and attempts to step down from Prilosec to acid reducers only results in a great deal of pain. What else can he try? Thanks. Hilary" ---------- MY RESPONSE: Hilary, Yes, some people "really do have excess acid", but this is a very UNCOMMON disorder. As we age or our health is compromised, our stomachs begin to LOSE the ability to produce acid, just as other body functions and systems slow down and deteriorate with age. If acid is backing up into the esophagus, then whether you have high, low, or normal stomach acid, the problem is that the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) valve is not properly closing allowing the stomach contents (which contains acid whether it's a high or low level) to enter the esophagus. In other words, you need to fix the LES disfunction, NOT eliminate stomach acid which is absolutely necessary for proper digestion, to protect us from harmful microorganisms, to stimulate pancreatic enzyme and bicarbonate production, to absorb essential minerals and trace elements, and for our health in general. Dr. Jonathon V. Wright, MD, (author of "Why Stomach Acid Is Good For You") actually measured the stomach acidity in his heartburn patients as well as pioneering methods to perform these measurements. He found that the vast majority of his heartburn patients had LOW stomach acid, NOT high stomach acid. Low acid means that foods, especially proteins, will just sit in the stomach for long time periods allowing bacterial fermentation to occur, causing bloating and gas, and putting reverse pressure on the LES allowing the contents to backup into the esophagus. The pancreas is stimulated by stomach acid when it reaches the right level in the stomach which causes the pancreas to produce and secrete enzymes and bicarbonate ions into the duodenum for digestion and to reduce acidity in the duodenum. A quick and simple test for low stomach acid is the following. (You must NOT be taking antacids or acid suppressors to perform this test.): http://www.drdebe.com/BAKESODA.htm And if you are still not convinced with the results, than find a good gastroenterologist or a naturopathic doctor who will take the time to actually MEASURE your stomach acidity and prescribe the appropriate treatment for your condition. A small radio capsule which measures pH can be swallowed and used to make this measurement. See: http://www.healthy.net/library/books/textbook/section2/heidel.pdf Low stomach acid or hypochlorhydria can be treated by taking betaine HCl and digestive enzymes with every meal. And you need to take a sufficent number of betaine HCl capsules which may be well more than just one or two. (I take three 10 grain capsules at breakfast and lunch, and six at dinner.) The number of betaine HCl capsules is adjusted by finding the the amount which begins to cause a warming sensation in the stomach, and then backing off by one capsule. Dr. Wright theorizes that when the stomach acid is at a proper and high enough level during meals, the pH of the stomach may stimulate a normal functioning LES to keep tightly closed preventing backup while digestion is taking place. However, there is the possibilty that an actual physiological problem could be present impairing LES function. There are some surgical options, repairs, and devices which might help if other less intrusive therapies have failed. Alternative natural supplements other than acid suppressors can help alleviate acid discomfort until the problem is corrected. Of course, if you do actually have a HIGH stomach acid problem, then acid suppressors used under monitoring by health practioners are a valid treatment. You would want to keep the stomach acidity at a near normal level. But I would want to find out why I had high stomach acid in the first place and fix that condition, not just take acid suppressors. * * * * Please remember some posters may be WHEAT-FREE, but not GLUTEN-FREE *