These symptoms can also be caused by other conditions, however. Obtaining sufficient vitamin K may be less of a problem. I appreciate all the votes and the share as well. Can you please suggest why it happens to me. Up, useful and interesting votes and will share. The hydrochloric acid may then irritate the wall of the esophagus, producing pain and a condition known as heartburn. Some vitamins are absorbed in the large intestine. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on January 13, 2013: Thank you very much, Deb. I hope you find relief soon. If the possible causes listed in this article don't apply, I think it's best if you consult a doctor. Anyway, one question remains is why do I have gastritis. Thank you, Prasetio. You might want to talk to your doctor about the advisability of getting one of these tests. I intend to read it over a couple of times more. wabash annie from Colorado Front Range on February 05, 2013: I really found this Hub interesting and the pictures/diagrams helped as I am visual. Sometimes cells in the stomach lining are unable to make hydrochloric acid. Hydrochloric acid (also known as stomach acid) is the main component of gastric juices produced in the stomach. I was diagnosed with gastritis recently. Perhaps you could ask to see a specialist if you haven't already done so. It works in the basic environment of the intestine, where most nutrient absorption takes place. Absorption of vitamin B12 from food is a particular problem. The hydrochloric acid in the stomach is very important in the digestion process. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on March 04, 2017: Hi, Nna. I very much hope that you find the cause of your gastritis and a solution to the problems that you're having. They are discussed and shown to be incorrect or incomplete. If the esophagus is exposed to acid frequently over a long period of time, its cells may be damaged or its lining may change its nature and resemble the tissue that lines the intestine. Obtaining a small quantity of the vitamin from the bacteria in our large intestine may be a bonus. Patients should visit a doctor regularly so that any precancerous cells can be treated. A variety of lifestyle, medical, and surgical techniques are used to treat problems linked to too much stomach acid or to stomach acid entering the esophagus, where it doesn’t belong. In severe cases, acid production stops and the condition is called achlorhydria. It was not that many years ago that doctors realized the cause of ulcers and began treating it with antibiotics. (The glands are shown in the illustration below.) Your stomach acid helps you break down and digest your food. A stomach enzyme called pepsin needs an acidic environment in order to digest protein. It mainly consists of hydrochloric acid, a potent chemical produced by the cells lining the stomach ( parietal cells ) and your gastric glands. Answer: Lack of gastric juice would cause multiple consequences. Epithelial cells secrete mucus and bicarbonate, which protects the lining from acid. In an autoimmune disorder, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues. Voted Up. I am 79 ,and am at the end of my tether I am on pantaloc at the moment BID Have you any suggestions?Mary. Although the small intestine as a whole is basic, at the start of the duodenum (the section connected to the stomach), the pH is still slightly acidic. The stomach lining is frequently renewed in order to replace the old one, which may have been damaged. The chemical is very useful in our lives. I have gastric problem from last 1 year. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on September 12, 2017: Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on August 29, 2017: There's a condition called laryngopharyngeal reflux in which acid from the stomach gets into the throat and larynx. What foods would you recommend to help ease the burning sensation in your stomach. … The food an individual ingests must be broken into molecules that are able to enter the cell walls. If the mucus is removed by some factor, the acid may damage the lining of the stomach and cause a sore. The nutrients from digested food—including the vitamins—are absorbed in the small intestine. Linda Crampton is a writer and teacher with a first-class honors degree in biology. I think that it's important that you consult your physician to find out what's happening in your digestion system. You need to return to your doctor and explain how bad your symptoms are. This acidity helps the absorption of certain nutrients. The stomach produces the hormone gastrin, which in turn creates hydrochloric acid. I have been taking Hydrochloride acid prior to meals for months. Histamine joins to parietal cells to trigger the process that makes hydrochloric acid. An ulcer is a sore that forms on the stomach lining or on the lining of the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine). Perhaps you could see your doctor again and explain that you need help or perhaps you could even see a different physician. Without the hydrochloric acid located in gastric juice, pepsinogen wouldn't be changed into pepsin in the stomach. I just found out this month I have autoimmune atrophic gastritis. During the health consequences, our body produces much stomach acids. Gastric juice contains intrinsic factor as well as hydrochloric acid. I went to a few emergency rooms with horrific pain and eventually discovered through various testing that I have gastritis, and my gallbladder had to be removed. It's found in food from plants and to a lesser extent in certain types of food from animals and a few fermented foods. A hydrogen atom is made of a positively charged proton and a negatively charged electron. Treatment will likely be aimed at removing the cause of the low acid production and/or at compensating for any chemical or nutritional deficiencies. It's now known that stomach ulcers are usually caused by a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori. A person with prediabetes or arthritis must also visit a doctor. Symptoms of low stomach acid may include stomach discomfort, bloating, heartburn, and/or nausea. Gastric juices also help us absorb the nutrients we need from that food. If the stomach digested no proteins at all, however, a doctor might suggest that a patient take supplemental enzymes to avoid malnutrition. I'm showing signs of being prediabetic and have arthritis. The epithelial cells on the surface of the lining are tightly bound to each other, which enhances their ability to act as a barrier. Some evidence suggests that medications that are designed to reduce acid production in the stomach may sometimes cause hypochlorhydria. The problem really comes from TOO LITTLE stomach acid. (A problem with the movement of acid into the esophagus may be diagnosed as GERD.) Voted up and interesting. Without this low pH and sufficient production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, food cannot effectively be broken down. The human stomach contains Hydrochloric Acid but when in the stomach, it is referred to as Gastric Acid. Hydrochloric acid acts as a barrier against foreign microorganisms and helps prevent infection. But then I stopped eating gluten and soy. Answer: Since your gastritis has become worse, you should visit your doctor to find out why. Hydrochloric acid converts pepsinogen into an enzyme called pepsin. In order for the body to release the right enzymes to digest food and to protect against outside microbes and parasites, your stomach acid must be strong and extremely acidic. I have been malnourished for two years. If you are personally experiencing a problem with digestion, the best thing to do would be to visit a doctor so that he or she can give you a diagnosis. Hydrochloric acid also kills many harmful bacteria that enter the stomach. Too much acid in stomach is also harmful and leads to stomach ulcers. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on May 28, 2018: Hi, Sushant. Nephron, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 License. The esophagus doesn't produce hydrochloric acid or carry out digestion, so it lacks some of the stomach's protective mechanisms and is far more sensitive to damage from acid. This indicates that we don’t absorb enough vitamin B12 from the bacteria in our large intestine to be helpful. When these acid levels increase, it can create an environment for hyperacidity. Anyone with these symptoms should visit a doctor for a diagnosis. An enzyme called trypsin is present in the small intestine after we eat and does the same job as pepsin. Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. I truly found this educational, informative, and interesting. The regurgitated acid produces heartburn, a sour taste, and sometimes additional symptoms, including coughing, wheezing, chest pain, and difficulty in swallowing. I hope you find a solution to your problems. Hydrochloric acid kills many of the dangerous bacteria that enter the digestive tract, so without the acid bacteria could multiply. The small intestine also digests proteins, so we would still get nourishment from them without pepsin. Thank you for the comment. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on December 18, 2013: Crafty, I'm very sorry about all your stomach problems. Too much or too little acid can cause problems. A hydrogen ion (H+) is therefore the same thing as a proton. It's linked to a slightly increased risk of esophageal cancer. Too much acid in stomach is also harmful and leads to stomach ulcers. Talk to a Dr. Berg Keto Consultant today and get the help you need on your journey. Someone with either hypochlorhydria or achlorhydria should be under a doctor’s care. The situation must be frustrating for you. You need to discuss your symptoms with your physician and follow their instructions for dealing with your problem. Thank you very much for the visit and comment. Answer: If you are suffering from an excessive amount of hydrochloric acid in your stomach, you need to visit your doctor for a diagnosis and treatment. It would be very interesting to know why! Hydrochloric acid plays an important role in food digestion. The acidic pH is created by hydrochloric acid, which is secreted by cells in the stomach lining. 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