Do you suffer from heartburn or acid reflux and blame it on too much stomach acid? Well, get this. Acid reflux is not usually caused by having too much stomach acid, but rather not having enough!!

Yes, you read that correctly. It’s usually acid in the wrong place – and is most often triggered by insufficient stomach acid!

Without a good amount of stomach acid, your meal just sits there in the stomach; proteins putrefy, fats rancidify, and carbs ferment, which can cause a lot of gas and bubbling.

And whatever little stomach acid you do have can bubble up and spill into the lower part of the esophagus (that long tube that connects your throat to your stomach) where it doesn’t belong – and hence the burning.

So the big question remains… what causes low stomach acid & what can be done? Let’s dive right in shall we…

1. Age. Yup, that’s why our parents and grand-parents tend to shy away from eating animal proteins – feeling like they just can’t digest it as well as they used to. And with good reason.

The ageing process naturally decreases stomach acid production and makes it more difficult to digest proteins.

Sometimes mixing a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before a meal can help offer some relief. But more often, supplementing with betaine and pepsin (no not Pepsi, but pepsIN – the enzyme that breaks down protein in the stomach) can bring much needed relief.

But of course, please make sure to work closely with a naturopath or functional medicine doctor/practitioner before starting any supplements… especially if you’ve been experiencing reflux for many years. You’ll want to make sure that you do some gut healing first before adding fuel to that fire (another post for another day).

2. High refined carbs, high alcohol intake & high caffeine intake – all of these can decrease stomach acid. Are you guilty of any of these? Which ones can you begin to slowly cut out of your diet for good? Your choices matter mightily!

3. Stress! Digestion is a parasympathetic process – meaning digestion only happens when we’re in a calm and relaxed state.

Eating on the run, in the car, while watching TV, or while working on the phone is telling your brain that you’re ready for action, not digestion. Digestive secretions just won’t get produced as they should. Sloooow down!!

When it’s time to eat, take a few deep breaths, focus on eating, chew nice and slowly, put your fork down between bites, and enjoy your meal in peace. Simple but powerful!

4. Helicobacter Pylori infection. The majority of us acquire this bacteria as children, but when it overgrows, H. Pylori can suffocate the production of acid in the stomach and cause problems. It is possible to get this tested through blood or stool. If positive, you’ll want to address the overgrowth.

5. Zinc mineral deficiency. Zinc plays so many major roles in the body and is a catch-22 when it comes to digestion. You need zinc to produce stomach acid and you need good strong stomach acid to absorb zinc!

The best sources of zinc come from beef and lamb. Yes there are vegetarian sources of zinc like spinach, asparagus & sesame seeds but you need to consume a large amount of these to get in a decent amount of zinc. But keep in mind that dark greens are also high in copper which competes with zinc so zinc supplementation might be necessary if you are a vegetarian. Just remember to get your levels checked first before supplementing.

6. Low thyroid function. Here’s another “chicken or egg” situation. A sluggish thyroid means everything in your body becomes sluggish, including digestion. So if you want to improve stomach acid production and overall digestion, make sure thryoid function is working optimally. Getting tested and working with a practitioner is the best way to go for this as there are many other factors that can be at play when it comes to optimal thyroid function.

Still with me? Hopefully I’ve given you some good food for thought and some areas to further explore!

If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to leave them below.