If you struggle with acid reflux symptoms, it can be hard to resist the temptation to pop an antacid when your symptoms come up, even if you already know that you shouldn’t take too many. But what, exactly, is it about antacids that makes them harmful to your health?
This is a two-part answer:
The first part is that you actually need your stomach acid. It is an essential part of your digestive process, especially with regard to protein digestion and mineral absorption. Stomach acid also has an important immune function as it kills many food-borne pathogens in the acidic environment.
When you take an antacid the functions of your stomach acid are lost, resulting in lowered mineral absorption (and loss of bone density), increased risk of food poisoning, and poor digestion.
Secondly, your body relies on the acidic content of your stomach to trigger the gallbladder to do its job. By neutralizing the acid in your stomach, antacids reduce gallbladder function and increase your risk of gall stones and gallbladder symptoms like nausea, bloating and pain under the rib cage. Dr. Oz agrees that antacids have adverse effects on health.
Dr. Marina Rose, DC has helped people with acid reflux and other challenging health conditions in and around the city of Sunnyvale, CA and across the country. Dr. Rose has extensive training as a Digestive Health Specialist and finds that the there are two primary causes of acid reflux. One type is best addressed with digestive enzymes, the other type requires herbs like slippery elm and a special form of licorice root to heal the stomach lining.
When you need natural solutions for acid reflux symptoms, click here for a Free consultation on how Functional Nutrition can help you.
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