Stomach acid is very essential to the human body. The food that is consumed is acted upon in the stomach by an acid called gastric acid. It is broken down and digested to be absorbed by the body. At times, this gastric acid may cause problems leading to digestive disorders. If the level of gastric acid is more, it will result in gastric ulcers or heartburn. People begin to experience some discomfort in the chest region which may subside after taking antacids. It is a burning sensation that occurs periodically.
Proton pump inhibitors are drugs that will stop acid production in the stomach and thereby reduce stomach pressure. This will result in less gastric reflux and the amount of heartburn is minimized finally. The major problem with proton pump inhibitors is that they stop calcium that is found in the food from being absorbed into the body.
They are widely selling drugs due to their outstanding effects, but have a major drawback in that they reduce the absorption of calcium by the body. As a result, the body is forced to take calcium from teeth and bones. This may lead to a condition called osteoporosis where the bones become brittle and prone to fractures.
Added to this, the medicines also disrupt digestion. As there is undigested food remaining in the stomach, the pressure increases there. This leads to other medical problems like increased acidity level, etc.
Stress, anger and frustration are factors that lead to acidity and so is our diet. If we consume an acidic diet like meat and grains and not enough fruits and veggies our body will become acidic. Spicy foods can also negatively affect the digestion process and cause the stomach over-produce acids which can lead to gastritis and be very painful.
The first place you should start when trying to stop stomach acid is to check your pH levels. This can be accomplished by purchasing some “litmus paper” at the health food store and doing a test at home which will tell you your acidic levels. Even though the test is very easy to do, doctors for some reason never do it.
The normal value is around 7.3 to 7.4 which is slightly alkaline. The ideal time for carrying out the tests would be in the mornings and evenings.