Bursting the bubble Q: For the past few months I've been feeling very bloated. I've tried a few different over-the-counter gas remedies, but none of them really helped. Do you have any information that might be able to help me?
JVW: The first thing I do when patients come to me complaining of gas and bloating is check their levels of stomach acid. And more often than not, I find that the level is too low. If that is the case, I get the person started on hydrochloric acid and pepsin supplements right away. I usually recommend taking one capsule (5, 7 1/2, or 10 grains). After two or three days, if there are no problems, use two capsules in the early part of the meal, then three capsules several days later. The dose is gradually increased in this step-like fashion until it equals 40 to 70 grains per meal.
Applied judiciously at the appropriate times and accompanied by certain dietary and lifestyle modifications, this treatment can help return digestion to normal and alleviate those feelings of gas and bloating for good.
It's important to keep in mind, though, that treatment with hydrochloric acid can be dangerous and should only be used when testing indicates a need. The whole process should be carefully monitored by a physician. Though problems occur rarely, they can be bad ones. Hydrochloric acid should never be used at the same time as aspirin, Butazolidin, Inodicin, Motrin, or any other anti-inflammatory medications. These medications themselves can cause stomach bleeding and ulcers, so using hydrochloric acid with them increases the risk. Sources:
"Low selenium, B6, & B12 linked to daily difficulties," NutraIngredients (www.nutraingredients.com), 11/29/06
"Low Micronutrient Levels as a Predictor of Incident Disability in Older Women," Arch Intern Med 2006; 166(21): 2,335-2,340 |
