Hi Kristin – I can’t say I have heard of anyone having an allergic reaction to HCL due to beets. Circumin should likely be fine w HCL as is the very occasional tylenol – but please confirm and double check that with your physician. You may want to try digestive enzymes or gall bladder/bile support as well.

I have a couple of questions… I’m allergic to raw beets and I know that often betaine HCL is derived from beets. Have you heard of anybody having allergic reactions to betaine because of a beet allergy?

I know that HCL is contraindicated for people who use chemical anti-inflammatories on a regular basis. What about occasional use of something like Tylenol? More importantly, is consistent use of curcumin also problematic in conjunction with Betaine HCL?

I don’t have much of a problem with acid-fast stomach issues… occasional heartburn, acid reflux a couple of times in my 63 years. That being said, I don’t have a gallbladder and most GI distress I experience is lower GI. My naturopath wants me to do an HCL challenge so my concern about the beet allergy is kind of on the table. Any feedback from experience with this particular issue?

Thanks so much!

Dear Lori Jo Berg,
Will do! God Bless & Thank you so much!

Hello – it’s possible the probiotics are not right for you. There are many choices and it’s all about finding the one that works for you- you can read more here: https://healthygut.com/scd-probiotics-what-you-really-need-to-know/ I would remove all supplements and introduce them one by one (3 days apart) to see if you can get a handle on which one isn’t working for you.

First off, let me say.. Thank you so much for posting this article to help so many ppl like myself who are suffering from acid reflux & heartburn symptoms. The detailed information you’ve provided in this post to help us understand what might be going on with our bodies and your continued follow through is so greatly appreciated!

Now, I’ve never had never had any major health issues. But, in the last few years, I have gained a significant amount of weight due to extreme personal stress and poor food choices which I’m sure have contributed to less than perfect health..

Most recently (last two months), I decided to make drastic changes improvements in my eating and exercising habits.

I started with a seven day detox, then took a ten day as alkaline & detoxifier, then started my daily green smoothies along with at least two meal a day. Everything felt perfectly fine until I added supplements to my routine..

I started taking a daily probiotics, a daily digestive enzymes, a daily trans-fermented resveratrol and a “women’s” probiotics with occasionally drinking a vinegar/lemon/honey drink to assist with my weight loss goals.

While it is obvious to me that either the combination of supplements or one in particular is the reason for the onset of acid reflux and heartburn; it has been very difficult for me to determine which path to resume without further damaging my health.

After reading your article and following a few of the links and comments, I’ve continued the acv drink at night but unfortunately it still comes back whenever I eat food. Please advise!..

HI Kelly – Here are some recommendations for you – https://healthygut.com/who-needs-digestive-enzymes-and-how-to-take-them/. Let us know if you have questions!

Thank you for your reply. Do you have any suggestions as far as digestive enzymes would go for my morning protein smoothie?

Hi Kelly – we normally only suggest taking betaine HCL w pepsin when eating meat. Have you tried digestive enzymes? those may work better for you!

HI Monique – it certainly could be as these types of drugs work to lower stomach acid even more (which typically isn’t the issue in the first place). We
d suggest diet and lifestyle changes to attack the heartburn, starting with our free quick start guide here: https://healthygut.com/scd-quick-start-guide/

Hi Michele – Please consult with your physician, as we aren’t able to give medical advise.

Hi Zobair – we’d recommend doing the at-home baking soda test 2-3 different times and that should give you a good indication of what to do next.

It can – but we’d suggest doing this test 2-3 times, to get a better measure of where your stomach acid levels are.

HI June – first off make sure he is taking the HCL with at least 15 -20 grams of protein. Too much betaine HCL can give him an acidic/heartburn type feel, so that is why he is experiencing that. More isn’t necessarily better – we all have to find the dose that works for us. IF he feels better on a lesser dose, than that is just fine!

Hi Lori, my son has a similar situation. He took HCL-pepsin (650mg per tab) and increased 1 per day. He reaches 5, acid reflux symptoms seem to worsen. So, we back it down to 4, it has gotten worse. So my question is, why does he seem to feel better at a lesser dosage? And why are his symptoms similar to acid reflux type at 4, 5.. there’s no warm ness felt. Many thanks

I had h.pyroli treatment 20 years ago but the damage to stomach lining had been too far gone and diagnosed with strophic gastritis and since then the intestinal cells have replaced most of my stomach lining. It is called intestinal metaplasia – precancerous cells according to my specialist. I take HCL when I feel that unpleasant pulling or empty sensation in the stomach area. I never feel hungry. I miss hunger pain I used to get as teenager. Since my stomach lining is virtually non existent, I assume I don’t have natural acid nor intrinsic factor. It amazes me doctors still prescribe acid suppressing meds without determining the acid levels. I understand acid level declines as you get old. I am not sure if taking HCL supplement helps. Drs. said no, but offer no alternatives. Like a lots of other chronic conditions, this condition seems to be ignored by medical world, as it’s “not immediately life threatening”.

Hi Rich –
It’s very common for people to stop short of their needed Betaine HCL dosage. In fact, in the beginning I was nervous about taking 6 pills at a meal. But trust me. there is nothing to worry about. Dr. Wright reports that the common Betaine HCL dosage range in his clinical practice is 3,250-4,550mg per meal. That means there are also plenty of people who need above 5,000mg for an effective dosage.

Remember a normal functioning stomach is capable of producing and handling extreme acid ranges. If your dosage starts getting extremely high without any GI distress (step #3), you must use your GI symptoms as a guide instead. These include burping, bloating, farting, and stool consistency. Keep everything else the same in your diet as you wait for these indicators to change for the better. Just because you can take 20 pills, doesn’t mean you should. It could be that at 11 pills all of your problems disappear.

Hi Lori, I’ve now reached 8 HCL pills (with a high protein meal), but still had zero burning/warming sensation. I’m guessing this is indicative of low stomach acid? If so, how many pills can I safely go up to? Thanks, Rich.

Hi Dimitra – we’d suggest increasing the dose unitl you feel an uncomfortable burn in the stomach region (you can take baking soda to get relief from that). Most the time, people stop short of their full dose and the HCL is then not as effective.

HI Harman – getting rid of heartburn is going to take a multifaceted approach of diet and supplements. WE’d suggest first starting with your diet here: https://healthygut.com/scd-quick-start-guide/. You can then test out supplementing with betaine HCL and here is an article on how to do that: https://healthygut.com/how-to-supplement-with-betaine-hcl-for-low-stomach-acid/

Hi Lori i suffered from acidic reflux when i was pregnant in2012.I was ok after hemopathy remedy but still if i eat fried, beans,rice and acidic food or mix food burning starts,and in midnite severe pain in rite chest and back.it goes for 2-3 hours.Bitter mouth taste.pls give me some suggestions.Thank you

What do you eat

Hello – if things have got worse (and those are NEW symptoms as a result of the HCl) then you can try backing off of one. If those were symptoms present before teh HCL, then you can test a higher amount and see if that changes anything. Try paying attention to other signs as well, such as stool quality.

Sorry for my bad english 🙂
Thank you in advance for you answer.

Hi Aysha – the baking soda test isn’t totally, 100% accurate and we’d suggest moving on to the HCl challenge test in the article:)

HI Mike – you can try asking your regular medical doctor, but it’s likely they won’t know what the heidelburg capsule test it. This is why we encourage the at home test.

Hi Courtney. Did you try again with different results. ? I also have LPR and will try the baking soda test in the morning

Hi Tama, have you tried? I couldn’t find a good homeopath myself

Hi Courteny – It could still be. Go ahead and perform the baking soda test for 3 mornings in a row to get a better judgement. You can also perform the HCL challenge test, as this is more accurate. It does sound like you’re suffering from low stomach acid, so we’d suggest continuing to test it out.

HI Jimbo – diet and exercise are going to be huge for you! GERD is what results when we have a malfunction in the area between the stomach and esophagus. A number of things can cause this but diet is one of the biggest culprits.

Also, when it’s safe (as noted in the artile) you can test your stomach acid levels and supplement – https://healthygut.com/3-tests-for-low-stomach-acid/

How and what Betaine HCL to supplement with: https://healthygut.com/how-to-supplement-with-betaine-hcl-for-low-stomach-acid/

I’ve had GERD for 12 years. My weight has gone from 155lbs to 220lbs (some likely due to age oh and more sederary lifestyle).
I’ve been on PPIs off and on and currently taking Nexium. It doesn’t always work so I supplement with zantac.
I had an endoscopy 10 months ago, they said everything looked normal but I had H. Pylori. After antibiotics to get rid of it, the GERD remains. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Would love to get off PPs!

Hey B Mitchell, did you ever find a good solution for the congestion in the throat? I started getting worse and worse congestion after taking PPI’s for a while, so I stopped taking them and the congestion persisted. It went away, mostly, after taking Betaine HCl with meals, however it’s still there sometimes after the meal. Does that mean I didn’t take enough HCl, or did I take too much? I also noticed apple cider vinegar removes the congestion almost immediately, but I feel sick afterwards… so I’ll need to try taking it with a snack next time. That may be a temporary solution.

I’m pretty sure the congestion is from pepsin buildup. Certain things can trigger the pepsin reaction in your body, and I will be trying high alkaline water to deal with the issue as well; supposedly that kills the pepsin. Will try to remember to update with results.

Hi Katie – first congrats on your success! We haven’t done any research on that specific test and all the details around it reading high. In our opinion, testing HCL levels with the baking soda is a basic level thing to do but can have a huge impact. If she isn’t still on PPI’s she can test out how she does on the HCl but a doctor’s guidance may be necessary due to her procedures. Sorry we can’t be of more help in this case.

HI Jennifer – I apologize but am not aware of what those two things are. Can you elaborate?

HI Gary, it’s likely that low stomach acid is playign a role to some degree – whether indirect or direct. We’d suggest testing it out as the article explains and then supplementing if necessary.

HI Fred –
After reading your history and questions, it sounds like you need a comprehensive program that will address diet, lifestyle, supplements, and root causes. While we are not doctors and can not give medical advice, we have seen many do well with this program that are in your same shoes.

The best place to start is by taking the personalized quiz, which will help you sort through some of your issues and give you direction: http://solvingleakygut.com/quiz/my-health/

We also highly recommend you register for one of our free Solving Leaky Gut Webinar’s here: http://solvingleakygut.com/webinar/live-qva/

Kind regards

Fred

Hope you see this reply, how do you use apple cider vinegar? Before meals and how long before? Thanks so much

Hello – it’s hard to say but you can always retest and see if the infection is present. I recomend doing one of the low acid tests and seeing how you do. You can also experiment with HCL and see how that affect you: https://healthygut.com/how-to-supplement-with-betaine-hcl-for-low-stomach-acid/