多年以来，我一直坚信我的肚子恨我。就像我家人中的大多数人一样（我的父母每月购买了甲状酸酯的巨型尺寸），我认为我的胃酸过多，这会导致进食，腹胀和普遍不适后通常燃烧的感觉。我开始购买自己的抗酸剂，只是发现弹出它们使问题变得更糟。
再加上腹部后的刺激，我的能量水平会在进食后立即储备，并保持这种方式数小时。每次我召集运动的热情时，一顿饭或小吃都会消除这种新的决心，使我更加低级，持续不断的疲劳。
Although I spoke with a physician about the issue, it led to a prescription for stronger antacids, with an equally strong bad reaction. I tried switching what I ate, cutting out gluten, dairy, sugar and anything that seemed inflammatory, which helped slightly but not enough to feel like I was solving the problem. I began to joke, half-heartedly, that I felt like I was allergic to food.
Then, I saw a nutritional therapist, who suggested my problem might be the opposite of what I’d suspected. I was diagnosed with low stomach acid — a condition that’s surprisingly common, especially as you age — which meant the antacids were making it worse, and my low energy was being caused by poor nutrient absorption.
在服用消化酶的几天后，一种用于补偿低胃酸产生的疗法，感觉就像我有一个全新的胃，最后是解决问题的方法。“荷尔蒙饮食”的作者娜塔莎·特纳（Natasha Turner）说，我一直在经历的那些胃酸低的人很常见。
“Many people associate gastric distress with an excess of stomach acid, but low stomach acid is more likely to be the surprising cause behind your digestive issues,” she notes, adding that it’s associated with a variety of conditions from constipation and eczema to celiac disease and asthma.
Here are some common symptoms that might tip you off that low stomach acid could be causing problems:
低胃酸的常见症状
Hydrochloric acid is secreted by your gastric system so you can break down food and prevent bacterial issues in the digestive tract. When you have a lower amount than you need, it’s called hypochlorhydria, a condition that tends to be more pronounced as you get older.
Without enough of this acid working in your stomach, the digestion process can be affected, which leads to feeling bloated or nauseated during or just after meals. You could also feel heartburn or indigestion, which is why many people, including myself, pop an antacid.
Another clue you’re dealing with the issue? Simply put, take a look at what you’re leaving behind in the toilet. With low stomach acid, you won’t break down foods as effectively and this can cause a ripple effect as it passes through your digestive tract.
That can lead to tiny bits of undigested food in your fecal matter. Although some foods don’t break down much anyway — looking at you, corn — others should be fully digested by the time they’re turned into waste.
如果您能够根据厕所的一瞥识别您最近吃的食物，则可能会出现低胃酸问题，这意味着您可能不会完全吸收这些食物中的营养。这可能导致疲劳以及维生素和矿物质缺乏。
低酸或高酸
Of course, too much stomach acid can also be a major problem, and is more common than low stomach acid, especially with a standard American diet that includes fried foods, sugar and other inflammatory choices, according to Dr. Ashkan Farhadi, gastroenterologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in California.
When this leads to weight gain, acid problems can worsen.
他说：“当您增加腹部脂肪时，它会产生压力，也可以改变胃和食道的角度。”“发生这种情况时，您的胃酸会更倾向于回流和引起问题。”
减肥，尤其是在腹部地区，可能会有所帮助。因此，可以服用非处方或处方抗抗酸剂以进行短期缓解。但是，他指出，如果这些似乎使症状变得更糟，然后停止服用，因为低胃酸可能是罪魁祸首。
REMEDIES TO CONSIDER
There’s no reliable test for low or high stomach acid beyond tracking symptoms, Dr. Farhadi adds. That’s why your reaction to antacids is such a clue about which you might be facing.
If you feel low stomach acid is the problem, it can be helpful to tweak your diet in several ways, including significantly lowering sugar intake, eating slower and more mindfully, adding zinc, taking a shot of苹果醋and water before meals and considering digestive enzymes as a supplement.
Also, lowering stress and determining whether you have food sensitivities or allergies can also be useful.
Once I started putting strategies like these into place, my digestion issues cleared up beautifully.
