Comments:

• How does the digestion process proceed?
• How to determine stomach acidity
• Symptoms of acidic environment imbalances
• How to restore balance with high acidity
• Eating with low acidity levels

Most diseases of the digestive system begin to develop when the level is increased or decreased - how to find out its level, what methods exist for determining it. The answers to these questions will appear as you read this information.

How does the digestion process proceed?

In the process of digesting food, the main role is played by gastric juice, consisting of hydrochloric acid, hormones, a number of enzymes and other substances that break down food. It looks like a colorless liquid with mucus particles, sometimes giving a pearlescent tint.

Hydrochloric acid is the most important component of gastric juice; the state of the acidic environment depends on it. It protects the body from pathogenic bacteria and helps the digestion process.

In addition to hydrochloric acid, other substances are involved in the digestion process:

• pepsins, which break down proteins;
• lipase, which breaks down fats;
• Castle factor enzyme, which activates vitamin B12;
• bicarbonates, mucin (mucus), which protect the gastric epithelium from the effects of acidic enzymes.

Different parts of the internal epithelium of the digestive organs secrete juice with a heterogeneous content of hydrochloric acid, which affects digestion in different ways. Initially, food products are processed by saliva in the oral cavity, then the food bolus passes through the esophagus and enters the acidic environment of the stomach.

Return to contents

How to determine stomach acidity

Since the acidic environment directly affects the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, it is necessary to periodically determine the percentage of hydrochloric acid. In other words, you need to check whether the acidity is low or high. There are several ways to determine stomach acidity:

• laboratory examination using probing;
• examination using a special acid test;
• determination by the body’s characteristic reactions to food intake;
• determination using litmus paper.

Probing examination is performed using a thick and thin probe. A thin probe examines the secretion activity of the digestive organs and the level of their acidic environment. His testimony is considered accurate and does not raise any doubts.

But doctors have disagreements about the data obtained using a thick probe. The essence of the method is to study the quality of digestion of food eaten by the patient at dinner, standard for this procedure (buckwheat or rice with raisins). There is an opinion that such probing may give an inaccurate picture of the patient’s health status when taking into account the individual characteristics of his secretion.

The normal content of hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice of a healthy body is considered to be from 0.4 to 0.5%. The normal acid-base balance is 1.5-2 pH, the minimum number is 0.83 pH, the maximum is 8.3 pH.

Another type of examination - acidotest, is carried out using a complex medicines, consisting of dragees and tablets.

The test begins by emptying the bladder. The patient is given tablets to take, after an hour the first portion of urine is taken, then the patient is given a pill, and after an hour and a half, the second portion of urine is taken. Both portions are examined using the colorimetric scale supplied with the test.

Such an examination allows you to see only an indirect picture of the state of the acidic environment of the digestive organs; it has a certain error in the accuracy of the results. Therefore, modern medicine does not use it often and, as a rule, uses it only to clarify a previously established diagnosis.

Return to contents

Symptoms of acidic environment imbalances

Next, we’ll look at how to determine the acidity of the stomach yourself, without subjecting your body to laboratory examination. To do this, you need to analyze your own feelings before and after eating. Characteristic signs of increased acid content are:

• feeling of heartburn, heaviness after eating;
• burning pain in the esophagus when a bolus moves;
• belching with acidic contents, constipation;
• sometimes a gag reflex with mucus or bile;
• painful spasms between meals;
• development of gastritis, peptic ulcer.

A reduced level of acid content in the gastrointestinal tract is determined by the following symptoms:

• belching with unpleasant smell rotten eggs from the mouth;
• lack of appetite, feeling of nausea between meals;
• manifestation of dyspepsia, flatulence, grumbling, bloating;
• prolonged pain, heaviness after eating;
• acne rash on the face, dry skin and hair;
• reduced immunity, iron taste in the mouth;
• development of vitamin deficiency, anemia.

Return to contents

How to restore balance with high acidity

An increase in the amount of acid secreted by the digestive organs is a consequence of eating spicy, fatty, acidic foods and the habit of eating haphazardly, eating heavily in a hurry.

Therefore, first of all, you need to restore your diet and return to a healthy menu.

To restore the pH balance, you need to give up sour and spicy foods, and excessive consumption of coffee, tea, cola, chocolate, sweets, and citrus fruits. Snacks at night are harmful to the organs that digest food. Symptoms of increased acidity are usually observed in those people for whom stress and anxiety are a frequent occurrence.

In order to completely restore the normal state of the acidic environment of the digestive organs, it is worth accustoming yourself to strict adherence to several dietary rules:

• preference should be given to boiled or steamed food;
• Finely chop the food items for your menu and chew the pieces of food for a long time;
• refuse too hot and cold food, eat it warm;
• eat only fresh foods without preservatives or spices.

The main part of the diet should be soups made from lean meat (rabbit, turkey, veal) and milk porridges. Of the cereals, preference is given to rice, oatmeal, and semolina; they envelop the mucous layer of the epithelium, protecting it from corrosion by acid-containing enzymes. Milk neutralizes acidic environments well. Kefir, cottage cheese, and low-fat cheese can also be consumed.

Vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, potatoes) is better to boil or stew. It is worth choosing not very sour types and varieties of fruits. It is useful to cook jelly, soothing drinks, decoctions from oatmeal, from flaxseeds, infusions of blackberries, mint, lemon balm. Creates a good balance mineral water Borjomi.

Bread is best eaten as toast. Eat soft-boiled eggs, and eat homemade eggs raw. Raw protein chicken egg, drunk chilled, half an hour before meals has an enveloping effect. This reduces pain after eating and inhibits the secretion of acid by epithelial cells.

Raw potato juice works well to reduce high acid levels:

• young potatoes are grated together with the peel;
• squeeze the juice through cheesecloth or a sieve;
• take half an hour before meals, 50 ml three times a day;
• the portion is gradually increased to 150 ml;
• the course of treatment lasts 1 month.

How do you know if your stomach acidity is high or low? Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract) are most often associated with a violation of the acid-base balance in the human body. One of the most important indicators of the functioning of metabolism in the body is its normal acid-base environment. And yet, people often ask the doctor how to determine stomach acidity at home and what signs indicate its increase or decrease.

The food that is chewed during the digestive process is sent to the stomach, abundantly mixed with the secretions of the salivary glands. There it is crushed with the help of muscles, after which it is mixed with gastric juice. It is secreted by the cell membranes of the gastric epithelium. The human body should normally produce at least 2.5 liters of this juice per day.

Gastric juice is a clear, colorless liquid. If a person is absolutely healthy, the juice consists of 0.5% hydrochloric acid, as well as enzyme particles involved in the process of breaking down protein formations. It is she who has an antibacterial effect on the human body, and also ensures the optimal level of acidity for the normal functioning of enzyme elements.

Without the presence of the necessary damper that performs protective functions, the acid, which is gastric in nature, has a pronounced aggressive concentration. For this reason, the gastric mucosa secretes a protective lubricant that prevents burns to its walls. This process protects the stomach from self-digestion, since the mucus secreted is alkaline.

Usually the following types are distinguished:

• normal;
• reduced;
• increased.

Stomach acidity is the content of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice. The reasons for its changes in the body are various factors that you can identify yourself.

Reasons for changes in acid levels

The production of a normal amount of acid in the stomach provides the necessary protection from the entry of pathogenic microorganisms into it.

The main reasons leading to increased or decreased acidity in the stomach are:

• addiction to bad habits - alcoholic drinks, uncontrolled smoking, abuse of coffee or tea;
• the predominance of spicy and fatty foods in the daily diet;
• constant stress, depression;
• taking antibiotics that have side effects;
• state of vitamin deficiency;
• burdened heredity.

When checked increased acidity, diseases such as gastritis in a dangerous form, duodenal ulcer, bleeding in the stomach and others may occur against the background of the deteriorating gastric mucosa. A decrease in acidity levels leads to the onset of accelerated reproduction fungal diseases, viral cells, which - in turn - will lead to the development of such unpleasant and in some cases life-threatening pathologies as erosion, ulcers, gastritis, polyps, and oncological tumors.

Monitoring your own diet, moderate physical activity, refusal bad habits- the best remedy for maintaining a normal acid-base balance.

Signs of rising and falling acid levels

Determining the acidity of the stomach is not the easiest task. However, there are certain signs indicating an increase in its level.

These include:

• constant heartburn;
• painful sensations and constant burning in the esophagus;
• heaviness in the stomach;
• constantly occurring belching, with an acidic odor and unpleasant taste;
• paroxysmal pain that occurs during or immediately after eating;
• the presence of red walls in the oral cavity, accompanied by a whitish coating on the tongue;
• gradual deterioration of health;
• occurrence of attacks of pain during sleep;
• increased absent-mindedness.

Since decreased and increased acidity levels are quite easy to confuse, it is worth distinguishing the signs of one condition from the signs of another condition.

The main signs that the acidity of the stomach is low are:

• the presence of bad breath with a hint of rot in the absence of dental problems;
• the presence of belching with unpleasant taste sensations;
• flatulence that occurs after each meal;
• presence of a taste of blood in the mouth;
• loss of appetite;
• the occurrence of anemia;
• mental disorders.

To understand how to check stomach acidity yourself, it is not enough to know the signs of its decrease or increase. It's better to get tested. However, there are certain ways to do this at home.

Ways to check acidity levels at home

To know how to determine acidity in gastritis or other diseases, you need to follow some tricks.

You can determine whether it is reduced or increased using ordinary products:

1. Baking soda mixed in a glass of water and drunk on an empty stomach should cause burping. If it is not there, then the acidity is reduced.
2. Lemon - if there is high acidity, it will seem too sour to a person, and if the level is reduced, the acid will practically not be felt.
3. Millet porridge with added oil - if heartburn appears after eating it, it is said to be high acidity.
4. Apple juice with an increase in acidity will cause discomfort and abdominal pain; if its level decreases, a desire to eat something sour will appear.

However, there is more the right way how to find out the acidity level - using litmus strips. They must be placed on the tongue about two hours before meals and held for several minutes, and then compare the result obtained with the color scheme included with the strips. From 6.6 to 7 - acidity is at a normal level, below 6.6 - reduced. It is recommended to carry out such tests over several days to obtain reliable results.

You can check your acidity level at home, but it is safer to see a doctor and undergo special tests.

Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract develop due to the fact that the acidity of the stomach is increased or decreased. There are diagnostic methods in medical institutions to determine its level. However, it is not always possible to see a doctor for examination and diagnostic measures.

Sometimes a person does not want to undergo probing because the procedure is not pleasant. However, at present there are enough recipes that help determine the norm of indicators without turning to specialists. Let's take a closer look at how to determine stomach acidity at home.

Determination of acidity

Only a qualified specialist can accurately mark any deviations from the norm, up or down.

If there are clinical manifestations, you can try to determine the acidity of the stomach folk remedies independently, without visiting a medical facility:

1. Indicators are special tests that allow you to see deviations from normal indicators, up or down. You can use litmus strips at home. Presence of chemical process and change color range indicates pathology:
   1. if the pH is increased, the color will change to red;
   2. with reduced stomach acidity the color will turn blue.

Anyone can identify stomach acidity on their own. The main condition is that you have to check it on an empty stomach, immediately after waking up.

There are many indicators that help answer the question: how can you tell if you have high or low acidity?

1. Soda. You will have to dilute 1 spoon of soda in half a liter of water. The patient drinks half the serving. Belching, excessive regurgitation indicates an increase in the indicator.

1. Apple juice. After a glass of juice on an empty stomach, the acid content increases, pain, heartburn, and bloating occur, which means the level is increased. When the indicators decrease, there are no symptoms.

1. If there is a desire to eat exclusively sour foods, then there is not enough acid.
2. Cereal porridge with butter. If you eat porridge, you can take millet porridge for an experiment, adding oil to it, then the patient will definitely develop heartburn due to increased acidity.

1. Vinegar. You can buy apple cider vinegar in the store, but the obligatory condition is that it must be natural, not refined. If symptoms of heartburn occur, you should drink a few sips of vinegar, previously diluted in warm water. If the acidity is high, the person will feel quick relief.

There are many ways to test your stomach acidity at home. But only a doctor can accurately determine the norm.

Digestion

To understand how to find out the acidity of the stomach yourself, you should first consider the digestion process itself.

Main function in the digestion of food it is performed by gastric juice, which consists mainly of hydrochloric acid. An important role is played by enzymes, hormones and substances that help break down food.

The juice is a colorless consistency mixed with mucus, sometimes with a pearlescent tint.

The main component is hydrochloric acid, which performs important functions:

1. Processes proteins and makes digestion easier.
2. Activates pepsinogen.
3. It creates an acidic environment; the work of enzymes without this environment is simply impossible.
4. Responsible for pancreatic secretion.
5. Helps the antibacterial effect of stomach juice.

The level of concentration of hydrochloric acid in the human stomach determines the acidity in the stomach. There are norms of indicators, various deviations that cause discomfort in a person.

Important! To determine deviations, the patient will have to see a doctor; only specialists know the rules of how to check the acidity of the stomach and proceed to correction as soon as possible.

Harm

When it deviates upward, the intestinal mucosa becomes thinner, as the acid helps to corrode the lining. This leads to various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

If the acidity of gastric juice deviates to a lesser extent, then the balance of beneficial and pathogenic microflora is disturbed, and doctors diagnose viral or fungal pathologies.

Symptoms

Increased or decreased stomach acidity manifests itself characteristic features. This is the body’s signal about the development of diseases. Determining the acidity of the stomach independently begins with studying the clinical manifestations.

Decrease in pH

A decrease in pH is manifested by the following symptoms:

1. Belching with an unpleasant, putrid odor.
2. Bloating.
3. Severe pain, discomfort in the abdominal area.
4. Diarrhea followed by constipation.

Secondary signs include:

1. The skin becomes dry.
2. Brittle nails.
3. Irritation and rash on the skin.
4. Cuperosis.
5. Apathy.
6. Weight loss.
7. Decreased hemoglobin in blood plasma.

Raising pH

Increasing the norm is a problem that leads to serious complications. Due to the increased content of hydrochloric acid, the intestinal walls are constantly irritated, which is manifested by the following symptoms:

1. Heartburn after eating.
2. Taste of iron.
3. Belching after eating.
4. Pain in the stomach area.
5. Bloating.
6. Problems with bowel movements.
7. Pain after using pharmacological drugs.

Increased stomach acidity is also manifested by secondary symptoms:

1. Loss of appetite.
2. Indifference to life.
3. Discomfort.
4. Nausea and vomiting.
5. The act of defecation is difficult.

If the patient is not bothered by the above clinical manifestations, then the indicators are at the normal level. If any symptoms appear, you will have to consult a specialist to diagnose the pathology and clarify the question of how to normalize the acidity of the stomach.

Help

When you contact a specialist, he will prescribe pharmacological agents that help restore balance. These include:

1. Ranitidine.

1. Omeprazole.

1. Nizatidine.

1. Activated carbon and others.

All drugs are effective; the cost will depend on the pharmacological agent itself and the manufacturer.

If the acidity level increases, it is necessary to avoid broths, spicy dishes, raw vegetables, soda, sweets. You can eat potatoes, carrots, cauliflower. And cereal porridges, mineral water, and jelly are useful.

A diet that lowers pH involves excluding fatty, salty, smoked, and spicy foods.

To normalize the acidity of the gastrointestinal tract, the patient will have to adhere to some recommendations:

1. Avoid fried foods. Prepare your own food by steaming or boiling.

1. Grind all food finely and chew thoroughly.
2. The food should be warm. Eating hot or too cold food is not allowed.
3. Use fresh food in your daily menu.
4. Avoid marinades and spices.
5. After eating, it is not recommended to lie down immediately; you will have to walk for about 40 minutes.

Folk remedies

1. Herbs. Tinctures, decoctions, drops, for example, calamus and wormwood have a positive effect.
2. You need to eat a little honey in the morning on an empty stomach.
3. Heartburn is relieved with baking soda diluted in warm water.
4. Crushed eggshells, ground into powder, are taken orally over a course of several days. After therapy, relief occurs and attacks stop.
5. Potatoes help not only restore the balance of acid content, but also reduce inflammatory reactions on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. To prepare, you need to take 6 medium-sized potatoes, grate them and squeeze out the juice. Take half of the resulting juice on an empty stomach. Why is it recommended to lie down for 20-40 minutes. The course of therapy is 7-8 days.
6. carrot juice helps fight high acidity, preparation is similar potato recipe.
7. Dill or flax seeds help restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. They will have to be taken several times a day, always in a course.

Important! Review and adjustment of nutrition are measures that will help relieve clinical manifestations. But they cannot completely get rid of the disease. The patient will have to see a doctor to confirm the diagnosis.

The specialist will prescribe a treatment regimen for complete cure. Will give recommendations: stomach acidity, how to determine it at home to identify pathology at the initial stage of development.

Consequences

The decrease in indicators is associated with poor neutralization of acid by alkali contained in gastric juice. These are signals from the body about pathology in the body. Over a long period, this condition contributes to the development of the following pathologies:

• autoimmune diseases;
• skin rashes;
• minerals and nutrients from food are not absorbed.

Prevention

To prevent the occurrence of gastrointestinal pathology, the patient must follow several rules and recommendations from the doctor:

1. Eat right, the daily menu should be balanced, enriched with vitamins and minerals.
2. You will have to eat foods containing fiber.
3. You need to eat in small portions and completely avoid spicy, fatty foods.
4. Give up bad habits.
5. Undergo medical examinations for preventive purposes.
6. Avoid psycho-emotional shocks.
7. Carry out timely drug therapy any pathologies.

If the patient has questions, he should consult a doctor to clarify possible adjustments to his lifestyle and diet.

At home, determining the acidity content in the stomach is possible only for advisory purposes. All information is only conditional and indicates significant deviations. Reliable results can only be obtained in medical institution under the supervision of the attending physician. To determine a treatment regimen and correct your health, you will have to seek the help of a specialist.

Low stomach acid is a leading cause of stomach and other cancers. The risk of developing these diseases is aggravated by the uncontrolled and careless administration of antacids and hydrochloric acid blockers. At the behest of pharmaceutical companies, the dangers of taking them are not advertised. The fact that The main cause of heartburn in 95% is not an excess, but a lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. That is why finding out the state of stomach acidity is important preventive measure and a serious step on the path to health.

I would recommend paying attention to stomach acidity to all patients, regardless of diagnosis. Perhaps the correction of acidity is precisely the critical link that is necessary for recovery.

To determine the acidity of the stomach, a special procedure called the Heidberg test is traditionally prescribed. To do this, the patient must swallow a special capsule attached to a special thread. After the capsule sends radio signals, it is removed from the stomach.

I have always been distrustful of laboratory and instrumental diagnostic methods. I think clinical clues in the form of certain symptoms are more reliable. Therefore, today I want to talk about methods for diagnosing low stomach acidity that can be done at home.

Here, for example, is a completely safe test with baking soda:

1. Mix ¼ teaspoon baking soda in 150 ml cold or room temperature water.
2. Drink the baking soda solution in the morning on an empty stomach.
3. Record the time that passes before the burp appears. It is enough to wait no more than three minutes.
4. If you do not burp, then you may have low stomach acid. If belching appears, then the acidity is fine.

Is this method reliable? Not for everyone. However, why not try? You can take your children with you and have fun with them right from the morning.

For diagnostics you can use trial test with apple juice vinegar(choose natural, unfiltered vinegar). The next time you feel heartburn, take 1-3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in half a glass of water. Drink this solution slowly. If you feel relief, then there is a high probability of low acidity in your stomach. You can drink the apple cider vinegar solution slowly and during meals.

Please note: Apple cider vinegar is a weak acid. If taken undiluted, it may cause a throat burn in some people. Dilution in water makes it safe to take (start with a low concentration). After drinking the solution, rinse your mouth twice with warm water to prevent tooth decay.

If you combine and analyze all the above tips, you can highly likely suspect low stomach acidity. And diagnosis is already half of the treatment.

More than one reason is involved in the occurrence of hydrochloric acid (HCl) deficiency in the stomach. For example, HCl production is activated only in the presence of proteins, and blocked in the presence of sugar and starch. A high-carbohydrate diet, especially when combined with insufficient protein intake, is an extremely common cause of low acidity. The reason may also be insufficient function thyroid gland. In this case, no signals are given for HCl production.

Flaw nutrients, which are necessary for the production of HCl: vitamins B1, C, A, D, zinc, also negatively affects its production. Interestingly, the minerals necessary for the production of hydrochloric acid are absorbed only in its presence. This creates a vicious circle: hydrochloric acid is not produced due to lack of minerals, and these minerals are not absorbed due to reduced acid production.

Dietary habits can also contribute to the absolute or relative lack of hydrochloric acid. These include overeating; inappropriate combination of foods in one meal; consumption of proteins that have been subjected to excessive cooking (denaturation); intolerance/hidden allergy of some food products; consumption of refined and unnatural products; alcohol abuse; chronic stress.

Before answering the question of how to determine the acidity of the stomach at home, it is worth finding out what the environment is in the stomach, when it is considered normal, and why it is intended.

The stomach cavity contains mucous secretions and gastric juice (enzymes, hydrochloric acid). It is produced by the gastric glands of the mucous membrane, and normally its amount reaches 2 liters. There is not a lot of mucus; its amount increases during inflammatory processes in the mucous membrane. Hydrochloric acid and enzyme substances (pepsin, lysozyme, amylase, lipase and others) provide chemical processing of food, breaking it down into components (proteins, carbohydrates, etc.). Thus, processed food (chyme) is prepared for further digestion in the small intestine. The content of hydrochloric acid provides the stomach contents with an acidic environment. This also explains its bactericidal (disinfecting) effect.

The normal level of gastric juice acidity (pH) on an empty stomach ranges from 1.5 - 2 units. All deviations will indicate a change in acidity. High acidity will be recorded at 1.4 and below, low acidity at 2.1 and above. Changes in acidity levels adversely affect the functioning of not only the stomach, but also the entire gastrointestinal tract. A prolonged increase in the acidity of gastric secretions leads to the development of the following diseases:

• gastritis of hyperacid type (with increased acid-forming function of the stomach);
• peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, symptomatic ulcers due to damage to the mucosa in diseases of other organs (renal, liver failure and others);
• esophagitis (inflammatory processes of the mucous membrane in the lower third of the esophagus);
• indirect influence on changes in the function of nearby organs.

Treatment of all of the above pathological conditions depends on the level of acidity, which, apparently, forces us to look for ways to independently determine the acidity of the stomach. Is it worth doing this or entrusting this important procedure to qualified specialists in the field of gastroenterology? Let’s look at it in more detail.

Important! The only way to find out the acidity of the stomach at home is to carefully monitor your own health - notice any discomfort in the stomach. Once again, to independently determine the state of the acidic environment in the stomach, it is not necessary to buy expensive devices, you just need a little attention to yourself.

During the normal functioning of the stomach, glandular cells produce not only acidic gastric juice, but also substances that neutralize its effect in order to avoid irritating effects on the mucous membrane and to prepare chyme for sending to the duodenum, where the environment is already alkaline.

When the secretory function of the stomach is impaired

It is worth noting that with hypersecretion of gastric juice, not only the amount of gastric juice increases, but also the amount of hydrochloric acid. Hypersecretion is observed:

• when consuming hot and cold food, alcohol, certain medications: salicylates (Aspirin, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Diclofenac), hormonal agents (Cortisone, Reserpine, etc.), insulin and others.
• for diseases: gastric ulcer and, especially, duodenal ulcer, antral gastritis, pylorospasm, pyloric stenosis.

Hypersecretion, as a rule, causes damage to the gastric mucosa: from mild focal and diffuse to severe ulcerations (erosions and ulcers).

What will be the manifestations

It is worth noting that as long as the gastric mucosa is not damaged, increased acidity does not manifest itself in any way, if there is any discomfort, but it is temporary. The body copes with this problem on its own. Worrying manifestations appear already in the presence of the disease. Their severity and intensity depend on the degree of pathological damage to the gastric wall.

So, the symptoms indicating increased acidity.

This symptom manifests itself when eating fermented milk products, sour vegetables and fruits.

1. After drinking carbonated water, excessively spicy and fried foods, marinades, preserves, belching with a specific sour odor, pain of varying nature and intensity localized in the epigastric region, and a feeling of a metallic taste in the oral cavity appear.
2. Very often, with high acidity, constipation occurs.

Long-lasting increased acidity is accompanied by the presence of general symptoms:

• irritability and sudden changes in emotional state;
• frequent headaches;
• fluctuations in body weight are possible.

Reduced secretion of gastric juice is usually combined with a decrease in the acidity of gastric contents. A decrease in secretion is observed in acute and chronic gastritis, gastric neoplasms, and dehydration. Anacidity (lack of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice) and achylia (lack of juice) occur with deep damage to the mucous membrane and its glandular apparatus. As a result of a decrease in the bactericidal effect of hydrochloric acid, fermentation and decomposition processes can develop in the stomach. This condition usually accompanies tumor processes in the stomach.

With reduced acidity of gastric secretions, the following symptoms appear:

• belching, which has a sharp and unpleasant odor that resembles the smell of rotten eggs;
• due to excessive accumulation of excess air in the cavity of the stomach and intestines, flatulence and a feeling of abdominal distension develop;
• a feeling of heaviness and sometimes a pressing dull pain in the upper abdomen, as the motor function of the stomach decreases;
• tendency to diarrhea.

Very often, people with low acidity notice that their hair has become dry and prone to falling out, their nails are splitting, and their skin is peeling and pale. Against the background of disruption of the normal absorption of nutrients, vitamins and water, metabolic processes in the body are disrupted, a decrease in appetite and weight loss are observed.

The severity of these symptoms depends on the degree of decrease in acidity.

In order to prevent the development of the above symptoms and the diseases in which they are observed, you should visit a medical institution where you can reliably assess the state of gastric acidity using special examination methods:

• Study of the condition of the mucous membrane of the upper parts of the digestive canal using a probe.
• Conducting laboratory express tests.
• pH-metry throughout the day.

1. The reaction of sensitive taste buds in the oral cavity to sour, citrus fruits (for example, lemon).
2. Using baking soda - belching in this case occurs when it interacts with the acidic contents of the stomach. But it will be even with low acidity.
3. Method using wheat porridge in combination with olive oil. Heartburn should occur. Heartburn with increased acidity does occur, but the cause of its occurrence is not increased acidity, but a violation of the motility of the upper gastrointestinal tract when the lower esophageal sphincter is weakened, which leads to reflux - the reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. Reflux can occur with high, normal, or even low acidity. And in all cases, the manifestation of reflux will be heartburn, but of varying intensity. Therefore, the appearance of heartburn is not an indicator of increased acidity.
4. Apple and other types of freshly squeezed juices are also heartburn and have the same explanation.
5. Some sources report that a test using litmus paper is a reliable method to determine your own acidity in the stomach.

A test with litmus paper to determine pH is indeed carried out, but in this case the pH in the oral cavity will be determined; it is used to indirectly judge the indicator of acid-base balance (balance) of a person’s internal environment. Normally it should be alkaline. This test has absolutely nothing to do with determining the acidity of gastric juice.

It is necessary to check the acidity of gastric juice, because the quality of treatment depends on it. But it is almost impossible to do this using special methods with high quality, with reliable results at home! The state of acidity can be judged indirectly by the subtle symptoms of the existing disease. And this is just another reason to go to a medical institution. Timely treatment will help solve health problems faster.