For anyone considering taking HCL capsules, I recently found opinions that taking the capsules 30-60 minutes after the meal is over can work much better than taking the capsules during or right after the meal.
(Edit to add this paragraph): The logic is that taking the capsules
during the meal might lower the stomach's own production of acid. So instead, taking the capsules later after the meal with water; the water sends the quickly-dissolved capsule contents down into the upper intestine to catch up with the food there. The pancreas then senses that the food in the upper intestine has a good bit of acid, and the pancreas reacts by sending out more enzymes. Voila, better digestion. As support for this theory, I did read a digestion study once that liquid like water, plus a few capsules, will leave the stomach very quickly.
Taking the HCL capsules 30-60 minutes after the meal is over would send the HCL into the small intestine, which is the first part of the intestine after the stomach - and doing so mimics what a normal person's digestive system does: a normal person's digestion sends a clump of very acidic food out of the stomach and into the first part of the small intestine. There, the pancreas senses acidity and responds by sending enzymes and bicarbonate into the small intestine. Which is a good thing.
I tried it, and lo and behold, I can take HCL capsules on this schedule without getting reflux. (a year ago I tried them during meals, and got reflux). I had a test done a long time ago showing low stomach acid, so am glad to finally find a way to help this.
I know that some people say certain nutrients help your body make more stomach acid on its own, like niacin and zinc, so that is important to explore too.
There's another thread on HCL in Phx Rising, here:
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...at-cough-no-heartburn-take-betaine-hcl.12288/