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Vinegar for low stomach acid

maddietod

Senior Member
Messages
2,859
Does anybody here use apple cider vinegar (organic, unfiltered, raw) for low stomach acid, rather than Betaine HCl? Obviously it's a lot cheaper than the pills, and as long as it's well diluted, I don't see a downside.

Unless, or course, it doesn't work!

According to my searches, the 'formula' is 1 teaspoon in a glass of water immediately before eating. One site said to sip vinegar water throughout the day, but I don't see the benefit in that.

Ideas?
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
It didn't work for me. Tried different methods and vinegar. The vinegar never has the same good effects on stomach function that the Betaine HCL has.
 

Ocean

Senior Member
Messages
1,178
Location
U.S.
Can one have low acid and still have Acid reflux???

They say that yes you can.

As for people like me with a hiatal hernia I've heard both that it's good to take betaine and that you shouldn't take it if you have a hiatal hernia. Anyone know or have personal experience with that?
 

nanonug

Senior Member
Messages
1,709
Location
Virginia, USA
Can one have low acid and still have Acid reflux?

Yes, although it's probably not acid reflux, it's just reflux. In both cases, your esophagus still gets damaged. Increasing acid levels will probably encourage the sphincter to do its job better. However, make sure you don't have gastritis or are infected with Helicobacter pylori. Otherwise, if you increase acid in these cases, you may be setting yourself up for ulceration.
 

SJB944

Senior Member
Messages
178
I'm finding lemon juice to be useful. Have used betaine HCI but am concerned about TMG.

Vineger is not so good if you have yeast issues, or fermenting gut or so I've found.

Sent from my GT-P1000T using Tapatalk 2
 

Patrick*

Formerly PWCalvin
Messages
245
Location
California
Vineger is not so good if you have yeast issues, or fermenting gut or so I've found.

I was going to say the same thing. We have to distinguish regular vinegar from apple cider vinegar--they are totally different things. Apple cider is supposedly very effective at combating yeast/candida, and is often prescribed as a treatment, while regular vinegar actually feeds the yeast.
 

hixxy

Senior Member
Messages
1,229
Location
Australia
I found Braggs ACV quite effective, but it just plain burnt my mouth and esophagus too much on the way down.
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque

maddietod

Senior Member
Messages
2,859
Yes, my vinegar is Braggs; I actually like the taste, when I dilute it enough. With honey, it's a folk remedy for colds and cough.

I have no way of knowing if any of this is working, except that I'm burping a bit, for the first time I can remember. When I tried the baking soda burp test, I never burped at all.
 

richvank

Senior Member
Messages
2,732
Hi, all.

The pH of acetic acid solutions, as in vinegar, is not quite as acidic as that of citric acid solutions, as found in lemon juice, so I don't think it would be as effective, but would still be in the right pH range.

The stomach pH can get down to pH1 and or less, but usually runs between pH 1 and 3. Pepsin, the enzyme that breaks down protein in the stomach, operates best between pH 1.8 and 3.5, and it is inactivated above pH 3.5. Lemon juice has a pH of about 2.2, and vinegar has a pH of about 2.4.

Best regards,

Rich
 

maddietod

Senior Member
Messages
2,859
Do any of you remember those awful chemistry questions, with two containers of solutions? "In container A we have a 10% solution, and in container B we have a 35% solution. How much from container B must be added to A to make a 55% solution?"

So that's where I went with this great information about stomach acid. What difference could it possibly make to add a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to the entire contents of my stomach? Especially given that I'm immediately pouring in food and liquid?
 

richvank

Senior Member
Messages
2,732
Do any of you remember those awful chemistry questions, with two containers of solutions? "In container A we have a 10% solution, and in container B we have a 35% solution. How much from container B must be added to A to make a 55% solution?"

So that's where I went with this great information about stomach acid. What difference could it possibly make to add a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to the entire contents of my stomach? Especially given that I'm immediately pouring in food and liquid?

Hi, Madie.

There is an additional thing that goes on with these so-called "weak acids." As they are diluted, they ionize more and thus produce additional hydrogen ions, so that it isn't a simple mixture problem. Here's a discussion of that: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_strength

Best regards,

Rich
 

nanonug

Senior Member
Messages
1,709
Location
Virginia, USA
I am going to pretend that I understood that article, and have already put it to good use solving my low stomach acid.

Well, it basically means that hydrochloric acid is the real thing and that everything else is for sissies! :)

Seriously, whatever the delivery vehicle, HCl is powerful stuff and should not be taken if people don't know whether they have gastritis or are infected with H. pylori.
 
Messages
76
Location
Australia
I have a sliding hiatus hernia and acid reflux and its terrible! And taking vinegar is sheer hell. Having surgery next month to get it fixed and hopefully come off my very powerful PPI's.

Count yourself lucky that you have low acid levels.

PS. If you're worried and your dr recommends you have 24hr pH monitoring of your stomach/oesaphagus - DON'T HAVE IT! Trust me - its inhumane and bloody awful.
 

CJB

Senior Member
Messages
877
Does anybody here use apple cider vinegar (organic, unfiltered, raw) for low stomach acid, rather than Betaine HCl? Obviously it's a lot cheaper than the pills, and as long as it's well diluted, I don't see a downside.

Unless, or course, it doesn't work!

According to my searches, the 'formula' is 1 teaspoon in a glass of water immediately before eating. One site said to sip vinegar water throughout the day, but I don't see the benefit in that.

Ideas?
I visited a naturopath last fall who prescribed about a teaspoon of Braggs organic acv before every meal. She carries a dropper bottle with her and uses it straight before meals, but said I could also dilute it in water. I sadly have only remembered to do it a couple of times, so I can't say if it helped or not, but hopefully now that I've seen this thread I'll try again. I worry about the acid on my teeth, so I would probably dilute it with water. It tasted pleasant to me.