QROT-069: Antacids, and... the pattern
Mar 14, 2022, 02:05 PM
Share
Subscribe
[DESCRIPTION UPDATED 6/14/26, such that now some of the description may be "bonus content" compared to what I discussed]
A day-to-day example of how you'd better be careful how quickly you believe advertising that even some over-the-counter medicine should just be your daily friend.
Why... a "side" effect with massive implications on your health, should you fall for the trap of taking it daily.
Spoiler - antacids cause the esophageal valve to OPEN, since the body is not sensing enough acidic difference (DUE to you taking the antacid!). SINCE it is open, you are getting stomach acid into the esophagus. It is not MADE for that! And the top side of the valve is also not made for it. So imagine the chronic conditions that occur once that valve is constantly irritated and/or permanently damaged!!
And then after this condition (without the damage being recognized) is treated with more serious solutions like PIPs... they LOWER your stomach acid MORE! CHRONICALLY.
Big Pharma: Problem - Reaction - Problem
Effect of pH changes on the cardiac sphincter (yes, another case of pharma science's inherent insistence to hide the ball - "cardiac sphincter" is another (very non-intuitive to the layperson) term for the valve between the esophagus and the stomach. A study from 1969!!!)
In 16 normal subjects the pressure characteristics of the cardiac sphincter [how well it closes] have been examined. The effect of perfusing [coating or permeating] the gastric aspect [stomach side surface] of the sphincter mucosa has been studied by comparing the effects of saline with those of solutions where pH ranged from 1.0 to 8.0. [1.0 to 8.0 is acidic] Acid perfusion [coating or permeating with acid] produced an increase in sphincteric pressure, particularly at pH 3.0. This suggests that a physiological mechanism exists which can increase the barrier pressure [the sphincter valve will shut more tightly] to gastrooesophageal reflux during periods of active secretion of the stomach, as occurs in digestion.
On the relationship between gastric pH and pressure in the normal human lower oesophageal sphincter. (pressure meaning how much resistance the closed valve was creating)
The effect upon the lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) of acid in the proximal stomach was investigated in 12 young healthy subjects.
. . .
there was a direct and significant relationship between LOW pressure and the acidity of the solution perfused.
. . . The results suggest that resting LOS pressure may be determined in part by the pH of the gastric content.
Action of gastrin on the lower oesophageal sphincter in man
Both hog gastrin and synthetic gastrin [gastrin being the hormone that stimulates the body to release stomach acid into the stomach] stimulate the cardiac sphincter to increase tone and augment the resistance to reflux [close tighter, making it less likely stomach acid goes up into the esophagus]. Endogenous [originating from within, so not the hog or the synthetic] gastrin has a similar effect, and gastrin also stimulates the secretion of acid which has also been found to increase the resistance of the sphincter, but the effect of gastrin appears to be independent of the secretory stimulus [separate from how the stomach acid also makes the sphincter valve close tighter].
Role of the Lower Esophageal Sphincter on Acid Exposure Revisited with High-Resolution Manometry
(just standing for (quite obvious) conclusion that a valve that is not shutting well or tightly (due to whatever cause, one of which could be damage) then contributes to acid in the esophagus. As my mother used to say... "No SH*T, Sherlock. What was your first clue?")
(just standing for (quite obvious) conclusion that a valve that is not shutting well or tightly (due to whatever cause, one of which could be damage) then contributes to acid in the esophagus. As my mother used to say... "No SH*T, Sherlock. What was your first clue?")
inadequate AL (≤1cm) [length of the lower esophageal sphincter] and low LESPI (<400 mmHg/s/cm) [pressure exerted by the valve] are associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease and appear to have a synergistic effect on the severity of distal esophageal acid exposure.
What causes acid reflux? At its core, acid reflux occurs when stomach contents flow backward into the esophagus—and often into the respiratory system—leading to a wide range of symptoms, from heartburn to chronic cough, post-nasal drip, sinusitis, asthma, shortness of breath, and even hearing loss and tinnitus. Identifying the underlying factors behind this backward flow is essential for creating a meaningful and effective healing plan.
Hypochlorhydria, GERD, and the Risks of Chronic Acid Suppression
Increasingly, research and clinical experience are pointing to hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid) as a major driver of reflux and other digestive issues