According to the February issue of ChemMatters , a publication produced by the American Chemical Society, your body makes two to three liters of stomach acid every day. Even though stomach acid is so acidic, it doesn't cause any harm to your stomach because the body has built-in mechanisms to protect the stomach's lining from being eaten away by the acid.
Mucus cells are the most abundant cells in your stomach lining. These mucus cells release mucus that coats the entire inside of your stomach. The mucus doesn't just form a physical barrier to HCl; it also contains high volumes of bicarbonate, which helps neutralize the acid when it comes into contact with your stomach lining.
Because of this advanced biochemical system, the hydrochloric acid in your stomach is able to perform its jobs without hurting you. One major role of HCl in the stomach is to help break down protein. Your stomach lining contains specialized cells, called parietal cells , that release stomach acid in the presence of food.
Other cells in the lining of your stomach, called chief cells , secrete other important substances, one of which is called pepsinogen. When stomach acid comes into contact with pepsinogen, it turns it into an active enzyme called pepsin.
Pepsin is classified as a protease enzyme because it helps break apart the protein from the food you eat into its smaller components, called amino acids. Your body isn't able to absorb whole proteins, but when they're broken down into amino acids, these amino acids can travel through to your small intestine where they're absorbed and used to make other proteins that your body needs to stay healthy.
Without HCl, pepsinogen would never turn into pepsin, and your body wouldn't be able to effectively digest the proteins from the food you eat. On the other hand, without pepsin, HCl also wouldn't be able to break down protein on its own, explains the ChemMatters article.
But protein isn't the only nutrient that relies on the presence of stomach acid — HCl also helps you absorb some vitamins and minerals, too. Read more: Five Stages of Protein Digestion. Another function of HCl in the stomach is to facilitate the absorption of vitamin B12 , iron and calcium, according to a report published in November in Current Opinion in Gastroenterology.
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that's found almost primarily in animal-based, protein-rich foods. In order to absorb vitamin B12, it must be detached from the dietary protein with which it's coupled. Hypochlorhydria is a condition that occurs when a person has low levels of HCL in their stomach. It can lead to symptoms such as:.
Although anyone can have low stomach acid, hypochlorhydria is most common in adults aged 60 years and over. Although occasional bloating and stomach pain can lead to discomfort, these symptoms tend to resolve on their own with time.
Hypochlorhydria is a relatively common condition that can lead to bloating, indigestion, and changes in bowel habits. Low stomach acid is not a life threatening condition. People can manage symptoms of hypochlorhydria and increase their levels of stomach acid by making certain dietary and lifestyle changes. Older adults may benefit from taking HCL supplements that contain pepsin, which is an essential digestive enzyme.
People who experience indigestion that lasts longer than 2 weeks may wish to consider speaking with a healthcare professional. There are a few things that people can try to naturally increase their levels of stomach acid. However, there is not much evidence supporting these methods. People should speak with a doctor before taking any new supplements or making any significant dietary changes. They should also contact a healthcare professional if they have indigestion that lasts longer than 2 weeks and seek medical attention if they experience blood in the stool, frequent vomiting, or unintentional weight loss.
People with hypochlorhydria are unable to produce enough stomach acid. This can lead to problems with digestion and nutritional deficiencies.
Acid reflux is an uncomfortable condition in which stomach acid flows back into the food pipe. This article investigates which drinks will make it…. Discover the association between acid reflux and shortness of breath. We also outline the symptoms of acid reflux, and the treatment options available.
Mucus serves an important function, but should it be in the stool? Read on to learn more about diagnosis, treatment, and when to seek advice. Although blood in a baby's stool is usually not an emergency, a medical diagnosis is vital. Learn about the potential causes of blood in baby stool…. How can you naturally increase stomach acid? Medically reviewed by Kathy W. Warwick, R. Share on Pinterest Taking certain supplements and making some dietary changes may help, though the available evidence is slim.
Biologist William K. Purves of Harvey Mudd College responds: Parietal cells in the mucosa, the inner cell layer of our digestive tract, secrete hydrochloric acid HCl into the stomach's lumen, or cavity. The solution in the lumen may have a pH of one or less10 times as acidic as pure lemon juice. This fact raises two distinct questions: how can the mucosa form HCl without being attacked in the process?
And why doesn't the acid, once present in the lumen, attack the mucosa? The figure right summarizes these steps. Both accumulate only in the lumen and not in the parietal cell.
Second, HCl in the lumen doesnt digest the mucosa because goblet cells in the mucosa secrete large quantities of protective mucus that line the mucosal surface. Basic electrolytes, such as HCO 3 - , trapped inside the layer of mucus neutralize any HCl that penetrates the mucus. This mucus layer also protects the mucosa from digestive enzymes in the lumen, but why dont the enzymes do damage before they are secreted from the exocrine cells of the mucosa?
Because they are never present within the cells!
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