Apple cider vinegar for acid reflux ?

[lcunliffegizmo123]

has anyone tried the Apple cider vinegar for acid reflux with PA ? long term ? effects etc

[Seedpod]

I have tried it with some success, but I still had reflux after certain foods. However I have for some time (12 months or so) followed the protocol as set out in 'Why Stomach Acid is Good for You' by Jonathan Wright & Lane Lenard. I had suffered dreadfully with reflux for many years but turns out it was not a surplus of acid I was suffering from - in my case it was a lack of stomach acid. Doctors have for years suppressed what little acid I did have which eventually brought me to my knees. I have not taken a single acid blocker/supressor/destroyer for maybe 2 years now; instead I now take Betaine HCL (Now 650mg) along with Pancreatin (Swanson triple strength). My reflux is now under control - occasionally it will show itself but only because I allowed myself to eat something naughty! Another product I have found to be invaluable is DGL (Swanson).

It pays to try different brands with all these products and find out which suits you best as they do seem to vary.

As you heal the stomach you can replace the stomach flora with stuff like Acidophilus & Bacillus Coagulans which need to re-populate the digestive system.

Good luck

[Ruthi in reply to Seedpod]

I imagine the book contains this simple test to ascertain whether you have low stomach acid or high.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...

Like Seedpod I use Betaine and occasionally DGL.

I have never got on with ACV, nasty taste, uncertain dosing, but the effect seems to be the same. ACV is good for the hair though!

[Seedpod in reply to Ruthi]

Generally, if you have any success with Apple Cider Vinegar it is an indication your stomach acid levels are low. It is a leap of faith so to speak when first trying HCL (because we are led to believe acid is the enemy) but you can have a large glass of water nearby just in case!

it might pay to have your Thyroid checked also because it will almost certainly have been compromised by poor indigestion.

[lcunliffegizmo123 in reply to Seedpod]

Hi seedpod, thanks have tried with acd for 2 days and seems to be working ,i have had cancer of the thyroid thats when the reflux showed itself ,you are right about thyroid thankyou for your reply

[lcunliffegizmo123 in reply to Seedpod]

yes you are right there Seedpod , I have had thyroid cancer too, I did try the apple cider vinegar and found it was too harsh for my throat ,tried betaine ... just one tablet was excrutiating ,been put on ppi s again by gp 

[Seedpod in reply to lcunliffegizmo123]

How did you take the Betaine, did you take it before, during or after food intake? It is recommended to be taken just after food enters your stomach so it will not irritate you further. I once took some before a meal (God knows why) and it was awful. The same can happen if taken after a meal - so now I take it only when there is food inside. I am now taking less Betaine than I used to, this is to be expected because the body is stimulated to produce its own acid over time. Hopefully one day I will stop using it altogether.

Have you tried the acid test Ruthi mentioned in a previous reply? If the Betaine is causing more discomfort maybe you need to find out for certain if your acid levels are high or low. A friend of mine suffered with such severe reflux for so long it caused irreparable damage to the food pipe and has unfortunately had part of it surgically removed. This has caused me to be more cautious with everything I eat.

There are some people who are producing more acid than they should, in which case the control of acid needs to be regulated. You can try alternatives to PPI's which are not as severe on the digestive system. Our old friend bicarbonate of soda can work wonders - if taken at the appropriate times. The problem with PPI's is they carry on working throughout the day keeping acid levels low and preventing proper digestion of essential nutrients, thereby starving the body over prolonged periods.

There is another test (though a tad unpleasant) to see if you are digesting foodstuffs properly - after passing your stools - look to see if there are food particles which have not been broken down that is, peas and veg etc floating around. This used to be very common in my case, since taking Betaine this is no longer happening.

I do hope you find a way through your problems, good luck.

[lcunliffegizmo123 in reply to Seedpod]

Thankyou for that , I cannot remember how I took it !! but was awful so you suggest straight aftyer food ? x

[Seedpod in reply to lcunliffegizmo123]

As soon as I start eating I take one or two capsules. I spread the capsules throughout the meal. On average I take 2-8 capsules according to the meal. If I eat salad or fruit I do not bother to take any. Raw food seems to be ok.

[Ruthi]

My point is, if you do the bicarb test it's no leap of faith.

[Seedpod in reply to Ruthi]

Yes, I take your point, my problem at the time was the bicarbonate test did not work for me - it just made me feel very ill indeed. I had been taking prescription anti acid drugs for nearly 4 years; as directed by different doctors. Eventually my body I am sure, began rejecting anything which stopped acid production. Therefore I felt I had nothing to lose by trying HCL, it went against everything I had been told - and for the first time in years I ate a meal and 'felt' it being digested without all the dreadful unpleasantness I had been suffering from for goodness knows how long.

Betaine HCL works great for me but we are all unique, it may not be of any use to other sufferers.

[Marz]

Lots of people with PA can also have low thyroid. This contributes to LOW acid - I have wondered - chicken or egg ? When food lurks in the stomach - it needs good acid levels to break food down into smaller molecules before entering the duodenum. When acid is low the food remains longer and begins to ferment causing an upward movement of the fermentation causing the problem. Think of yeast bubbling

[Marlows]

All fermented foods are good because they contain good bacteria / probiotics .

[helvella in reply to Marlows]

I don't think this is true.

For example, yeast from brewing. Beer is a fermented product. Much beer contains no living organisms whatsoever.

Some fermented products contain bacteria which may be beneficial.

[Annette75]

Wish I knew and had some of these thing to try last night,as after eating my tea and enjoying it I took like heartburn then ended up being very sick on and off for about two hours.

[pvanderaa]

The reflux is alkaline not acid. Too low a stomach acid. I dilute the vinegar with water. I prefer a glass of orange juice or tomato juice. Love coffee too - no milk or sugar.

I can't do malted vinegar due to gluten intolerance but cider is good. Works also when I feel a cold coming on. A gargle of a glass of diluted cider vinegar somehow prevent the cold / sore throat from progressing.