12 Common Causes of Increased Gastric Acid

Almost everyone has experienced problems associated with gastric acid. Although this rarely leads to death, the pain and discomfort that arise may interfere with daily activities. Everyone has their own experience related to gastric acid. Therefore input from the affected person should be taken into consideration to choose the right treatment.

Functions of Gastric Acid

Gastric acid plays an important role in the digestive system. Some of them are as follows.

• Gastric acid helps the body to digest proteins.
• Gastric acid plays a role in the production of special enzymes that work against all germs and bacteria that enter the digestive system.
• Gastric acid helps the body to absorb vitamin B12 which is needed by the body to produce red blood and maintain the brain and nervous system.

Symptoms of Gastric Acid Related Problems

Gastric acids that are too high or too low will cause an imbalance in the body thus causing discomfort. Most people may feel pain in the stomach. Other symptoms include:

• Flatulence. Fortunately there are effective ways on how to reduce gas in the stomach.
• Stomach may feel hot as well
• Belching frequently
• Digestive disorders such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea and vomiting
• Decreased appetite because the stomach feels full
• Not comfortable when eating
• The body feels weak and is susceptible to disease

Causes of Increased Gastric Acid

Increased gastric acid is caused by many factors. Some are trivial things that are common in everyday life. Others are things that people rarely think about.

1. Lack of Vitamins and Minerals

People with such conditions are susceptible to stomach problems. Vitamins and minerals are essential for maintaining the balance of gastric acid. In addition, vitamins and minerals are important to increase the immune system

2. Strict Diet

Diets that ignore the daily nutritional needs will disrupt the balance of gastric acid. People who are on a strict diet will usually have high gastric acid. They tend to skip meals which make them more vulnerable to stomach problems.

3. Spicy Foods

Spicy food is famous for its delicacy and has usually ingredients with high acid content. Therefore spicy food can directly increase acid levels in the stomach. Spicy foods also tend to have high fat content. That kind of food is digested more slowly so the stomach produces more gastric acid. In addition there are also dangers of spicy food for pregnant women 

4. Stress

Living with endless stress can lead to various adverse effects on the body. It’s no secret that stress is one of the most common causes of increased gastric acid. Therefore stress is often associated with peptic ulcers or other gastric disorders. So it is good for you to know several tips on stress relievers.

5. Alcohol

Alcohol has a bad effect on the stomach because it can disrupt the working system of cells in the stomach that produce gastric acid. Alcohol can also cause irritation of the stomach. Nevertheless, a person’s tolerance limit for alcohol varies.

6. Bacteria

Bacterial infections, such as by Helicobacter pylori, cause disruption in gastric acid production. Bacteria can enter the body through less hygiene food or drink. Irregular meals surprisingly also raise the risk of stomach bacteria infection

7. Age

Elderly people are prone to gastric acid disorders because their body systems can not produce a balanced amount of stomach acid. Therefore they are more susceptible to flatulence or diarrhea.

8. Fiber

Excessive consumption of fiber foods will force the stomach to work harder. Fiber makes the digestive organs work longer so that inevitably there is an increase in gastric acid.

9. Cancer

Cancer that attacks the stomach can lead to excessive production of gastric acid. Unfortunately scientists still have not found what makes cancer cells grow in the stomach. But research proves people with gastric problems are at a greater risk of stomach cancer.

10. Eating at Irregular Times

Research shows people who have the habit of eating at irregular times are prone to get gastritis. The human body has a body clock rhythm. When it’s time to eat, the body produces gastric acid to digest food. Skipping meals or deviate from normal eating hours will cause the stomach to contain only gastric acid that subsequently gives feelings of nausea.

11. Lack of Sleep

Research indicates that lack of sleep can increase gastric acid and eventually will cause or aggravate the symptoms of peptic ulcers. Lack of sleep is a sign of unmanaged stress. Coupled with the habit of skipping meals, the strength of the stomach will only decrease.

12. Caffeine

Caffeine is widely known to cause stomach problems. It is because caffeine can irritate the stomach and trigger the occurrence of gastritis. The pain certainly will increase when the irritated stomach is exposed to gastric acid.

How to Prevent Gastric Acid Related Problem

The balance of gastric acid is important for the health of the body. If the gastric acid is low, the body will be easily infected by the harmful organisms that infiltrate through food and drink. If the gastric acid is excessive, there will be pain in the stomach. Below is how to keep the gastric acid in balance.

• Eat a balanced diet. Meet the recommended daily nutritional intake
• Avoid foods that are too spicy or too sour. By the way, there are dangers of lime for people with stomach ulcer
• Avoid foods that contain high fat
• Consume fish such as salmon, sardines or tuna. It is full of nutrition that is good for digestive health.
• Eat fruits and vegetables regularly
• Make a diet plan according to advice from a nutritionist
• Get enough sleep on a regular schedule
• Exercise regularly
• Set the portion of the meal. It is better to eat regularly with small portion in shorter time intervals.
• Avoid drinks or foods that are too cold to keep the digestive system stable
• Avoid overeating at night. This can trigger the body to secrete excessive gastric acid.
• Gastric acid is also influenced by the type of food that enters your body. Therefore pay attention to your food and maintain the regularity of your meal time.

All right, we have discussed the causes of increased gastric acid. As you can see, gastric problems can be managed. You just need to live a healthy lifestyle. Healthy food and regular exercise are important elements for maintaining the health of the digestive system.