Gastric acid exerts digestive function. With the help of gastric acid, gastric acid is secreted by the gastric mucosa. In addition to secreting gastric acid, it also secretes mucus, jointly building a gastrointestinal protective barrier to prevent stomach damage.

Gastric acid exerts digestive function. With the help of gastric acid, gastric acid is secreted by the gastric mucosa. In addition to secreting gastric acid, it also secretes mucus, jointly building a gastrointestinal protective barrier to prevent stomach damage. Under normal secretion of gastric acid, it does not harm the body. It can digest food into chyme, transport it to the small intestine to absorb nutrients, and also maintain digestion smoothly, help clear bacteria and fungi in the stomach and reduce the risk of infection. Too much or too little gastric acid secretion is not good, and it will cause varying degrees of damage to the body.

What happens if there is too much stomach acid or too little?

, too much gastric acid

Too much gastric acid secretion of the gastric mucosa can easily cause dull stomach pain, obvious heartburn, and feel acid reflux in the mouth, which can reduce appetite. This type of problem has not been solved and is prone to cause a variety of diseases, including duodenal ulcer and cholecystitis, which are also prone to acute or chronic gastritis, reflux esophagitis , etc.


. Too little gastric acid

It is not a good thing to secrete gastric juice. It affects the normal digestion and absorption of food, and it is difficult to absorb nutrients in food, causing absorption and digestion disorders, thereby reducing resistance and increasing the risk of disease. Excessive gastric acid is common in chronic atrophic gastritis, which is a precancerous lesion of gastric cancer. The main characteristics are upper abdominal discomfort, indigestion and poor appetite.

What organs can stomach acid harm?

, stomach wall

usually makes it difficult for gastric acid to penetrate the mucosal layer. Helicobacter pylori infection, smoking and alcoholism, etc. can destroy the cell structure , causing gastric acid to penetrate into the stomach wall, easily causing erosion and ulcers, and even causing gastric perforation.


, pylorus

gastric acid can flow into the pylorus, which can easily cause duodenal ulcer to form erosion or ulcer surfaces. The main characteristic is upper abdomen pain, especially when hunger, the pain is exacerbated.

, cardia

cardia connects the esophagus and the stomach. The cardia relaxes and causes gastric acid esophagus, which easily leads to gastroesophageal reflux, causing obvious discomfort around the esophagus and esophagus, such as continuous coughing, feeling something blocked in the throat, palpitations and chest tightness , etc. Repeated gastroesophageal reflux can cause esophageal erosion and ulcers, and even lead to esophageal stenosis or obstruction, which induces esophageal cancer over time.

How to maintain gastric acid stability?

, reject irritating foods

Fruits with strong acidity, such as hawthorn, lemon and plums; alcohol and strong tea, espresso, glutinous rice leaves and high-sugar foods will all stimulate a large amount of gastric acid secretion, which can easily lead to heartburn and acid reflux.


. Three meals a day

Eat every day at a fixed time and cannot be postponed, especially for dinner and breakfast. Eat breakfast early and 70% full for dinner; you cannot ignore breakfast in order to sleep in, and you cannot eat a meal very much and not eat a meal. If you cannot eat as time due to certain factors, you might as well prepare vegetables, fruits, milk, etc. to replenish energy so that the stomach acid is secreted as usual.

. Do not overeat

Eating too fast and eating too much in a short period of time can damage the gastric mucosa, which can quickly increase the volume of the stomach, which can easily cause acute gastric dilation of , and in severe cases, acute gastric perforation. In addition, eating very strongly every meal can slow down gastrointestinal peristalsis, affect stomach emptying, increase the load on the gastrointestinal tract, and easily cause gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Message from the doctor

When sleeping, raise your head or back first, use 2 to 3 pillows, or raise the head of the bed to prevent gastric acid from entering the esophagus. If acid reflux often occurs, you may wish to sleep on your left side, which can reduce stomach pressure. It is worth noting that negative emotions such as tension and anxiety can promote gastric acid secretion and worsen the condition, so you should adjust your mindset.


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