Tag: stomach

Antacids, are they worth it?

Today’s post is about antacids and are they worth it?
First, what is an antacid?
Antacids are a product used to treat heartburn, indigestion or an upset stomach. They are a combination of several compounds, usually utilising various salts of calcium, magnesium, and aluminum as active ingredients. The antacids act by neutralizing the acid in the stomach and by inhibiting pepsin. Many types of antacids are available over-the-counter without a prescription. When our digestive system goes to work digesting the food eaten, the glands in the stomach lining produce stomach acid and an enzyme that digests protein. This acid is released into the stomach from cells called parietal cells. This helps the nutrients to be broken down so that they can be used by the body for repair, energy etc.
There are different types of ant acids
There are tablets and liquids, some are made for short term relief such as 2 to 4 hours and others are made to act for longer periods, anywhere from 4 to 24 hours. The most common type is technically referred to as a “PPI” or proton pump inhibitor. This is because all acids contain protons. A PPI inhibits this acid from being released into the stomach. Generally, most people believe that the sensation of heart burn and other symptoms is caused by an excess of stomach acid. This belief is the reason people turn to using ant acids or P.P.I’s. Unfortunately, the production of excess stomach acid is very rare and quite often the opposite is mostly true, being that too little stomach acid is the cause of these symptoms.
Are there side effects from long term PPI use?
Yes, there several side effects, one of the more serious is kidney damage which can begin from about 6 weeks and this is generally irreversible. Nutrient deficiencies are, an almost certainty. This is due to the digestive process not happening the way it should because of the reduced production of stomach acid. So, therefore proteins don’t get broken down properly. The body needs protein for almost everything we do, from hormone and neurotransmitter production to muscle growth. This is just the tip of the ice burg. The human body is a complex machine and those couple of issues lead into so many more problems across the entire body, from hair loss to thyroid function. If you are taking a PPI long term because you believe you have to much acid in your stomach then chances are the medication will become far worse than the problem. So, it is very important not to self-diagnose. Make an appointment to go and see a health professional. Make sure you have a detailed discussion about all thing’s digestion. Now to be clear it is my opinion that this class of drug is possibly the most dangerous over the counter drug for sale at the moment. So much so, that a large legal firm recently launched a class action against the manufacturers of a poplar PPI product, due to stomach cancer and kidney damage. This is just one of several around the world and hundreds of millions of dollars have been paid out by drug companies through the courts. Unfortunately, drug companies consider this the cost of doing business and continue to advertise these drugs.   I guess the takeaway here is – buyer beware and talk to your preferred health professional about your symptoms.   Till the next post,   Live clean n prosper

Alcohol and the body.

Todays post is about how our body, or more specifically the liver, deals with alcohol.

Many of us indulge in an alcoholic beverage on a regular basis. Some people indulge more regularly and in greater quantities than others. Most of us know the basics of what happens in our bodies when we drink alcohol.

Scott has recently covered this subject in his studies and I thought it was interesting. I decided to learn more details and share this information.

How the alcohol is initially absorbed.

Alcohol absorption begins in the stomach. However, it is absorbed much more rapidly in the small intestine due to the larger surface area. So, the longer the alcohol remains in the stomach, the slower the rise in the blood alcohol level. Fatty acids slow down the movement of food through the stomach. Therefore the consumption of foods higher in fats will slow the rise of blood alcohol. This will also give time for the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to start breaking down the alcohol.

Alcohol dehydrogenase is our primary defence against alcohol, a toxic molecule that compromises the function of our nervous system. The high levels of alcohol dehydrogenase in our liver and stomach detoxify about one drink (10grams of alcohol) each hour.

Once the alcohol enters the blood stream, it goes directly from the digestive tract to the liver.

The science

In the liver there is more alcohol dehydrogenase to break down ethanol in the blood. The alcohol dehydrogenase breaks alcohol down into another compound, acetaldehyde. Next, another enzyme, called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) breaks it down further into acetate, another metabolite.

This can then be converted to Acetyl coenzyme A, (acetyl-CoA), an important molecule used in metabolic processes. It is primarily used by the body for energy production and is an essential component in balancing carbohydrate and fat metabolism

 What does this mean?

On those occasions when we consume alcoholic beverages while eating pizza and deep fried foods, followed by cake and ice cream, the body deals with the alcohol first.

This is because the liver recognises the alcohol as the most toxic substance in the body at the time.

So while the liver is dealing with the alcohol, the fats and sugars are getting pushed into the blood stream to wait. This also means that the liver will first break down the alcoholic beverage into its main components and then dealing with the alcohol first.

The liver requires certain essential nutrients from the body to do its job. It also works through the toxins in 2 phases. If there are not enough nutrients available for the liver to do its job, this causes the by-products to hang around for a lot longer in between the phases. This can then cause other issues.

 Supporting the liver

It is possible to provide support to the liver so that it can metabolise alcohol more effectively, therefore reducing long-term damage.

The 2 phases of detoxification require different nutrients.

Phase 1 requires B group vitamins, Folic acid, Glutathione, Antioxidants, Carotenoids, vitamins E and vitamin C.

Phase 2 requires Amino Acids (Glutamine, Glycine, Taurine & Cystine) and sulphurated phytochemicals found in garlic and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage & Brussels sprouts)

There are also certain compounds available that may be helpful.

  • Grape seed extract is a well-known antioxidant that assists liver function.
  • Grapefruit seed extract increases gastric protection
  • Vitamin C
  • Zinc
  • Curcumin (found in Turmeric)

Current Australian health guidelines state “For healthy men and women, drinking no more than two standard drinks on any day reduces the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury.” (NHMRC 2009) Sources – Principles of Anatomy & Physiology by Gerard J Totora/Bryan Derrickson, https://en.wikipedia.org, https://pdb101.rcsb.org

With this in mind, a good diet consisting of whole, unprocessed foods goes a long way in supporting the liver. Many of the nutrients essential for optimal liver function are found in fresh fruit and vegetables.

I hope you found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper