Betaine Hydrochloride for Acid Reflux

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Dena L. (New Orleans, Louisiana ) on 11/17/2022:
5 out of 5 stars

After suffering from C-19, I started suffering from heartburn everyday. This went on for months. It got so bad I could barely eat any food and it would affect my sleep. So I started only eating from 12pm to 7pm and I started taking a supplement called HCL betaine pepsin. I got this from Amazon. I took HCL for only three weeks and my heartburn never returned. If you have bad heartburn you may have to take them for life but it’s safer than doctors medications that may cause side effects. I also stop drinking lemon and orange juice everyday. I only have them occasionally. I now drink apple juice and teas like hibiscus tea. So far I’m back to normal.

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REPLY   6      

FreeBrrd (San Francisco, CA USA) on 05/04/2009:
5 out of 5 stars

Acid reflux symptoms are same for too much acid & too little acid. Most treatments are for too much. Most treatments will take care of the symptoms either way. Test for too little acid is if vinegar helps as it is acid. From my research, I don't think vinegar will cure too little acid, just the symptoms. Taking betaine HCL is supposed to cure it by teaching your system to produce more acid.

Too little acid causes nutrients to not be absorbed. You may become anemic, etc. I think this is why they say that older folks do not absorb nutrients as well ei. calcium.

So while the stuff you get at the drugstore will cure the symptoms, if you have too little acid, it will actually make the problem worse.

If you search online for Betaine HCL and acid reflux, it will tell you how to do it. Basically take the HCL with meals that include protein. Take enough to make you feel better. After a while you should be able to reduce amount of HCL taken, stopping completely at some point. If you use acid blockers, etc. it reverses the good results.

Get Betaine HCL at health food stores. Pharmacists go into shock if you tell them that you want to take Hydrochloric acid.

REPLY   6      

Woody (Frankston, Australia) on 09/08/2008:
5 out of 5 stars

I have suffered Gastric Reflux for about 6 years, tried eveything including Tagamet, Zoton and all the beta blockers and Proton pump inhibitors but nothing worked. One day I tried Betaine, one tablet at breakfast and 6 years of grief have been replaced with zero reflux. This has been good for 3 months now with no problems at all. What causes Acid reflux is slow digestion, the added Acid from Betaine speeds up digestion. And the food goes down.
REPLY   3      



Dee (Middlesbrough, England) on 07/04/2008:
5 out of 5 stars

Hi again everyone, I have had gastric reflux for six years for two of those years I lived on salmon and cous cous, that was all I could eat. Recently though my life has turned around, I realised through this website that I had low acid. The ACV worked but not enough to make a huge difference. I have also had accupuncture which I think has helped.
But one day I had indigestion as usual and I tried a clementine, within a few minutes I started to feel better. I started to eat them after main meals which prevented any symptoms from coming on. I would also take them to work and have one if any symptoms came on. Then I tried Betaine Hydrochloride which has made such a difference to what I can eat. You can only use Betaine Hydrochloride if you know for definate that its low acid and you shouldn't try if you think you may have an ulcer. If fruits like oranges or lemon alleviate your symptoms then it might help you.
I hope so. Dee
REPLY   3      

Jonathan (Van Buren, Arkansas) on 06/15/2006:
5 out of 5 stars

I took Betaine Hydrochloride which is basically stomach acid ingredients in pill form to add acid back to my stomach (which I was lacking apparently). I had been on Prilosec, Prevacid, etc. for a VERY long time. I was starting to suffer from the side effects; when I stumbled onto this site. I tried the Apple Cider Vinegar at first and it worked great (which told me I lacked acid in my stomach). I hated the taste of it though and wanted something I wouldn't have to force myself to take. So; I read remedy #5 and decided to try it. I went to the health food store and described what I wanted and they went and got it right away. I've been trying it for the past two days now and my stomach has been great!!!! I give a big YEA to the Betaine Hydrochloride.. it works!
REPLY   3      

John (USA) on 03/01/2004:
5 out of 5 stars

If apple cider vinegar cures acid reflux then you do not have enough acid. An acid supplement like Betaine Hydrochloride can work wonders. It did for me. I lived on acid reducers until I figured it out. Quick test take a teaspoon of baking soda on empty stomach. A good belch with normal stomach acid should occur in 2-3 minutes. Mine took 15-16 minutes. Goodbye to Nexium/Prevacid etc.
REPLY   3      
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