As I have noted before, pH is a measure of how acidic or basic a liquid is, on a scale of zero to 14.

A pH of 7 is neutral, meaning water. In a resting state, the stomach’s pH is around 4.

When food enters the stomach, it triggers the release of hydrochloric acid to digest the food.

The stomach’s pH can quickly drop to approximately 1. Exposing your skin to a solution with a pH of 1 would cause a tremendous burn and result in severe tissue damage.

The stomach also works to break down food by contracting. The resulting semi-digested food then enters the duodenum — the first part of the small intestine — where bile and pancreatic enzymes are added to the mix.

In the small intestine, the walls are lined with small, hair-like structures called microvilli that help absorb nutrients.

The food then goes into the large intestine where its progress slows to enable fermentation by gut bacteria.

Disrupting the normal function of the stomach with acid-blocking medications has a negative ripple effect on the rest of the gastrointestinal system.

In the small intestine, nutrient absorption is inhibited. In the large intestine, bacterial flora are adversely effected.

It’s absolutely no surprise that people who take antacid medications for long periods of time suffer from multiple GI complaints, including bloating, pain, and nutrient deficiencies. That is exactly what I see in my practice.

And research now shows that long-term use of acid blocking medications cause kidney disease.