HCL insufficiency can cause Osteopenia and Osteoporosis

HCL insufficiency can affect affect the absorption of the food you eat as well as any supplements you might take. Hydrochloric acid creates an environment in which digestion can take place. So it plays an important role in the first step of digestion.

For some people an insufficiency in normal hydrochloric acid in the body  can be a factor in the development of bone loss since if digestion is incomplete, bone building minerals are not going to be absorbed as they should.

Some common symptoms of this insufficiency are:

  • Undigested food is stools
  • Belching and/or bloating after eating
  • Skin blemishes and skin disorders
  • Candida Albicans overgrowth (yeast infections)
  • Chronic Fatigue
  • Adrenal Fatigue
  • Autoimmune Diseases
  • Anemia
  • Grave’s Disease
  • Asthma
  • Lupus
  • Hypoglycemia

and of course bone loss often accompanies the condition.

But you should be aware that the condition often offers no obvious symptoms and persons with the condition have no clue that this could be the cause of their Osteopenia or Osteoporosis.

So, if you are doing 'all the right things' and still finding that you experience continued bone loss and no improvement in your dexa scan results, you might want to ask your health care provider about doing HCL trial to determine if you have sufficient hydrochloric acid.

This is a safe and relatively accurate test to discover your HCL status.

If you have already been diagnosed with this condition, your are probably familiar with these two terms:

  • achlorhydria - complete insufficiency
  • hypochlorihydria - partial or intermittent insufficiency           

and you may well be taking something to remedy the condition.

NOTE: If you find that you do have an insufficiency, you will probably be advised to take supplemental HCl. Short-term use of these supplements may result in a return of normal acid production.

But remember that long term use may result in reduced output of stomach acid and that is not something you want.  You do need on-going advice from your health care provider as to when you should stop using such HCL supplementation. Don't be shy. Ask.

Now, sometimes there are several different causes of bone loss at work - each contributing in a different way to our Osteopenia or Osteoporosis. I suggest that you read and find ALL the possible causes of your condition - so that you can address each one. And begin building strong bones again.

Click here for  Causes of bone loss other than HCL insufficiency