01/19/2026
Did you know that symptoms we commonly associate with too much stomach acid, may actually be a result of low stomach acid?
Studies have found that people with Hashimoto’s often have hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid) or achlorhydria (lack of stomach acid). When we have low stomach acid, we may experience digestive symptoms like acid reflux! We may also be at greater risk for other undesirable health outcomes like:
- Contracting parasites from our food - Stomach acid helps us sterilize our food, killing off potential infecting pathogens.
- Food sensitivities - Proteins that are not properly broken down are more likely to induce an antigenic response from our immune system, leading to food sensitivities.
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) - Without stomach acid, bacteria in the small intestine may grow and thrive on poorly digested proteins.
- Nutrient depletions - When we don’t break down our food well, we don’t absorb nutrients well, either. Low stomach acid can lead to deficiencies in a number of nutrients, especially calcium, iron/ferritin, and B12.
- Other annoying symptoms like bloating, feeling tired after meals, and even post-nasal drip!
The good news is that we can naturally raise levels of stomach acid and support proper digestion. We can also supplement with betaine and pepsin. Betaine is a naturally occurring amino acid derivative that can help re-acidify the stomach. Pepsin is a digestive enzyme specific to protein.
Supplementing betaine with pepsin was a game changer for me on my health journey – I finally had energy once I was properly digesting protein!
If you think you may have low stomach acid, check out my article about low stomach acid and Hashimoto’s! Comment BETAINEINFO below and I will send it straight to your inbox.
Have you (or has someone you know) tried supplementing with betaine and pepsin? I'd love to hear your experiences below!
PMID: 19533804
