Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I still have a hard time scientifically explaining how low stomach acid can cause or contribute to acid reflux, but it seems to be that when you eat something you can't digest, it sits in your stomach and the pressure causes the lower esophageal sphincter to malfunction and allow food and gastric juices, which includes acid, to be refluxed back up the esophagus as all too many of us are familiar with, as heartburn, or for the long term, as GERD. Not to mention, that food never gets properly digested leading to irritation, inflammation, altered GI transit time and pH, maldigestion, and malabsorption of important nutrients, and intestinal disorders such as IBS, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (due to change in pH), or intestinal hyperpermeability, or "leaky gut" which I have been told by my holistic doctor that I most likely have. A tip for the acid reflux - I was initially able to get it under control using D-limonene (Jarrow) once a day and within two weeks was almost completely weaned off Prilosec. I had also put myself on a strong, high quality probiotic (Hyperbiotics PRO-15 regular strength "pearls") at a high dose of one three times daily for a month, which made a huge difference with the reflux and how my entire intestinal tract felt. That's when I decided it was time to test the Betaine Hcl with Pepsin. I don't eat big high protein meals, so I started off with one or two before a meal. When I ate larger meals with more protein, I upped it to three or four. I always kept adding a couple after I ate if I felt food sitting there. This worked great for a week or two then I gradually I got a mild gastritis and an occasional reoccurring of reflux. I figured out that for me, and the small meals I needed to eat, it worked much better to just take one or maybe two and definitely after I ate not before, and not try to fine tune it. I just have to take it after everything I eat, even just snacks. There had been too much time elapsing when I took it first before the food, I realized, and I felt it burning in my stomach, which I knew wasn't right. But I knew in my case it didn't mean I didn't need it, which it could mean in someone else's situation.. The day I started the Betaine Hcl it is the day I stopped the Prilosec completely. I just needed to fine tune the timing of taking it to what was right for me. (seems like some others even make it a point to take it on an empty stomach before meals, which I would never do due to the burning. I do think I have a more recent onset mild case of low stomach acid, and my small low protein meals are a factor. I have a lot of other supplements that I take, usually with meals but before, and I was just taking these in with the mix, Once I switched to taking both the Betaine Hcl and the digestive enzymes I take (NOW Ultimate enzymes and Gluten Digest) immediately after eating, and eased up on trying to titrate so exactly to my meal, things have been going well. I still take the D-limonene daily after dinner to keep the reflux at bay. I think I have much more than low stomach acid - I think I have intestinal hyperpermeability or "leaky gut" and so I added to my regimen licorice root (Nature's Way - non DGL), aloe vera gel (NOW) and slippery elm (NOW) along with L-Glutamine (Jarrow) all which are soothing and healing to the entire GI tract including the stomach and the esophagus, helping further with reflux. All I had to do therefore, after feeling the burning and realizing I was making things temporarily worse, was take a week off the Betaine, during which the reflux worsened but the gastritis resolved, Then I started it up again as described, after meals, and I have not felt food sitting in my stomach once since then, never taking more than one or two capsules a meal, but needing to take it even after any snack, whether protein containing or not. I wanted to describe all that was unique to my experience, since it seems to be more complicated than most, in case it helps someone else. I intend to continue the Betaine Hcl along with the other supplements I am on that I have described, for the forseeable future. Leaky gut takes many months to heal, and low stomach acid can be a contributing factor to causing it or to perpetuating it only revealing itself with the acid reflux in my case. I had few other symptoms initially, although I suspect I had small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, another sequelae of low stomach acid, based on my phenomenal response to the probiotics, but then things kind of snowballed, I was first diagnosed with a seemingly unrelated autoimmune thyroid condition (Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis/hypothyroidism), which was my first clue something might be wrong with my gut, and is what led to my holistic doctor's diagnosis of intestinal hyperpermeability. It can be a cause or effect of autoimmune disorders, low stomach acid is almost always a component, and the "leaky gut" has to be healed to reverse or effectively treat the autoimmune disorder. The Betaine Hcl is playing an important role in this. Hopefully at some point in the future, I will notice some mild burning even taking it after a meal, that will indicate to me that I have regained my own stomach acid's normal production, and then I will know I may be able to stop it altogether. I am not clear if this happens with everyone or just sometimes. I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't happen with me for a long time at least because of the complexity of the situation. But, regardless and best of all, I've been off Prilosec since starting this, which along with the healing, makes it worth it alone. Prilosec, and other acid reducers, despite being recommended by most doctors, are dangerous drugs to be on long term, because they do the opposite of what you need, reduce stomach acid even further, and impairs GI function, digestion, and nutrient absorption. Anyway, anyone with GI issues especially occasional to severe acid reflux or chronic GERD, especially if you are on antacids or acid reducers, I would highly recommend to try the Betaine Hcl to see if it helps instead and better, because it probably will. There are few if any reviews that state otherwise from those who have actually tried it. If you don't believe it try Googling "GERD and low stomach acid" - that's what I did to convince myself. There are other ways to test, but none so straightforward and directly helpful.as just trying it. It even helps me with my more complex situation, and especially helps me as I feel it is an important component to eventually being well again, however long tha! takes. Having stomach acid is important to proper digestion and being well! I was a little nervous to try it, 'it's the real deal, and can't do any real lasting harm, even to me,with my sensitive situation and system. I intend to keep purchasing NOW brand and taking this product as long as I need it, which is for the forseeable future. Highly recommend and Good luck! Update: A couple months ago I slowly tapered off this supplement along with the Aloe Vera and digestive enzymes, and did very well. I went on a vacation and I think the change in my diet caused mild symptoms of acid reflux to return. I immediately restarted the Betaine, Aloe, and digestive enzymes, along with D-limonene the first week or so, and my symptoms resolved again. I plan to continue all this for a couple of weeks, and then continue the Betaine permanently while attempting to taper off the others again. I have also tapered off the L-glutamine, but I don't think that is related. I have never stopped the probiotics nor do I plan to. I am trying to balance the number of supplements I am taking to make it as minimal as possible while still controlling my symptoms and my disease pathways. I take a number of other supplements too and the cost as well as the annoyance of taking so many pills can get to me, so I am just tryiing to find a balance. I think that balance is continuing the Betaine indefinitely to control the acid reflux, and managing flare-ups with the others (although the idea is to take what is required minimally to prevent flare-ups)