Symptoms and relief

Hyperacidity, heartburn and digestive difficulties are all symptoms showing gastric discomfort, a problem unfortunately affecting around 70% of adults; in 50% of subjects aged over 45, chronic gastritis and even much more serious consequences are possible (10% of the population aged between 30 and 50 presents signs of peptic ulcer).

These symptoms, involving the upper digestive tract, may originate for different reasons, according to the subject. However, regardless of the triggering factor, what actually underlies the problem is the inability of the gastric mucosa to maintain the balance between “aggressive” factors (gastric juices and digestive enzymes) and “protective” factors (prostaglandins 2, secretion of alkaline mucous, etc.).

Dominance of the former over the latter, in fact, triggers the gradual lesion of gastric wall layers, leading to slight or slight to medium-level typical symptoms initially, later developing into gastritis and then ulcers located in the stomach and duodenum.

The principal factor triggering hyperacidity, heartburn, difficult digestion, etc. is stress, linked to a hectic lifestyle, often coupled with an unhealthy diet. Helicobacter Pylori is another major factor responsible for gastric symptoms: the bacteria, present in 90% cases of gastritis and in 70% ulcers, colonises the mucosa, mechanically destroying its protective coating, thereby exposing it to the corrosive action of gastric juice.

Abuse of aspirin and other anti-inflammatories is also associated to heartburn and hyperacidity, involving a significant risk of incurring in gastritis and ulcers. In fact, these drugs exert their anti-inflammatory action by inhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are a family of molecules , naturally present in our organism and divided into two distinct groups: pro-inflammatory prostaglandins, responsible for many symptoms related to the inflammatory status, and gastroprotective prostaglandins, which settle along the stomach walls, protecting it from the corrosive action of gastric acids.

Non-selective inhibition of this family of compounds entails that synthesis of pro inflammatory prostaglandins is inhibited, thereby obtaining the desired anti-inflammatory effect through the medicine itself; yet, at the same time synthesis of protective prostaglandins is also inhibited, the result of which being that the mucosa itself, now deprived of its natural defenses, is exposed to the action of digestive juices, risking lesions and ulcerations.

Treatment of hyperacidity, heartburn and difficult digestion with conventional medicine

Given the spread of gastric disorders, it is clear that the number of “conventional” remedies to treat the disorder is fairly high. There are, in fact, several medicines classified as “antiulcers”, the principal ones being antiacids, proton-pump inhibitors and H2 – antagonists.

However, as often happens with official medicine, the method adopted to solve the pathology causes serious negative effects on the patient’s organism.

Antiacid medicines: these are mainly Aluminium Salts, Calcium, Sodium and Magnesium, which react with Hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach, thereby neutralizing acidity in excess; these are symptomatic medicines and therefore eliminating only the symptoms related to the increased acidity without actually acting on the root causes. Despite their being widely used, an ideal antiacid medicine has not yet been discovered: there are many side-effects possible, particularly related to the presence of the above mentioned metals, which consumers know well enough about.
Surely, the principle element responsible for side effects of antiacid medicines is Aluminium: usually present as “Aluminium hydroxide”, it causes disorders in several anatomical districts. It has, in fact, been proven that Aluminium weakens tissues in the digestive tract: it “kidnaps” vitamins and other nutrients, inactivating them and making them unusable by the organism, besides causing constipation and other intestinal disorders. Morever, the excessive intake of Aluminium can cause symptoms of poisoning such as constipation, colic, loss of appetite, nausea, dermatological disorders, muscular spasms in the lower limbs, excessive perspiration and loss of energy.

At any rate, main side effects caused by this metal can go far beyond what one might think: as a matter of fact, researchers have found out that one of the most widely used forms of Aluminium as an antiacid, namely Aluminium Hydroxide gel, can reduce the level of phosphate in the bloodstream, causing bone dissolution, pain and muscular weakness. Frequent ingestion of the metal reduces bone mass and diminishes matrix and bone formation. But this is not all: small quantities of soluble Alumium salts in the blood slowly cause poisoning, characterized by motor paralysis and numbness in certains parts of the body, with a degeneration of kidneys and liver. Anatomical changes in nervous centres, as well as symptoms of gastrointestinal inflammation may also appear. All these symptoms are the outcome of the body’s efforts to eliminate the poison.

Morevoer, Aluminium is strongly involved in certain behavioural disorders: in fact, aluminium ions easily settle on body fat and in the brain, causing disorders in the Central Nervous System; in the long run, this situation can cause the insurgence of pathologies such as saturnism and mood swings; in addition, it has recently been highlighted that infinitesimal quantities of Aluminium in the brain are connected to epileptic seizures, senile dementia, convulsions and Alzheimer disease.

Sodium, too, bears negative effects, involving different body districts: the first and foremost harmful effect is surely water retention, with symptoms ranging from superficial skin imperfections, to much more serious problems such as hypertension. Other side effects are systemic alkalosis, constipation or diarrhea, belching, “acid refluxes” due to hyperneutralisation of gastric acidity resulting in recovery of the gastric mucosa’s secretory activity, which can cause an increase in the level of acidity of the stomach’s pH.

Proton pump inhibiting medicines (PPI): these are anti-ulcer medicines par excellence, usually prescribed initially in all cases of heartburn and gastritis. Their mechanism of action provides for the irreversible block of the so-called protonic pump producing hydrochloric acid, but not only: in fact, proton pump inhibitors block the acid secretion induced by gastrin and this, in turn, causes an increased secretion of gastrin itself, which leads to hypergastrinemia.
High levels of gastrin can cause hyperplasia of cells in the gastric fundus containing histamine. In the animal world, hyperplasia has often developed into gastric carcinoma. Apart from presenting numerous side-effects, these widely used medicines markedly alter digestive processes, with disastrous consequences at gastrointestinal level.

It has moreover been highlighted that proton pump inhibitors interfere with the absorption of calcium and vitamins (besides medicines) and are responsible for the heightened risk of hip fractures: hence, they are harmful when it comes to safeguarding the skeleton’s integrity.

H2 Antagonist medicines: these molecules inhibit gastric acid secretion induced by histamine and, to a lesser extent, secretion mediated by gastrin and Acetylcholine. H2 antagonists inhibit basal and nocturnal acid secretion, as well as secretions stimulated by food. However, side-effects generated by these medicines are all but minor: H2 Antagonists, in fact, have an antiandrogenic effect that can cause gynecomastia (growth of breasts in men) and impotence; moreover, certain molecules in particular have shown negative effects on the central nervous system, such as anxiety, panic, mental confusion and memory lapses.
The most significaticant side effect, however, regards the ability of these medicines to inhibit P450 Cytochrome. This leads to other medicines previously taken remaining longer in the bloodstream, with ensuing, heightened toxic effects.

What’s needed, therefore, is an entirely different approach, aiming to solve the problem rapidly, yet without interfering with physiological digestive mechanisms,while maintaining efficiency and balance of the entire digestive tract.

Nature can help you in case of hyperacidity, heartburn and difficult digestion