6 Ways to Absorb Food Better and Prevent GI Issues: Why Stomach Acidity Matters, Why It Decreases, and What to Do About It

Sudden cramping, an uncomfortably distended belly, feeling like you have to poop but can’t, we’ve all been there. Sometimes it’s easy to recognize indigestion, sometimes it’s not. Vitamin deficiencies, low iron, fatigue, cracking in the corners of the mouth, cold hands and feet are just a few of the less obvious symptoms of problems in the digestive tract.

Gas, bloating, constipation, nutrient deficiencies and other gastrointestinal issues aren’t just random things — most of the time, they can be tied back to one thing: stomach acidity. Namely, a lack of it. What I’m trying to say is that many GI problems can be addressed or prevented by ensuring your stomach is acidic enough to do its job.

Stomach acidity is an un-sexy topic.

Breaking down, digesting, and absorbing food isn't a very popular topic in the health and fitness field. My guess is that it's really hard for fitness influencers to make the topic a thirst trap (although someone probably has lol). Let me do my best to make stomach acidity relatable and fun.

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Why is stomach acidity important?

The stomach is the first destination for food after chewing. Its job is to squirt a bunch of acid on the food and smoosh it into a delicious slurry for your intestines to drink the nutrients out of. Yum! But if the stomach hasn’t done its job well, it can make things harder down the line, leading to nutrient deficiencies, yeast and bacterial overgrowths, nausea, and other problems.

If the stomach isn't acidic enough, bad things happen:

  • Poop that floats or is greasy (means poor digestion of fats)

  • Bloating, gas and cramping

  • Weird pain under right rib cage or between shoulder blades

  • Heartburn

  • Intolerance to fatty foods

  • Nutrient deficiencies (especially vitamin D)

  • Food cravings and feeling unsatisfied at meals

  • Harmful bacteria can enter your system (ever heard of SIBO or H. Pylori? They're gross!)

Too much acidity can lead to stomach ulcers. Thankfully, this happens less often. We just hear about it more because ulcers are notoriously painful.

Why does stomach acidity decrease?

Stomach acidity can decrease for various reasons, including aging, medications, stress, and certain dietary and lifestyle habits. For example, high stress levels can also interfere with proper digestive function. Regular antacid use, use of PPI drugs, eating meals quickly, consuming few vegetables, and not drinking enough water can also disrupt key digestive processes.

Although decreased levels of stomach acids are common with aging, it doesn’t mean having to live with it. In this blog post, you’ll learn a few things you can do about it.

How do you balance acidity in the stomach?

  1. Chew your food thoroughly at meals. Chewing exposes food to digestive enzymes in saliva, signals the gallbladder and pancreas to produce bile acids and gastric juices, and cues the body to start digestion.

  2. Eat lots of fiber-rich foods. Fiber helps recycle pancreatic juices and supports the liver (where bile is made). Most people should aim for 28-35 grams of fiber to start, but above 35 grams is an ideal place for most people to end up.

  3. Eat acidic foods around your main meals. the acids in certain foods will help your body start to break down proteins and fats, which are harder to digest. Think sour and you've got it! Vinegar, citrus, anything tart. A good example of this is this recipe for red pepper pasta sauce. The red peppers and white wine act as the acid, which helps break down the proteins in the meal.

  4. Eat pineapple. Ever notice that tingly feeling on your tongue when you eat pineapple? That’s bromelain, a digestive enzyme, already trying to work its digestion magic on your mouth!

  5. Take digestive enzymes, which contain helpful acids and peptides. These handy pills can be transported easily and can make eating in any situation easier. You can find an assortment of the best options in our online Thorne dispensary, where you will receive 20% off plus free shipping when you subscribe.

  6. Drink a small acidic beverage. Although it’s not exactly the same as your stomach acids, the additional acid helps to break down foods, especially proteins and fats, which are notoriously hard to digest. In some cultures, it's traditional to drink bitters before meals for this same reason.

Try these beverage ideas:

Use these tips to get more out of what you eat. Literally. Once the digestive system starts to work better, you’ll probably wonder how you got by for so long before.

Gary Berglund