Listen to Your Gut

Listen to your Gut to get that hard body: 

What does the Stomach and a little acid have to do with it?

You may be wondering why I’d write an article about the stomach, the acid it makes, and what this has to do with training, nutrition, and shedding fat.  After all, aren’t training, nutrition and fat loss just about “cardio and strength training”?  Doesn’t it just involve showing up at the gym a few days weekly?  What on earth would the stomach have to do with all that?  

You’d be surprised.  In this article, you’ll learn a few things about what the stomach does, why it’s important to health and fat loss, and how to improve its function if problems are brewing.  The study of digestive function has become a passion of mine over the past year, simply because so many of my clients present with digestive dysfunction and illnesses related to it.  I suppose you know you’re a nerd when these things excite you!

Collectively, the health of the stomach and intestines (usually called the digestive system) dictate our ability to digest and absorb the food we eat.  This in turn has an immediate link to our health and ability to function, the results we get from training, and ultimately our ability to gain muscle and develop the ever-desired hard-body.  If your stomach and intestines aren’t working well, you can forget achieving the body and health you desire.  

The Stomach and a thing called hydrochloric acid

Our stomach basically functions as as a mixing chamber and holding reservoir for the food we eat (1).  Food is retained in the stomach until a digestive acid, called hydrochloric acid (HCL), is released.  Think of HCL as the knight in shining armor for the stomach - you begin eating a yummy meal, and like magic, HCL shows up to begin breaking the food down into useable parts.  HCL secretion is an essential step in our ability to break down and absorb the food we eat.  HCL is required for

• assimilation of zinc and calcium (two very important minerals)
• digestion of protein
• sterilization of stomach contents
• the release of vitamin B12 from food
• defense of the digestive system from infection

Here’s a picture of the stomach, and HCL, for your viewing pleasure.

A decline in HCL secretion (referred to as hypochlorhydria) is associated with malabsorption of food (which means you aren’t getting the nutrients from the food you are eating), upper abdominal burning (acid reflux, etc) poor protein digestion, vitamin B12 deficiency, and multiple mineral deficiencies (2).  Protein, which you get primarily from animal foods, requires large amounts of HCL for breakdown (along with other digestive enzymes from the pancreas and gall bladder). 

Takeaway from paragraph above: HCL production is critical for the breakdown of food in your stomach.  HCL good.......no HCL.......bad.

What does that have to do with my hard-body wanna be?

Take another look at the numerous functions of HCL above.  You know, the stuff like protein digestion, being able to absorb vitamins and minerals, fight off infection, etc.  Well, silly, how the heck do you think you can lose fat and build muscle if your stomach can’t do the above properly??  Do you really think you can become a hard-body stallion if you can’t digest all that protein you eat, if you can’t absorb vitamins, and if you have bacterial overgrowth going on?  Like, duh!!  

What Causes a decline in HCL?  

For the most part, HCL decline develops because of your frantic lifestyle.  You’re getting a little older, and perhaps haven’t had the most stellar nutritional habits over the past few years.  You’re always eating on the go, in a rush, late at night, your fridge is usually empty and you’ve decided healthy eating is for people with discipline and more time on their hands.  Your nervous system has two main stages, often referred to as the ‘fight or flight’ system and the ‘rest and digest’ system.  Well, many people spend their days/nights in ‘fight or flight’ mode, which drastically shuts down the ‘rest and digest’ system. Over time, HCL secretion drops, digestion is impaired, and your stomach becomes a storage tank for food it can’t break down properly.  So, you begin developing a fluffy mid-section, and often feel bloated, gassy, fatigued, with a little heart burn here and there.  Soon, you go to the doctor to find out what’s going on.

Being Led Down the Wrong Blue Pill Path

Perplexed by your mid-section blues, and bothered by the burning sensation in your upper abdomen/throat, you seek medical advice, and are given little blue pills to make it ‘go away’.  These are called antacid medications (antacid meaning to suppress acid production), two of the most common being Prilosec and Prevacid.  These medications further suppress HCL production, which is likely impaired already.  Over time, being on these medications can cause:

• poor mineral absorption
• depletion of B-complex vitamins
• failure to digest protein
• higher levels of bacterial populations and infections
• hip fractures (2).

Kinda nasty, huh?  So, what do you do instead?

Step One: Educate yourself and get a good doctor

Yes, that’s correct.  Begin educating yourself.  Become an active participant in your own health. Don’t be someone who takes every medication you are given without any understanding. Spend some time researching your symptoms so you are armed with at least little bit of knowledge.  Now, find a doctor who will spend more than 5 minutes with you, ideally one who has training in nutritional medicine.  If you are asked “what have you been eating lately”, you are probably in better hands.  You will also want to make sure you don’t have an infection, or anything else that could be causing these symptoms. 

Step Two: Make some lifestyle changes

• eliminate foods that cause any of the symptoms above (heartburn, gas, etc).  Alcohol, caffeine and sweets can be problematic for some.
• get the junk out of your diet.  These foods lead to low levels of ‘good’ bacteria and higher levels of ‘bad’ bacteria in your stomach and intestine.
• increase your body’s ability to make HCL (this can be done by taking the supplement itself, in capsule form, prior to meals).  Chill out here and there, particularly around meal time.  
• Chew your food, and breathe for goodness sake!
• take a probiotic (these help to restore ‘good’ levels of bacteria).
• exercise, and optimize vitamin D levels (both are important to strengthen your immune system, which always makes a difference)

So, the big picture here is that many people are suffering from poor digestion secondary to low HCL production.  The results are far-reaching, as discussed above, and really halt fat loss.  Imagine your stomach, unable to properly break down food.  How could you possibly lose fat when your body can’t use the food you’re eating??!

Fix your stomach, fix your digestion, and your body will thank you by losing fat, gaining muscle, and leaning out.  You will feel better again.  

Questions, comments, or interest in a consultation?  

Ashleigh can be reached at brilliantathlete@me.com

1. Tortora and Derrickson: Principles of Anatomy and Physiology.
2. Lord and Bralley: Laboratory Evaluations for Integrative and Functional Medicine.