Your Guide to Betaine Hydrochloride Supplements

How often do you think about your stomach acid? For most of us, the answer is: almost never. However, stomach acid production can have a huge impact on our ability to digest food and absorb nutrients. 

As we age, our ability to produce enough stomach acid for ideal digestive function declines, leading to all kinds of issues such as sluggish digestion, heartburn, bloating, and even dysbiosis, an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the GI tract that can eventually lead to leaky gut.

Other factors, like antacid use, illness, and organ removal or dysfunction can also impact our ability to digest properly. Research indicates that as much as 40% of the population may suffer from low stomach acid.

Learn how to boost stomach acid production naturally with betaine hydrochloride supplements, including what betaine hydrochloride is, where to buy betaine HCL, common side effects, and how to choose the best betaine hydrochloride supplement for your needs.

What is Betaine Hydrochloride?

Betaine hydrochloride is a combination of the amino acid betaine and hydrochloride, a safe, digestible form of the same digestive acid that our stomachs use to break down food. Betaine is commonly found in vegetables like beets, spinach, and sweet potato.

On its own, betaine assists in the methylation process that regulates gene expression. It also plays a critical role in liver function and regulating homocysteine, an amino acid often associated with heart disease and strokes.

Hydrochloride is an acid salt–a safe, ingestible form of hydrochloric acid, which is the acid primarily responsible for breaking down food in our stomachs. Together with betaine, hydrochloride works to increase the body’s production of stomach acid, reduce gastric pH to optimal levels, and drive healthy regulation of bacteria in the microbiome. 

What causes insufficient stomach acid? 

Insufficient stomach acid, also known as hypochlorhydria, is often associated with the aging process, although there are many additional factors that can impact our ability to produce enough stomach acid. 

Risk factors for hypochlorhydria include: 

• Age
• Tobacco and alcohol use
• Nutritional deficiencies (especially iron, zinc, and B Vitamins)
• Antacid use
• H. Pylori infection
• Gastric bypass and other stomach surgeries
• Gallbladder removal

Low stomach acid symptoms

How do you know if your stomach is struggling to produce enough acid? Here are some common symptoms that might indicate insufficient stomach acid:

• Indigestion, especially after protein-heavy meals
• Heartburn
• Stomach cramps
• Gas 
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Nutritional deficiencies including anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency, and protein deficiency

Symptoms of low stomach acid often strike within a few hours of eating and can range in severity. Left untreated, hypochlorhydria can lead to a number of health conditions including chronic gastritis and several autoimmune disorders, so it’s important to consult with a doctor. 

Betaine Hydrochloride Uses

In addition to improving stomach acid production and aiding protein digestion, betaine hydrochloride can also help with the following: 

1. SIBO

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a condition where bacteria populations in the small intestine grow to abnormal levels. SIBO can result from illness or surgery. Betaine hydrochloride helps reduce gastric pH in the stomach and small intestine, making these areas less hospitable for colonizing bacteria.

2. Nutrient absorption

When stomach acid is too low, it’s harder for the body to absorb key nutrients, including (but not limited to) iron, zinc, and B Vitamins.

Unfortunately, the digestive system also depends on many of these same nutrients to function properly, resulting in a negative feedback loop where nutrient deficiencies prevent proper nutrient absorption–which then cause more deficiencies. 

By improving the stomach’s ability to break down food and absorb essential nutrients such as protein, betaine hydrochloride helps short circuit this loop–allowing the body to absorb the nutrients it needs to overcome nutritional deficiencies. 

3.Skin health

In addition to cramps and bloating, low stomach acid and poor digestion can trigger a number of skin conditions including rosacea, acne, and dermatitis. Why does this happen? Improper protein digestion and the presence of poorly digested food in the small intestine cause inflammation which can trigger skin conditions in some people. 

By helping the body properly digest protein, betaine hydrochloride assists in lowering inflammation levels, allowing inflamed skin to clear up. 

Betaine Hydrochloride Side Effects

As with any supplement, betaine hydrochloride may cause side effects, including: 

• Heartburn
• Nausea
• Diarrhea

The likelihood of experiencing betaine hydrochloride side effects increases significantly at higher dosages, so it’s important to carefully examine the recommended dosage instructions and consult with a doctor before adding betaine hydrochloride to your regular routine or supplement stack.

However, betaine hydrochloride isn’t right for everyone. Individuals suffering from peptic ulcers, chronic gastritis, or those taking proton pump inhibitors should avoid taking betaine hydrochloride. 

If taking betaine hydrochloride capsules, never tamper with, crush, puncture, or open the capsule into food or beverages as this may cause dental or esophageal damage. 

Where to buy betaine hydrochloride

To help boost stomach acid production, we recommend Standard Process Betaine Hydrochloride. In addition to betaine hydrochloride, Standard Process Betaine Hydrochloride also contains pepsin, a natural digestive enzyme manufactured in the pancreas that specifically breaks down protein during the digestive process.

With a balanced proprietary blend, Betaine Hydrochloride from Standard Process helps your body increase its ability to digest and absorb nutrients. Standard Process Betaine Hydrochloride is available in our Shop.