Achlorhydria (Anacidity)

Achlorhydria is a complete or partial absence of acid in the fluids of the human body, in particular in gastric juice.

Achlorhydria occurs due to impaired production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. This leads to a decrease in the acidity of gastric juice to a pH level above 3.5 (normally, the pH of gastric juice is 1-2).

The causes of achlorhydria can be different - chronic atrophic gastritis, stomach tumors, taking certain medications, stress, diseases of the nervous system, etc.

The main symptoms of achlorhydria are heaviness and bloating after eating, heartburn, nausea, impaired digestion and absorption of food.

Achlorhydria is diagnosed by analyzing gastric juice and performing special tests.

Treatment of achlorhydria is aimed at restoring the production of gastric juice. Preparations containing hydrochloric acid, enzymes, and bitters are prescribed to stimulate the production of own acid. A special diet is selected with a restriction of hard-to-digest foods.

Achlorhydria is a condition in which there is a lack of acid in the stomach. This can be caused by various reasons, such as a violation of the production of hydrochloric acid, insufficient gastric juice or a malfunction of the stomach.

Symptoms of achlorhydria may include a feeling of heaviness in the stomach, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. If left untreated, this condition can lead to serious health problems such as ulcers and gastritis.

Treatment for achlorhydria may include changing your diet, taking medications that increase hydrochloric acid production, and other methods. However, if symptoms persist for a long time, you may need to consult a doctor for a more detailed examination and treatment.

The discovery of achlorhydria belongs to the English physician Percy Fletcher Gilk. He first described this phenomenon in his work “Study of the content of hydrochloric acid in the stomach” in 1834. In 1917, his compatriot, also the famous physician Brian Broadhill, published a more detailed study of this condition. Although the results of the two scientists' work differed, the conclusions were quite similar, although they did not work with the same amount of data. This condition is also called gastric achylia.

The main cause of achlorhydia is considered to be inflammatory processes of the digestive tract in which the mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum does not produce acidic fluid at all. Sometimes, if a person has normal gastric motility, the concentration of gastric juice will be within normal limits.

Achlorhydia can occur as a result of an infectious disease, complications after a viral infection, inflammatory processes, poisoning, stress conditions and mental disorders, as well as as a result of taking certain medications. This condition negatively affects work