GERD – Treat it with Betaine Hydrochloride?
by Anna Hart
Filed under Heartburn Overview
Betaine and GERD seem an odd couple to many people. GERD involves stomach acid washing back into the esophagus. Betaine hydrochloride is acid. Logically, it would seem that reducing the amount of acid would lessen the problem while increasing acid would make the problem worse. Why would you want to use betaine hydrochloride for GERD?
Betaine and GERD are, nevertheless, thought to be a potentially effective combination. Many naturopathic physicians believe that a supplement of betaine hydrochloride can relieve GERD, not by reducing stomach acid, but by increasing it.
Conventional Medical Treatment of GERD
Conventional treatment of GERD always involves reducing stomach acid. Beginning with simple heartburn, people take antacids, not acids. Taking an acid supplement sounds paradoxical. If heartburn leads to GERD, doctors prescribe medications that “turn off the acid pumps” in the stomach. Again, the treatment aims to reduce the amount of acid, not increase it.
Naturopathic Treatment of GERD
One theory, however, proposes that the very reason GERD is present is that the stomach lacks enough acid to fully digest proteins in the food. These food proteins cause allergic reactions and other responses within the stomach. Taken together, the responses cause increasing flows of acid into the esophagus.
In conjunction with that theory, it is believed that stomach acid decreases as we age. The lower levels of acidity allow the ring of muscle that closes off the lower end of the esophagus (LES) to relax. As it no longer squeezes the opening shut, stomach juices flow back into the esophagus.
A supplement that will increase the acid in the stomach is thought to create the right amount of pepsin to keep the LES closed as it should be.
Betaine and GERD are thus connected as a perfect treatment.
Scientific Research
A research study done in Brazil sought to determine whether GERD relief could be obtained with a betaine hydrochloride supplement. In a single, blind randomized study, 176 patients underwent GERD treatment using the supplement and 175 received GERD treatment of 20 mg omeprazole – commonly known to the non-medical community as the “purple pill”.
Betaine hydrochloride would raise stomach acid levels, while omeprazole would lower acid levels by inhibiting the “pumps” that produce it. The betaine hydrochloride supplement would have no known side effects. Omeprazole had a number of unwanted side effects such as: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headaches, rash, dizziness, nervousness, abnormal heartbeat, muscle pain, weakness, leg cramps, and water retention.
Patients participating in the study recorded in a diary both symptoms and changes in severity of symptoms. What were the results?
* All patients who used a betaine hydrochloride supplement for GERD treatment reported complete regression of symptoms after 40 days.
* Only 65.7 percent of patients who used omeprazole for GERD treatment reported regression of symptoms in the same period.
Betaine hydrochloride appears to be an effective GERD treatment. More research should be done on this.
CAUTION: Scientific evidence on the effectiveness of betaine in GERD treatment is lacking. This article is for educational purposes only. Please discuss it with your physician.
Re. the following (below)- I’m confused. Right after publishing a report about a Brazilian study which shows that “all participants reported a complete regression of symptoms after 40 days”
comes a disclaimer that says that “Scientific evidence on the effectiveness of betaine in GERD treatment is lacking.”
Well, which is it?
I would appreciate it very much if someone could write back to me and provide a link to the study so I can read it for myself. I would also like someone to explain the value of even publishing this study, only to disclaim it in the next breath.
I find this baffling and would greatly appreciate an explanation. Thank you.
Best regards,
Daniel Sandoval
A research study done in Brazil sought to determine whether GERD relief could be obtained with a betaine hydrochloride supplement. In a single, blind randomized study, 176 patients underwent GERD treatment using the supplement and 175 received GERD treatment of 20 mg omeprazole – commonly known to the non-medical community as the “purple pill”.
Betaine hydrochloride would raise stomach acid levels, while omeprazole would lower acid levels by inhibiting the “pumps” that produce it. The betaine hydrochloride supplement would have no known side effects. Omeprazole had a number of unwanted side effects such as: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headaches, rash, dizziness, nervousness, abnormal heartbeat, muscle pain, weakness, leg cramps, and water retention.
Patients participating in the study recorded in a diary both symptoms and changes in severity of symptoms. What were the results?
* All patients who used a betaine hydrochloride supplement for GERD treatment reported complete regression of symptoms after 40 days.
* Only 65.7 percent of patients who used omeprazole for GERD treatment reported regression of symptoms in the same period.
Betaine hydrochloride appears to be an effective GERD treatment. More research should be done on this.
CAUTION: Scientific evidence on the effectiveness of betaine in GERD treatment is lacking. This article is for educational purposes only. Please discuss it with your physician.
I am Prof.Dr.Ricardo de Souza Pereira (author of the formula containing betaine, melatonin, vitamins and aminoacids for GERD which was published in an article published in Journal of Pineal Research in october 2006). The point is: betaine is not so important in the formulation as you are telling in your blog. The most imnportant ingredient is MELATONIN which has chemical structure very similar to OMEPRAZOLE. MELATONIN controls sleep, gastrointestinal motility and gastric acid secretion. Of course, it is much better than OMEPRAZOLE in the control of acid secretion and other functions.
All the best,
Prof. Dr. Ricardo de Souza Pereira
Personally I found generous dose of betaine HCL with
pepsin to be profoundly helpful. However, I take
a larger dose than in supplement research mentioned above.
However, I must add that I currently take 6 to 9 mgs
of melatonin as well. The PPI meds helped somewhat
but the adverse drug effects gradually increased
and I became highly dyspeptic. By that I mean
my meals took 4 or 5 hours to leave the stomach
or so it felt like. These days I can have most
the “trigger foods” without ill effect though I am
still sparing with coffee and china tea. I’ve
been symptom free for 5 years due betaine HCL.
I take 4 to 6 10 grain capsules with my larger meals
plus 6 mg of melatonin at bedtime.
I can sleep on the level unlike when I was on
the PPI meds.
Dwight how much Betain HCL do you take and when do you take it?
Hey guys I’m desperate Ive been on OMEPRAZOLE for years and it just doesn’t work anymore. The more read about Betaine HCL the more I want to try it.
Is this stuff natural, and ok to take long term?
Were is a good place to by some high grade Betaine HCL Pepsin? I’m thinking Costco!
Jean, I often take 40 grains
of betaine HCL with
a couple of meals per day.
I take it mid meal as I don’t
want a capsule sticking in
the esophagus and I want
it well mixed into the
contents of the stomach.
And I continue to take
the 6 milligrams at bedtime.
Costco doesn’t carry it.
However, I do use their Schiff brand melatonin with theanine.
I buy the betaine HCL from
a local health food store
and from the mail order houses.
And I take 40 grains per meal
not per day. Though only
for two meals. Once I took
it for some weeks, I found
I have less need for it.
Fatty starchy meals were
the meals that most demanded
the digestive supplement.
These days I am a low carb
dieter which also seems to
help to some extent.
Dwight/Trig
How do you acquire this doctors formulation,I’m sure they must be available in the form of capsules or pills but where do you buy them??..anyone knows?.
Nick K.
Does anyone know of any possible side effects of Betaine HCL. I’m playing with the dosage and am trying find out how much I need. I’ve had some headaches and diarrhea and I’m not sure if this is to blame or not.
Well after trying every over the counter and Rx medicines including Nexxium,pepsid, zantac with no results I decided to take Betaine Hydrochloride and after one year of constant heart burn Thank God I
feel good, I also take 40 grains two times a day during my meals. It is great and I had a question on my mind as to how long can I take it for but Dwights comments that he is taking it for 5 years just relieved my tension that I can take it for long period and it is safe, I started it 3 weeks ago first with ten grains than gradually increased dose and 40 grains is perfect for me, I only have one concern that all betaine hydrochloride with Pepsin have Pepsin derived from pork source I did find vitamin world betaine hydrochloride only if any one knows any brand that make pepsin from other source than pork I would appreciate, I want to try it with Pepsin.
Dwight,
will betaine help for someone having high acid
I have been taking betaine HCI with Pepsin for about a month and I am thrilled with the results. I can’t believe that I suffered with gerd for so long. I have been taking 4 to 6 tables (600mg tables) with every meal. Before I couldn’t keep food in my stomach, my weight was climbing and I was having problems with low blood sugar. Now I am feeling so much better. My blood sugar is stable and I can digest food. My weight hasn’t gone down a lot (only 6lbs) but it isn’t going up so that is encouraging.
I get my beatine HCI with Pepsin at the Vitamin Shoppe. I suggest the bottle of 300. It is about $15.00. It has really worked for me.
Dwight~My bottle says “650 mg.”…what is that equal to in “grains”? Also, how long did it take for the heartburn to go away? I just started it a couple days ago, starting with 2, then increasing to 3, then 4 capsules. I do not have the “burning” in my stomach, and am in misery with acid coming up my throat. My husband tried it for 2 weeks and he was so miserable, he couldn’t continue and went back to his pantoprozol (sp.?) Any input at all would be very much appreciated!!
If anyone wants to get off the Nexium, Prilosec, Protonix, etc., do a search for Protexid and order right away. When Prilosec suddenly just stopped working, I began seeking out a natural alternative. I read Dr. Ricardo de Souza Pereira research paper – published in Journal of Pineal Research in october 2006 – and then learned he had developed Protexid. It works absolute wonders and I am so grateful to have discovered this product!!! It’s reasonably priced when compared the “purple pill” and others, and there are no side effects, like preventing your bones from absorbing calcium. Check it out… I don’t think you’ll be sorry.
? how many vcapsshould take of betaine hc l650 mg /pepsin 130 mg
A grain is 64.7 mg. For simple calculation think of it as 65 mg so the common 650 tablet equals 10 grains
I take 2 capsules (648mg per capsule)3 times per day with meals. I also take 20mg of Omeprazole. I am questioning whether or not this is a harmful combination. I have started a program of healing the brain chemistry from the the book Seven Weeks to Emotional Healing by Joan Larsen and really have no other guidance than the book.
Any suggestions???
I took betaine without pepcid combo, for about a week, now am worried if it caused these stomach symptoms am having, dull lt sided abdome pain, amylase levels elevated 192, scheduled for ct-scan next week, anyone knows if this med have created this problem
People usually respond very well to chiropractic care in these instances because the nerves that supply the stomach and duodenum control the balance of gastric juices and proper digestion… its standard practice to use the betaine HCL and digestive enzymes while the patients spine and nervous system gets back to normal functioning… the goal should be to get to the point where no digestive aides are needed or very infrequent … should not have to continue pills and such if your body is doing what it is supposed to do for you.
GERD, is another thing that responds to chiropractic care, because the pinched nerve aspect can be so bad as to paralyze the Gastric sphincter or just have it too relaxed, giving milder symptoms…
Then … a person could have a hiatal hernia also confusing the situation…
especially when a person does not respond to the betaine HCL and or GERD is not much of an issue….
If you have them all at once…. I usually have to work a bit harder, but usually not to much.
Dr. Mike
Back again years later. I don’t use the betaine HCL very often these days.
I do take it now and then as a preventative in case that is needed.
It is a methyl group contributer. I still take the melatonin at 6 milligrams
a day. I have zero symptoms of gerd/gord. I now eat a low carb diet which some claim to help with GERD. It did drop my weight down to the healthy range.
When I quite the PPI meds, and I quit them several times, the stomach felt
warm for about a week. This drug results in a chemical signal being elevated
which tells the stomach to make more acid. As I recall it called gastrin.
It comes in both long and short acting forms in the body.
Regina don’t confuse Pepcid the drug acid reducer with pepsin the digestion
enzyme.
I am Prof.Dr.Ricardo Pereira (author of the formula containing betaine, melatonin, vitamins and aminoacids for GERD which was published in an article published in Journal of Pineal Research in october 2006). The point is: betaine is not so important in the formulation as you are telling in your blog. The most imnportant ingredient is MELATONIN which has chemical structure very similar to OMEPRAZOLE. MELATONIN controls sleep, gastrointestinal motility and gastric acid secretion. Of course, it is much better than OMEPRAZOLE in the control of acid secretion and other functions.
All the best,
Prof. Dr. Ricardo de Souza Pereira, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
I’m a GERD sufferer too since 2009. Currently taking nexium until I read this discussion about betaine HCL then I hurriedly tried it. In my 2nd day of using betain HCL (actually what i bought is a combo of several enzymes including 200mg of betaine for every 2 capsules) I think I felt relief because it minimizes regurgitation or flowing back of stomach acid in my throat. I believe in the principle that too much carbohydrates intake causes regurgitation and I think betaine HCL enables excess carb to digest and so minimizing acid reflux. I plan to observe taking it for a long time. Try too because I experienced it’s benefit.
I am still good on the GERD front here a year later.
What I will say is that both melatonin is useful and good.
And betaine HCL is useful and good provided the dose is large enough. 200 milligrams too far too little. It takes several 10 grain capsules for benefit
or at least several spread thur the day. I alway take 6 milligrams of
melatonin at bedtime and at times I take the betaine HCL with pepsin for some spans of time. I completely GERD free. Even though I had GERD for years.
But I am good since mid 2004. I have a decade of lost life due to conventional
medicine and it model of the disease. It is wrong, I am here to tell you.
Talk to a alternative medicine provider do not trust the conventional folks.
A low carb diet seems useful as well. I still do low carb diet.
I have a BMI of 24. But I lost the GERD at a higher BMI so it wasn’t the weight lose. Though weight loss is a wonderful thing.
I currently look like a Greek God (albeit not a young one) and I have no GERD.
Dwight