Question

What causes the problem of acidity? What is its effect on the body?

Answer 1

The stomach is a muscular organ that is present on the left side of the abdomen. It receives food from the mouth and plays an important role in digestion with the help of acid and enzymes. It is divided into four sections which include Cardia, Fundus, Body, and Pylorus.

Complete answer:
The stomach has different types of cells with different secretion. These include
- Mucous cells which secrete Mucus
- Parietal cells which secrete Hydrochloric acid and Intrinsic factor
- Chief cells which secrete Pepsinogen
- G cells which produce Gastrin hormone that controls acid secretion

Hydrochloric acid plays an important role in the digestion of protein by converting inactive pepsinogen to active pepsin. However, if there is an increase in the concentration of Hydrochloric acid in the stomach then it can lead to Acidity. Fatty and spicy foods are harder to digest as compared to normal food, so it requires more acid for their digestion, so the acidity is more common after having a fatty and spicy diet.
Eating unhealthy foods, Skipping meals or eating irregularly, stress, lack of sleep, Smoking, Alcohol consumption can lead to Acidity.
Excessive hydrochloric acid can lead to various effects on the body which include burning sensation in the stomach and throat, difficulty in swallowing, acid reflux, nausea, vomiting, belching, stomach pain. Acidity can lead to peptic ulcer disease.

Note: Acid production involves a parietal cell proton pump that supplies hydrogen ion in the final step of acid production. Drugs that inhibit proton pumps are called proton pump inhibitors which include drugs like Omeprazole, Rabeprazole, Pantoprazole and are used in treating acidity.