What are the causes of low stomach acid

Many people have heard of excessive stomach acid, but don’t know much about insufficient stomach acid. Whether there is too much or too little stomach acid, it will have a certain impact on people’s health. There are many reasons for hypochlorhydria. It is not only related to disease, but may also be caused by excessive stress.

1. Too much pressure

Excessive stress can lead to mental tension, fever, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, etc. These factors can cause sympathetic nerve excitement, which can temporarily inhibit gastric acid secretion and lead to a decrease in gastric acid.

2. Disease factors

Diseases such as atrophic gastritis, gastric cancer, and pernicious anemia can lead to a decline in gastric function, resulting in a significant decrease or lack of gastric acid. In addition, gastrectomy can also cause a decrease in gastric acid.

3. Improper use of antacids

If patients with stomach problems do not follow the doctor's advice in their daily life and use antacids excessively or incorrectly, it will inhibit the secretion of gastric acid or neutralize the secreted gastric acid, leading to too little gastric acid.

4. Aging

The incidence of chronic gastritis increases with age. Intestinal metaplasia, atrophy, and lack of nutritional factors are all important causes of decreased gastric acid in the elderly.

5. Genetic factors

Genetic factors are also one of the causes of hypochlorhydria. Among family members of pernicious anemia, the prevalence of atrophic gastritis, vitamin B12 malabsorption, and hypochlorhydria is significantly higher.

6. Immune factors

Immune factors are most closely related to atrophic gastritis. Anti-parietal cell antibodies and intrinsic factor antibodies detected in the serum of patients with atrophic gastritis indicate that atrophic gastritis is related to autoimmunity. Atrophic gastritis can lead to too little stomach acid.