What are the functions of hydrochloric acid present in our stomach ?. If the acids are absent in your stomach then what happens.
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Answer
The stomach acid mainly hydrochloric acid is a part of gastric juice (a fluid substance that contains all digestive enzymes, HCl, and other substances). The gastric juice is produced by stomach cells. The acidic nature of gastric juice is mainly due to hydrochloric acid. In our stomach, food is churned and broken down into smaller parts and mixed with gastric juice.
The enzymes and acid in the gastric juice partially digest the consumed food materials. The main enzymes of gastric juice include lipase and pepsin.
The functions of hydrochloric acid in our stomach:
The production of HCl by the stomach plays a crucial role in the digestion of food.
Gastrin is a peptide hormone that induces the secretion of stomach acid (HCl) by the stomach’s parietal cells and is also involved in gastric motility.
The acidic environment created by HCl is very crucial for enzymatic digestion.
Hydrochloric acid also plays an integral role in protecting the body from pathogens which are emerged through consumed food or water. If stomach acid levels are drop to pH.3, then there will be significant colonization of bacterial pathogens.
What happens if the acids are absent in your stomach?
The underproduction of hydrochloric acid (low levels of HCl) in the stomach is considered as the body’s abnormality, the condition is called hypochlorhydria.
In hypochlorhydria conditions, the body compromises the gastric barrier (a natural defense against microbes) and favors microbial growth in the small intestine, which resulted in the development of various bacterial infections.
Lower levels of gastric acid are also hinder the absorption of iron.
The enzymes pepsin and lipase are dependent on the acidic environment for their enzymatic activity. The deficiency in acid production in the stomach also leads to digestion problems.
Moreover, the lower levels of HCl in the stomach stimulates the production of more amount of the gastrin hormone, a condition is called hypergastrinemia.