Is Low Stomach Acid Messing Behind your Gut Issues?

If you feel like your digestion just isn’t what it used to be—bloating after meals, burping like a teenager, or feeling full hours after eating—your stomach acid might be waving a little white flag.

We often think of too much stomach acid as the problem (hello, reflux ads), but for many of my clients, it’s actually the opposite. Low stomach acid is surprisingly common—and it can throw your whole digestive system off track.

So, What Does Stomach Acid Actually Do?

Let’s start with the basics. Stomach acid plays an important role in digestion:

• It helps break down protein into usable amino acids

• It triggers the release of digestive enzymes and bile

• It acts like a security guard, killing off pathogens and keeping bacterial overgrowth in check

When acid levels are too low, things go a bit haywire. Food sits in your stomach longer than it should, protein isn’t broken down properly —causing bloating, burping, and that “ugh” feeling after eating.

Low Stomach Acid = Protein Aversion

One of the big signs I often see in clinic? People start to go off protein—especially red meat. It just feels like too much effort to digest (because it is!). You might crave lighter meals, skip protein altogether, or find yourself constantly reaching for carbs and snacks to keep your energy up.

But long-term, this can impact everything from energy and mood to skin health and hormone balance.

H. pylori and Bacterial Overgrowth

When stomach acid drops, it’s not just digestion that suffers—the balance of bacteria in your gut can shift.

Let's look at Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacteria that can take up residence in the stomach lining and in the right (or rather, wrong) environment, it can thrive.

H. pylori is sneaky. It can suppresses stomach acid even further, making it even harder for your body to digest food and defend itself. Left unchecked, this can lead to:

• Ongoing bloating or reflux

• Nutrient deficiencies (especially iron, B12, and zinc)

• Increased risk of ulcers

• A gut environment that’s more prone to overgrowths—like SIBO

The Downstream Effects

With poor stomach acid, digestion is compromised from the get-go. That means even if you’re eating well, your body might not be absorbing what it needs. Over time, this can show up as:

• Low energy or fatigue

• Skin flare-ups (yes, the gut-skin axis is real)

• Cracked or weak nails

• Hormone imbalances

• Ongoing food intolerances

So What Are The Next Steps?

This is where the detective work starts. In clinic, I look at symptoms, run the right tests and build a plan from there.

Depending on what’s going on, support might include:

• Boosting stomach acid naturally (with bitters, food, and targeted supplements)

• Clearing bacterial overgrowths gently and effectively

• Supporting your gut lining and restoring proper digestion

• Reintroducing nutrient-dense protein in a way your body can handle

If your digestion feels sluggish, bloated, or just “off”, don’t ignore it. Low stomach acid can be a root cause that ripples through your entire system—affecting everything from nutrient absorption to gut bugs to skin flare-ups.