Do Food Allergies Affect Digestion?
There appears to be a direct correlation between food allergies and digestion. Whether food allergies affect digestion, or whether the lack of digestive acids affects food allergies can be confusing. It is estimated that as many as eight out of ten people with food allergies also have impaired secretion of hydrochloric acid in their stomachs. The impairment can range from a complete absence of hydrochloric acid to varying amounts of deficiency. This deficiency then starts a chain of events that prevent foods from being completely digested.
What happens to food after it leaves the stomach if insufficient hydrochloric acid is present further complicates digestion. When stomach acid passes through to the intestines the pancreas is stimulated and it releases digestive enzymes. Unfortunately, if there is insufficient stomach acid present when its contents pass through to the intestines the pancreas may not function properly. This can be the case even if the pancreas is in good working order; the lack of acid will not stimulate it into working.
There are times when hydrochloric acid supplements can be prescribed by your physician but there is a very real danger that excess acid can cause ulcers. It appears that it is a matter of trial and error until the appropriate amount is realized. The doctor runs lab tests to analyze the amount of stomach acid that is present in the stools and bases his prescribed dosages on that.
In effect, food allergies appear to affect digestion by impacting the amount of hydrochloric acid that is produced in the stomach. As a result, the entire digestive process is impaired and may need to be corrected with supplements as prescribed by your doctor. Learning which foods you allergic to can alleviate a good percent of potential problems.
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