KAL Betaine HCL with Pepsin, Digestive Health Supplement with 250mg Betaine Hydrochloride Plus 130mg Pepsin, Gluten Free, Non-GMO, 60-Day Guarantee, Rapid Disintegration Tablets, 100 Servings, 100ct

I was afraid that 250 mg of Betaine HCL was too strong dose for me... I decided start taking just 1/2 tablet and see how I would feel. I didn't feel anything different and I was still burping after having my meal, so I decided to take the whole tablet and it was perfect! I stoped burping after eating my meal and I do not feel blotted anymore! It's important to know that WE CAN NOT take Betaine HCL with empty stomach! It's an acid and for sure will hurt our stomach if we take it with empty stomach. I take 1 tablet every time I eat any kind of animal protein, including eggs. I usually take the tablet in the meddle of my meals or after my meals but within 5 minutes I finish eating, no more than that! I strongly recommend Betaine HCL for everyone 35+ yrs old since we stop to produce acid naturally.

My gastroenterologist had me on protein pump inhibitors and H2 blockers, telling me that I had too much stomach acid. The only test he did was an endoscopy. That test does NOT measure stomach acid levels. The problem is that too much stomach acid (hyperchlorhydria) versus too little stomach acid (hypochlorhydria) yields very similar symptoms. If a doctor does not actually measure your stomach acid levels, they are guessing, and there's a 50% chance they are wrong based on symptoms alone.If you have too much stomach acid, that extra acid will push up into your esophagus causing the burning sensation. Over time, it can damage your esophagus. Acid suppression medication is needed to help control the overproduction of stomach acid. However, if you have too little stomach acid, your lower esophageal sphincter will relax and not close up after eating, and the result will be that what little stomach acid you do have will escape through that non clinched sphincter, thus mimicking the symptoms of too much stomach acid by burning your esophagus. The cure for this is the opposite. You might need a stomach acid supplement in order to trigger that sphincter to clinch properly, thus preventing stomach acid from regurgitating.After some quick and easy science based stomach acid tests (YouTube search for Abundant Life stomach acid test for more info), I decided to take the advice of a naturopath, ween off the stomach acid lowering prescriptions, and tried supplementing via HCL with Pepsin.I initially started with a different brand that had 650 mg of HCL, but it was too strong. One tablet and I had a burning sensation in my throat. That was an indicator of too strong of a dose. I needed to find a lower dose product that was easier to manage and fine tune for my needs. Enter KAL's version of Betaine HCL with Pepsin!The KAL brand, at 250 mg, is PERFECT for fine tuning the dosage for your personal needs. It allows you to increase or decrease your dosage in 250 mg increments instead of massive steps. You can really pinpoint where you need to be. The fact that it includes Pepsin, which is a digestive enzyme needed for breaking down protein, is a major boon as well as an industry standard!With the very first capsule of KAL's Betaine HCL with Pepsin, I did not have any acid reflux for the rest of the day, despite eating normally. I repeated the test the next day, and the next, and the next. This cycle continued for two weeks. I NEVER had acid reflux at all. I let my doctor know, but he was very skeptical. That did not deter me. I continued to use this particular supplement for the next six months, and NEVER had another episode of acid reflux. That pretty much solidified the science in my mind.

You can take a pill either before or after you food; try both ways & see which one is the most effective. They are a small price to pay for better digestion!

Great for people with gallbladder/liver issues. A miracle in a pill! My whole family uses these to aid in digestion, especially fatty meals. My older mother had been complaining of food just sitting in her stomach for years. I sent her a bottle and she said it was a "miracle", she has been feeling so much better! I usually take 2-3 a meal, especially if there is a lot of food or fat to digest. Sometimes I use it in conjunction with ginger, as ginger helps signal the stomach to eliminate its contents as well. They work great together!

I have taken Betaine HCL for many years after my mom starting taking it in the 1990s and it solved her digestive issues. She often had a feeling that she had a lump in her throat after eating and taking this took care of that.However, now I am more convinced that it isn't just the acidic Betaine HCL that is important, but also the pepsin contained in it. Pepsin is a very powerful protein digesting enzyme that works in the acid environment of the stomach. I find that when I take enough extra pepsin with a meal, I almost never burp up the food later.This formula contains 130 mg of pepsin per tablet, which is high compared to other products. Pepsin, like all enzymes, is better measured by strength than weight, and unfortunately the label doesn't tell the strength. So, I called KAL and they said it is 1:10,000 strength pepsin. This is a high strength pepsin, over three times stronger than the weaker 1:3,000 pepsin often used. Here is what these numbers mean. In the lab, 1 mg of this pepsin will digest 10,000 times its weight in egg protein.For my goal of a high pepsin formula, this is perfect. The only drawback of this is that it contains some calcium carbonate, which neutralizes acid. There isn't much of it, but when increasing the acidity of your stomach, you don't want an antacid in the ingredients! This is an oversight by KAL.

Epic heartburn for years. Epic. Was about to get a fundoplication. Until I saw a naturopath who said that heartburn was actually caused by too little acid, not too much. To be honest, this sounded (and still sounds) a little looney. Like it’s almost going down the rabbit hole and joining the flat earthers on the other side. But low and behold, this actually works. And this brand in particular works the best. I have purchased less expensive brands and paid a painful price. If you suffer from GERD, then at the very least it’s worth it to give this stuff a chance.

I have tried other Enzymes to help break down protein. They all cost more and didn't work as well for me and this one costs less. Where I live I can't find it in stores so I order a couple of large bottles on Amazon and they last me a long time. I take one or two with each meal that includes protein. I tried other brands lately because of gastritis. Again, this brand works best for me. For the gastritis the Manuka Honey and the Mastic Gum have worked way better than antacids for me. Hope this Review is helpful.