Gastric hypochlorhydria and hair loss

[Jacob]

I got this from this guys' newsletter: http://www.wrightnewsletter.com/

Put a stop to excess hair loss

Q: I have been suffering from immense hair loss for the past year. I have tried many different remedies but I can't seem to find one that works. Please give me some suggestions.

JVW: Over the years, I've found that many problems with excess hair loss are related to gastric hypochlorhydria, a condition that occurs when your stomach doesn't produce enough hydrochloric acid and pepsin. This affects your body's ability to absorb nutrients. The first causalities of this disorder are the hair and nails, though for unknown reasons they are almost never affected at the same time.

To see if this is causing your hair loss, have your stomach function tested. If the results indicate low levels of stomach acid, supplement with either betaine hydrochloride-pepsin or glutamic-acid hydrochloride-pepsin. Start with one "10-grain," 650-milligram capsule before each meal. If you don't have any problems after two or three days, take two with the meal. A few days later, you can up it to three capsules. Gradually increase the dose in this step-like fashion until you're taking five or six "10-grain" (650-milligram) capsules with each meal. Although problems are rare, they are possible so it is very important to work with a doctor who is familiar with this therapy.

One note of caution: Hydrocholoric acid should never be used with any anti-inflammatory medications, including aspirin, Inodicin, Motrin, or Butazolidin, because of the risk of internal bleeding.

Excess hair loss can almost always be stopped, but unfortunately, it usually can't be reversed. While your hair may not return to its former thickness, you may be able to stop it from thinning further.

I would add that IMO other digestive problems can also make things worse. I had IBS some time ago..that didn't help. Digestive enzymes and probiotics may be a good idea for some.