Burping Test

[Bob4962]

Hi All,

Nice to see an early spring here, it is 23c and beautiful I think we will pay for it next week. Has anyone heard of any type of a burping test you can do with baking soda. Or is this just a bunch of hokey ??? Apparently if you burp as soon as you drink it is suppose to indicate something ????

Thanks for any input and have a great day.

Bob

[kwylee]

I'm not a chemist but I have tried this, supposed to be a measure of your stomach acid level. On an empty stomach drink a solution of 1/4 teaspoon sodium bicarbonate (plain old baking soda - like Arm & Hammer) in an 8-ounce glass of water. After you drink you measure to see how much time elapses before you burp. Burping within one to two minutes is supposed to indicate normal levels of stomach acid, but if you go 5 minutes without burping, your stomach acid is low.

I think naturopath's use this as an indicator, since a lot of folks with stomach problems such as GERD, acid reflux, etc., are diagnosed with excess acid by the doctor and put on med for that, when actually it could be a problem of NOT enough acid in the stomach.

I did try this and I burped within 15 seconds. Now you know what I know.

[TeknoLen]

I tried that test a few months ago, same recipe of 1/4 tsp baking soda and 8 oz water. No belch for me. I tried a second dose after about 5 minutes in and still no belch. I take an occasional tsp of apple cider vinegar with protein-heavy meals now, to augment my body's own stomach acid. I have noticed a little occasional heartburn lately after a meal with the ACV dose, which I think indicates too much acid so I have started to back down to 1/2 tsp ACV. Hopefully my stomach and I will find the right balance eventually.

[Lori2]

So, if 1/2 teaspoon of soda in 8 oz of water does not produce any burps in 10 minutes, is it safe to assume that I possibly/probably have low stomach acid?

[Jestgar]

While this test is suggested all over the web, I was unable to find any source that says it's credible. Please don't self-medicate based on something you see on the internet.

[kwylee]

  On 3/21/2012 at 8:52 PM, Jestgar said:

While this test is suggested all over the web, I was unable to find any source that says it's credible. Please don't self-medicate based on something you see on the internet.

I agree that you have to be careful not to diagnose yourself merely based on what you read on the internet. Doing so, it's relatively easy to think you're dying from cholera or some horrifying disfiguring disease.

But plain baking soda in water is nothing more than "bi-carb", which has been used for ages for upset stomach. In fact, since alka seltzer contains aspirin, bi-carb is probably a better and more natural alternative and it seems to work just fine for that purpose for many. Of course, natural or not, you don't want to overdo any type of remedy, so you have to listen to your own body.