Before trying out any new supplement, it’s important that we do our research in advance so that we can make sure it’s a good choice for us.
If you’re interested in Betaine HCl, there are lots of things that you need to know first. Namely, what is it? What are its benefits? How long will it take to see the effects of Betaine HCl, and how long will it stay in your system? What specific supplement would be best to try?
These are all valid questions, and luckily for you we have answers to all of them! Keep reading to find out more about Betaine HCl, and thereby figure out if you want to try it.
What is Betaine HCl?
Before anything else, we have to delve into some more detail about what Betaine HCl actually is.
In a nutshell, Betaine HCl is a supplement made from a combination of betaine and hydrochloric acid, as the name may suggest.
The first part of this equation, Betaine, is also known as trimethylglycine. It can be found naturally in foods, and also is produced when your body metabolizes choline. Often, Betaine will be extracted from grains or beets.
Hydrochloric acid, on the other hand, is a naturally produced stomach acid which is vital for both your digestive and immune systems. Lots of health practitioners use it to help people with trouble digesting, which the Betaine HCl supplement is also known for.
Betaine HCl comes in pill form, but its status as a supplement rather than a drug means it isn’t approved or regulated by the FDA. As a result, no set standard exists for how to use it, but people still report beneficial effects.
When making a supplement capsule, sometimes Betaine HCl will be mixed with digestive enzymes such as pepsin or protease. Since one of the compound’s main purposes is to help improve low stomach acid, it makes sense to add other ingredients that also assist with digestion.
If you are struggling with digestive problems, especially if those issues are the result of low stomach acid, Betaine HCl could potentially be a big help to you!
Before we get into the benefits of Betaine HCl, however, here are some of its other names: Betaine Chlorhydrate, Glycine Betaine, Lycine, TMG, Trimethyl Glycine, and Trimethylglycine Hydrochloride.
Benefits of Betaine HCl
The best reason to take Betaine HCl would be if you have a low stomach acid. While not a lot of people struggle with this, it can be very dangerous.
Several preexisting health conditions may make you more likely to have low stomach acid, including autoimmune conditions, anemia, chronic use of antacids, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and Sjogen’s syndrome.
If you have one of the above conditions, chances are you might also have very low stomach acid. This can in turn result in lots of other digestive problems, which Betaine HCl can help with.
A healthy amount of stomach acid production is between three and four quarts of gastric juice per day, the majority of which is hydrochloric acid. It serves to break down the food you eat prior to reaching the small intestine.
So, an insufficient amount of stomach acid can have a lot of consequences in the long-term. Thankfully, Betaine HCl can provide a solution.
First, Betaine HCl can remedy hypochlorhydria, which means that your stomach is not as acidic as it should be. All acids should have a low number on the pH scale, and a higher stomach acid pH could indicate a lack of hydrochloric acid in your stomach.
It stands to reason, then, that taking a supplement that contains hydrochloric acid could help fix this problem and benefit your overall digestive function. Betaine HCl has a lot of other benefits that tie in with this, though.
For example, hypochlorhydria has in some studies been linked to acid reflux, which can be a symptom of conditions such as functional dyspepsia, GERD, and gastroparesis.
Some believe that since a lower amount of stomach acid will slow down the process of food breaking down, it can create upward pressure that results in reflux.
More research definitely needs to be done on Betaine HCl as it relates to acid reflux, but it’s definitely something to ask your doctor about.
Low stomach acid has also been connected to reduced absorption of nutrients such as iron, magnesium, vitamin C, B12, and calcium— all very important.
These issues can also be present for other reasons, but restoring your acid balance definitely can’t hurt if you think that’s what could be the cause! Lacking in the nutrients listed above can result in conditions such as osteoporosis or anemia.
Last but not least on our list of benefits, another thing that Betaine HCl has been found to help with is reducing the risk for gut infections such as SIBO, or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth.
Recent research has found that stomach acid may play a vital part in killing some bacteria before it reaches the small intestine, which is definitely beneficial, as too much bacteria can present a lot of problems.
Side Effects and What Not to Do
When trying any new supplement out, you should always be aware of any potential negative effects in advance, as well as what you should and shouldn’t do.
One of the most important things to note is that certain medications may be less effective if your stomach is too acidic or too alkaline. If you have any prescriptions, ask your doctor about how supplements may interact with it before you introduce anything new into your routine.
On that note, it’s a good idea to ask your doctor about supplements prior to taking them regardless of if you are on any medication already or not. With some preexisting conditions, such as stomach ulcers, your doctor will likely advise you to steer clear.
You should avoid alcohol and any anti-inflammatory drugs while taking Betaine HCl. The latter may include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and other medications. These are known to not interact well with Betaine HCl.
If you do choose to try out Betaine HCl, be on the lookout for symptoms that may indicate that something is amiss. An upset stomach, change in stool color, or heartburn— any of these can indicate that your body is responding negatively.
Never hesitate to call your doctor if there are any signs that you might be having a severe reaction. Any trouble breathing, severe nausea or stomach pain, loose or bloody stools, swelling, and itchiness would all mean that you should reach out to your medical care professional.
Be careful about dosage, too, especially when trying something new. Some people suggest to increase your dose until you can feel a difference, such as a slight burning sensation. We strongly advise against this; you should stick to a regular dose.
How long will Betaine HCl stay in your system, though, and how long can you expect to notice any sort of results?
Timeline
Before taking this supplement, you will probably want to know more detail about how long Betaine HCl will stay in your system and what the timeline of its progress in your body may look like.
There may be no set dosage amount, but we definitely suggest at least starting out with lower dose amounts than you may see talked about online. However, we do know for certain that when you take your dose is very important.
You should always take Betaine HCl with a meal, since it has been found to yield very fast-acting and short-term results. In order to be effective, the additional acidity needs food to break down— otherwise you may not notice change.
How do we know that Betaine HCl works on a short-term timeline? Well, several studies have been conducted to see how quickly it lowers gastric pH.
In one particular study, six healthy adults who had been given prior medication to lower their stomach acidity— drug-induced hypochlorhydria —being given 1500mg of Betaine HCl increased their stomach acidity significantly in just six minutes.
This change occurred across the board, but within the following two hours the stomach acidity of all six individuals returned to their previous low levels.
For another study of ten healthy volunteers, Betaine HCl lowered gastric pH in under twelve minutes on average. This time, the levels went back down in an average of 69 minutes, even less time than the prior study.
This research shows that Betaine HCl is by no means a permanent solution if your stomach acid has reached very low levels, but it can certainly help in the short-term while you figure out whether something more serious may be causing the issue.
Dr. Emil Daytime Burn
One of our supplements, Dr. Emil’s Daytime Burn, contains a small dose of Betaine HCl, and so would be a perfect way to try it out. It also includes plenty of other beneficial ingredients.
Our Daytime Burn capsules, which you would take twice a day, are primarily made to act as a metabolism booster and appetite suppressor. They can also help you burn more fat, hence the name!
For assistance with weight loss and overall wellness, you would take two of our capsules a day. A single bottle contains a thirty day supply, and this supplement is currently on sale for $39.95.
In addition to Betaine HCl, this supplement also contains green tea extract to help boost your energy and metabolism, as well as dandelion leaf, pomegranate, and grape seed extract.
There are also lots of other beneficial ingredients. For fat burning it contains l-carnitine, CLA oil powder, and bioperine. The latter also assists with nutrient absorption. For a cognitive boost and stress relief we included l-theanine, ginseng powder, and holy basil.
If you want to know more detailed ingredient information, we always list everything our supplements contain on the back of the bottle. You will also find instructions there to drink at least eight ounces of water with every capsule.
Even if you’re on the fence about Betaine HCl, there are plenty of other great ingredients included in this dietary supplement that you might benefit from.
