Advertisement is always trying to convince us that stomach acid is the cause of heartburn and indigestion, the truth is that these problems are most often caused by a lack of hydrochloric acid (HCI). Insufficient HCI leads to stomach churning and the fermentation of undigested food, which causes the food to be "burped" back up, burning the esophagus as it goes. To solve this stomach acid problem most people take antacids. Antacids are medicines that work by increasing the pH balance in your stomach making it the quickest remedy for symptoms associated with occasional heartburn and indigestion. But antacids may not always be necessary, and they can often have negative effects.

How Antacid work? Antacids make you feel better by increasing the pH balance in your stomach. The pH system is a scale for measuring the acidity or alkalinity of a given environment (in this case, your stomach). The scale goes from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral. Below 7 is acid. Above 7 is alkaline. Normally, the acid level in your stomach is about 2 or 3. Problem may start when your pH drops below those numbers. To make you feel better, an antacid works to bring the acid level to 3 or 4. It does this by neutralizing some of the excess acid.

Negative Effect of Antacids:

• Antacids weakens stomach acids for about an hour, relieving the symptoms but often causing rebound heartburn or indigestion as the stomach tries to make up for the stomach acid it doesn't have by working overtime. In fact, in the long run, antacids will make heartburn and indigestion worse.
• Antacids are being advertised as a good source of calcium but this is misleading. The fact is that antacids can actually block calcium absorption and also tend to block iron absorption.
• Some antacids contain large amounts of aluminum, a trace element that can block mineral absorption and in large amounts can cause harm to the nervous system. Aluminum hydroxides are the worst antacids culprits for blocking mineral absorption.
• Excessive and prolonged use, antacids can produce vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Prolonged use can also cause irreparable harm to your organs and bones

Note:

• If they do become necessary for extreme conditions, such as a true excess of HCI, their nutrient blocking effects are lessened by taking them between meals or at night.
• Avoid taking antacids with citrus foods or drinks, as these increase the amount of aluminum absorbed.

Natural Remedy for indigestion and heartburn: Healthier Option for individuals suffering from chronic heartburn and indigestion is take a warm glass of water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. This works to stimulate digestive juices and provide an acidic environment. Another option is drink a cup of warm green tea.