Functional Medicine Specialist Exposes Paradox in Digestive Health: Challenging Conventional Treatment of Acid Reflux

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CANADA, May 6, 2024 - Functional Medicine Consulting, led by highly respected stomach acid expert Sandy Rideout (Doc SIBO), revealed groundbreaking findings that challenge conventional medical understanding of acid reflux and digestive disorders. After extensive clinical research using the Heidelberg pH Diagnostic System on over 80 patients, Rideout has discovered that less than 2% of people actually have high stomach acid - contradicting the widespread prescription of acid-blocking medications.

This revelation directly challenges the foundation of conventional gastroenterology, which typically treats acid reflux symptoms with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and other acid-suppressing medications. According to Rideout's research, the vast majority of patients with acid reflux symptoms actually have insufficient stomach acid (hypochlorhydria), not the excess that has been presumed for decades.

"My testing with the Heidelberg pH Diagnostic System has definitively proven low to no stomach acid in those individuals with acid reflux who are not taking PPIs," states Rideout. "This fundamentally changes how we should approach digestive health and explains why so many patients continue to struggle despite conventional treatments."

The implications of this discovery extend far beyond simple digestive discomfort. Rideout's findings reveal that low stomach acid disrupts digestion from start to finish, creating a cascade of health issues including poor nutrient absorption, microbial imbalances, and systemic inflammation - ultimately contributing to conditions that conventional medicine typically treats as separate, unrelated disorders.

Breaking the Medication Cycle

Perhaps most concerning is Rideout's evidence that acid-blocking medications often worsen the very conditions they're prescribed to treat. His clinical observations show that PPIs and similar medications create a vicious cycle: by further suppressing already low stomach acid, they impair digestion, allowing food to ferment in the stomach, which creates pressure and causes the lower esophageal sphincter to relax or weaken, resulting in acid reflux symptoms.

"When patients try to stop PPIs, they often experience worse reflux due to rebound acid hypersecretion," Rideout explains. "This makes them believe they need the medication for life, when in reality, they're trapped in a cycle that's making their underlying problem worse."

Additionally, long-term PPI use contributes to serious downstream effects, including bacterial overgrowth, nutrient deficiencies, potential increased risk of infections, and even connections to autoimmune conditions through compromised gut integrity, a leaky gut.

Ironically, while PPIs are designed to suppress acid, they may not fully prevent acid reflux—especially non-acidic or weakly acidic reflux—which can still cause chronic inflammation in the esophagus. Over time, this ongoing irritation can increase the risk of developing Barrett’s esophagus, a condition that may progress to esophageal cancer in some individuals.

Connecting Previously Unconnected Conditions

Another significant aspect of Rideout's work is establishing the connection between stomach acid function and seemingly unrelated health conditions. His research demonstrates that optimizing stomach acid levels has led to improvements in autoimmune conditions, neurological issues, hormonal imbalances, and chronic inflammatory disorders.

"Many separate conditions—whether autoimmune, neurological, hormonal, or inflammatory—trace back to poor digestion, nutrient deficiencies, and gut dysfunction," notes Rideout. "Optimizing stomach acid doesn't just relieve bloating and GERD—it corrects the root cause of widespread health issues that conventional medicine has failed to connect."

This understanding has given Rideout a competitive edge in treating "medical mystery" patients—those who have seen multiple specialists without finding resolution. One dramatic example involved a 47-year-old woman with severe fatigue, brain fog, chronic pain, and digestive distress who had been struggling for over a decade. After optimizing her stomach acid levels, all of her symptoms began improving simultaneously, revealing that her fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and digestive issues weren't separate conditions but interconnected problems stemming from the same root cause, low stomach acid.

Comprehensive Testing Protocol Reveals Hidden Connections

Rideout's diagnostic approach goes beyond the Heidelberg test, incorporating multiple functional assessments to identify downstream effects of low stomach acid:

• The Betaine HCl Challenge Test, which reveals a patient's response to supplemental stomach acid
  
• Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis to identify mineral imbalances linked to poor stomach acid levels
  
• Organic Acids Test to detect metabolic byproducts indicating bacterial overgrowth and poor digestion
  
• Comprehensive Stool Analysis to assess gut pathogens, digestion markers, and microbiome balance
  
• Serum Nutrient Testing to identify deficiencies caused by malabsorption
  

"By connecting these dots, we get a complete picture of how low stomach acid affects the entire body," Rideout says. "This comprehensive approach has allowed us to resolve cases that have stumped other practitioners for years."

Natural Solutions Without Supplement Dependency

Unlike many functional medicine approaches that rely heavily on supplements, Rideout emphasizes restoring optimal stomach acid function using necessary Betaine HCl with pepsin and dietary and lifestyle modifications.

"Restoring stomach acid isn't about taking pills indefinitely," Rideout emphasizes. "It's about training the body to produce what it needs naturally through specific behavioral changes, dietary adjustments, and addressing the root causes of acid suppression."

His protocol includes teaching patients to activate the initial stage of digestion through thorough chewing and mindful eating, optimizing meal timing and composition, incorporating acid-stimulating bitter foods, managing stress through vagus nerve stimulation, and restoring proper circadian rhythms—all factors that directly influence stomach acid production.

Challenging Prevalent Medical Misconceptions

Rideout's work directly challenges several deeply entrenched misconceptions in conventional medicine:

• The belief that GERD and acid reflux are caused by excessive stomach acid
  
• The assumption that stomach acid causes ulcers and should be suppressed
  
• The notion that stomach acid only affects digestion with no impact on systemic health
  
• The misconception that digestive enzymes and bile flow function effectively regardless of stomach acid levels 

"The medical system focuses on symptom suppression rather than root causes," Rideout states. "This is why so many misconceptions about stomach acid persist despite clear evidence to the contrary. By testing actual stomach acid levels rather than assuming excess acid based on symptoms, we get a completely different picture of what's truly happening in the digestive system."

Rideout has solidified these connections in his SIBO MIND MAP©, a comprehensive resource that illustrates how stomach acid serves as a critical foundation within the broader framework of gut health. The map shows how stomach acid acts as a gatekeeper preventing unwanted bacteria from entering the small intestine, signals proper motility to prevent bacterial overgrowth, triggers bile and enzyme release, and plays a crucial role in preventing immune dysregulation and systemic inflammation.

A Paradigm Shift in Functional Medicine

By identifying stomach acid optimization as a root factor in resolving numerous health conditions, Rideout's work represents a paradigm shift in functional medicine. His approach demonstrates that addressing this single foundational aspect of digestion can create cascading positive effects throughout the body.

"Most practitioners miss this critical connection," Rideout concludes. "When we optimize stomach acid, we're not just fixing digestion—we're restoring the body's natural defense mechanisms, absorption capabilities, and metabolic functions. This is the foundation of true health that has been overlooked for too long in conventional and even traditional medicine."

For those suffering from chronic digestive issues, unexplained symptoms, or conditions that haven't responded to conventional treatments, Rideout's findings offer a compelling new direction and hope for resolution by addressing a fundamental but frequently overlooked aspect of human physiology.

About Functional Medicine Consulting

Functional Medicine Consulting, founded by Sandy Rideout (Doc SIBO) in 2013, specializes in identifying and addressing the root causes of complex digestive health issues, with particular expertise in small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and stomach acid optimization. With over two decades of research and clinical experience, Rideout has authored multiple books including Unlocking SIBO: The Secrets Behind The Bloat and The Hidden Dangers of Low Stomach Acid.

Functional Medicine Consulting offers phone consultations, coaching sessions, extensive functional medicine testing, and educational resources to help patients and practitioners understand and overcome digestive health challenges. The company's core mission is to help individuals with chronic health conditions by uncovering the gut-based root causes of their symptoms and providing natural, sustainable solutions.

Media Contact:
Sandy Rideout, CFMP
Functional Medicine Consulting
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.functionalmedicineconsulting.ca