New data provided by the American Society for Microbiology in February shows evidence that gastric acid may help prevent foodborne infections from developing in the body.

Researches have long thought that gastric acid had an important preventative function in the stomach, protecting the interior walls from bacteria, although no previous experimental data had demonstrated this belief.

If the acid levels in the stomach are too low, it can cause a condition called Hypochlorhydia, which is commonly associated with a high risk of infections.

The researchers of this study used healthy mice that were infected with a variety of pathogens, such as Salmonella Clostridium, Yersinia enterocolitica, Citrobacter rodentium and Clostridium. The infected mice were then monitored for their ability to fight the induced infections and the presence of pathogens remaining in their bodies over time. In an additional part of the study, the mice were given typical antacids. These antacids reduced the gastric acids in the stomachs, leading to a higher incidence of infection and illness.

The researchers from this study have stated that the evidence suggests that gastric acid plays an important function in the overall health of the body by blocking specific illnesses and pathogens from entering the blood stream through.

Source: American Society for Microbiology